It’s not shots, passing or possession that win a hockey game — it’s goals.

In a playoff test, the Carolina Hurricanes (46-21-6) controlled possession, doubled up the Canadiens (42-21-10) shots and moved the puck around at will, but went home with a 3-1 loss. Montreal goalie Jakub Dobes backstopped his 25th win of the season, saving 34 of 35 shots and dropping the Canes to 0-3 against the Canadiens.

“We definitely created enough opportunities,” said head coach Rod Brind’Amour. “We just didn’t score. You tip your hat to the goalie, he played great.”

The Hurricanes came to play in the first period. Their zone entry was clicking, they were outskating the Canadiens and they were getting shots on goal. A Kaiden Guhle hook gave the Canes a powerplay early, and Svechnikov capitalized. Receiving the puck in stride and all alone on the right faceoff circle, he beat Dobes to the near corner for the Canes’ lone goal.

Meanwhile, Montreal had to fight for every inch of open space it got and didn’t register a shot on goal until the 12th minute of the game.

”I thought we had a lot more of the play,” Brind’Amour said. “I liked most of the game.”

Soon after, Guhle drew a penalty on left wing Nikolaj Ehlers and cracks started to show. Guhle provoked the Canes forward with a shove that went unnoticed by the officials, and Ehlers’ physical reply was deemed unnecessary. The Canes killed the powerplay, but it gave the Canadiens some repetitions controlling the puck in the offensive zone.

For the rest of the game, Montreal’s star-studded top line was clinical. Right wing Cole Caufield broke away in transition and slid the puck to linemate Nick Suzuki in front of the net. Suzuki buried the shot for his team’s first goal of the night.

“It’s a tough game. Their top guys cashed in, you know,” Brind’Amour said. “We definitely had enough looks, we just didn’t cash in.”

The Hurricanes kept the pressure on and played the possession game, pelting Dobes from the blue line and swarming any Montreal skater who neared the puck. But they just couldn’t score. On top of Dobes’ brick-wall performance, the Canadiens blocked 32 shots.

In a sustained Carolina possession, forward Jackson Blake sent a routine snapper at Dobes, who kept that shot and multiple putback attempts out of the net. After weathering the storm, Montreal found another offensive chance with its top line.

This time it was Suzuki who brought the puck up, weaving a pass through Carolina bodies and finding Caufield in front of the net. Caufield buried the shot for his 46th goal of the season. The Hurricanes had more than double the Canadiens’ shots on goal, but no lead.

“They’re a skilled group, they play fast like we do and they were just kinda making it count when they had a chance,” said center Sebastian Aho. “We should have used our momentum a little better today, and not open up, and [instead] keep the pressure on.”

Bad turned to worse as winger Eric Robinson was called for a tripping penalty with 15 seconds left in the second period. Suzuki won the faceoff and scored Montreal’s third goal of the night right after.

“You don’t want to take a couple of O-zone penalties. Those kill you,” Brind’Amour said. “But they executed better than we did at the end of the day.”

Facing a two-goal deficit and needing a score, Carolina didn’t play as cleanly in the third period. It was beat to pucks, didn’t connect on passes and never got close to figuring out Dobes.

The Hurricanes hit the ice again on Tuesday, March 31 at 7:30 p.m. against the Columbus Blue Jackets.