Couturier made it 3-1 just 25 seconds later at 8:49. He forced Fleury to turn the puck over, curled in the right circle and roofed a snap shot short side into the top corner.
“They got the better of us,” Arniel said. “Second period, 3-1 game, we got better, a little bit more, had some opportunities, and then again gave up a couple quick goals and the game was over after 5-1.”
Travis Sanheim extended the lead to 4-1 at 11:41 of the second period when his slap shot from the point trickled through Hellebuyck’s five-hole.
“It’s one of those ones, whether we lost 7-1 or 3-2, it’s critical points we lost,” Lowry said. “And now we know the situation we’re in that (we) pretty much have to pick up every point the rest of the way. And, hopefully we can get some help.”
Cates increased it to 5-1 with a short-handed goal at 19:28. He collected a pass from Christian Dvorak in the right circle and snapped the puck in off the left post. Dvorak’s assist was his 300th NHL point (123 goals, 177 assists).
“It’s just that belief, that trust in this room,” Cates said. “Everyone’s going, everyone’s playing their best hockey, everyone’s playing for the crest, is kind of what it feels like. And it’s been a ton of fun. Just no passengers, we’re playing hard, and like I said, we have huge games next week and we just got to keep playing, playing the right way. Everyone playing to their identity and to our team identity.”