Juraj Slafkovsky's hat-trick performance in Game 1 against the Tampa Bay Lightning was predictably the talk of the Montreal Canadiens' dressing room on Sunday, and no one was surprised to see the 22-year-old deliver on the biggest stage.
"We know what he's capable of bringing, and he brought it tonight," head coach Martin St. Louis said, per Sportsnet's Eric Engels. "Not just his goals; he was physical, he won his battles, he was annoying. It was a big game for him."
Slafkovsky scored three power-play goals, including the overtime winner, fired seven shots on goal, and threw two hits in 21:10 of ice time in Sunday's contest. His impressive playoff showing aligned with a breakout regular season, during which he set career highs with 30 goals and 73 points.
He's evolved into a pivotal contributor on Montreal's top line with captain Nick Suzuki and 50-goal scorer Cole Caufield, but teammate Josh Anderson said he believes Slafkovsky's role flies under the radar.
"He's a power forward. Big guy that's hard to stop," said Anderson. "And you'd think that Nick and Cole make him better, but he makes them better, too. Obviously, he's a huge-time player for us. He's got a lot of confidence, a lot of swagger, and I just love his game."
Drafted first overall by the Canadiens in 2022, Slafkovsky is in the first season of an eight-year contract worth $7.6-million annually.
