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Sports

Damage runs deep as Canadiens lose again in Eastern Conference Final

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1 hour ago

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MONTREAL — It was an ominous statement from Joe Veleno, though it wasn’t meant to be.

When the Montreal Canadiens forward said — just one day after Game 3 of this Eastern Conference Final — that the Carolina Hurricanes were applying so much pressure that it felt at times like they had six players on the ice, he was just trying to credit his opponents. There was no way of knowing to what extent he was also providing a window into his team’s psyche.

We didn’t pick up on it in the moment, either.

But the first 20 minutes of Game 4 revealed the damage done over the Canadiens’ first consecutive losses in these playoffs. They expected so much pressure that they buckled even when they weren’t under it, ultimately feeding the Hurricanes 10 scoring chances off turnovers and spotting them a 3-0 lead through the first period.

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“Not an easy team to play catch-up hockey against,” said Martin St. Louis after his Canadiens lost 4-0 to go down 3-1 in the series, extending their inexplicably bad post-season record at the Bell Centre to 2-6.

He made changes in the second period that he probably should’ve opted for in the first, and they led to more scoring chances.

But those disappeared in a third period that saw the Canadiens fumble in every zone before finally notching their first shot with 2:53 to go.

Fans chanted “shoot the puck” four minutes prior to that, with the Canadiens sitting on 15 after notching just 25 over their last two games combined.

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But the home team couldn’t oblige without first connecting as many as two passes in a row, and they had a hard time doing that from start to finish.

“I feel like we had players with the most space with the puck and we don’t skate enough, we pass it to a player with no space,” said St. Louis. “So, you kind of play into their pressure, and it’s a little bit of that.

“It’s just recognizing that, (with) the way they play, the guy with the most ice in space should take the ice, and we’re not playing fast enough when we have the puck with our feet. We’re not playing fast enough off the puck so we can kind of bypass the pressure, and they’ve got really, really good sticks.”

The Hurricanes have wielded them expertly to inflict a physical and mental toll the Canadiens might not be able to overcome.

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The collateral damage of two seven-game series has also unquestionably bubbled to the surface for them. Especially against a Hurricanes team that swept the Ottawa Senators and Philadelphia Flyers through the first two rounds to earn an 11-day break — most of which was enjoyed while the Canadiens were still emptying the tank against the Buffalo Sabres.

“For sure (the rest) helps their style of game,” said St. Louis, and that resonated, if only because their style of game — 200-foot, man-on-man, high-pressure hockey — has been seen as impossible to sustain over an entire regular season plus playoffs.

Hence the Hurricanes losing 12 of 13 conference final games under coach Rod Brind’Amour prior to this year.

But the Hurricanes never had an 11-day break prior to this year, nor a lead in a conference final in their current era of success, and there’s almost surely a direct correlation between those facts when you consider how convincingly the Hurricanes have beaten the Canadiens since losing 6-2 in Game 1.

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In the process, they haven’t just exhausted an already-tired team; they’ve done the type of psychological damage that most will see as impossible to overcome.

So, how do the Canadiens repair it on time to prove most people wrong and at least bring this series back to Bell Centre for a chance to force Game 7?

“You’ve gotta be mentally strong. You’ve got to believe,” said St. Louis. “You’ve got to believe that you can actually do it. To me, I don’t doubt that I believe that we can do it…”

Alex Newhook said, “They make it hard on you to make plays and they try to collapse your space, but we have the skill and we have the team to be able to make plays through that,” making it clear he also still believes.

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So does Jakub Dobes, who made 39 saves on his 25th birthday and said, “It’s over, tomorrow is a new day, and we’ll get on a plane, prepare and show up with our best hockey for Game 5.”

Captain Nick Suzuki talked about how he and five of his Canadiens teammates toppled the Toronto Maple Leafs from down 3-1 in the first round of the 2021 playoffs before eventually making it to the Stanley Cup Final.

“You have to be super desperate,” he said. “(The Hurricanes have) obviously struggled in the conference final up to this point (in the past), and I think if we go over there and do a good job and bring our game, we can try to put some more doubt in their head.”

The Canadiens must clear their own minds first.

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They were clouded more than we thought in the lead-up to Game 4, and that showed as soon as the puck dropped.

The Canadiens immediately started giving it away and didn’t stop.

“I think we have to do a better job of recognizing when we do have a little bit of space,” said Mike Matheson, “using our feet to keep that space available so we can execute afterwards.”

That would lay the foundation for the Canadiens to rebuild their psyche, which was clearly damaged by the middle games of this series.

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Man United transfer news LIVE: Tonali stance, £38m Ederson agreement, Rashford swap update

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10 minutes ago

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28 May 2026

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Manchester United are close to agreeing a deal to make Atalanta midfielder Ederson their first signing of the summer transfer window. United have been in talks to sign Ederson in a transfer worth around £38million, reports Steven Railston.

United have planned to overhaul the midfield, but signing Ederson is not set to alter the club’s plan to sign a marquee Casemiro replacement.

Ederson played in his homeland of Brazil until 2022 before a move to Italian club Salernitana. After six months with Salernitana he signed for Atalanta, where he has made 180 appearances.

(Image: 2025 UEFA)

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Ederson to Man United transfer – Carrick’s role, contract details and Dorgu request

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19 minutes ago

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28 May 2026

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Manchester United are closing in on the signing of Atalanta midfielder Ederson with Michael Carrick having sped up the process of getting a new Brazilian through the door at Old Trafford

His rise to prominence across Europe is well known. Which makes Manchester United keeping their interest in Ederson under wraps impressive.

United have pursued other targets at the same time as the Brazilian. And have been content for those names to be made public. But it will be Ederson who could well be the first signing through the doors of Old Trafford this summer.

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United could be forgiven for refusing to do business with Atalanta ever again. After all, it was the same Italian club which sold them Rasmus Hojlund for £72m. And look how that turned out!

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But United have remained undeterred, having spent 12 months monitoring Ederson’s progress and development in Serie A and the Champions League. While Atalanta president, Antonio Percassi, is keen to cash in on Ederson, who will be entering the final 12 months of his current contract next month.

He first appeared on United’s radar after helping Atalanta win the Europa League in 2024. In that season, he made 52 appearances and scored seven goals. United’s determination has not wavered.

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Aside from some impressive scouting reports on someone who is renowned for being uncompromising, energetic and with an eye for goal, Ederson ticked more boxes when it became clear to United he would be within their financial budget. A price tag of £42m appealed to co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe.

As did the fact Ederson is earning just £25,000-a-week in Italy, and will only cost United a jump to around £75,000-a-week in Manchester. Michael Carrick’s promotion to the role of permanent manager also speeded up the process, once he evaluated the merits of a move for the 26-year-old.

Carrick is said to like how versatile Ederson can be. Comfortable in a holding midfield role, or one more advanced up the pitch.

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Despite his success at Atalanta, Ederson has made no secret of his desire to test himself at one of the biggest clubs. His long held dream has been to make it to the Premier League.

Describing his strengths, Ederson said: “My features are keeping the ball at my feet. I can play both defensive and attacking football. I find it easy to attack the space.”

Ederson’s favourite number is 13. Which might be unlucky for some, but not him, it seems. He asked to wear the No.13 shirt when he joined Atalanta from Salernitana in 2022. His wife was born on July 13, and his superstitions run deep. It means Ederson will have to have a conversation with Patrick Dorgu when he arrived at United. Dorgu is the current incumbent of the 13 shirt at Old Trafford.

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Ederson has won three Brazil caps, but has not made the squad for the World Cup. Which means he will be able to have a full pre-season at United, if and when the deal is completed. And if he can continue his upward trajectory at one of the biggest clubs in the world, he can expect a recall to the international stage.

But shining bright for Atalanta is one thing, doing it at Old Trafford is another altogether. Signings with huge potential have come and gone from United in the past, without making a mark.

So the pressure on him to succeed will be huge, if United are to avoid looking like amateurs in the transfer market once again.

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“I come for everything” – Allycia Hellen Rodrigues vows to conquer all disciplines in her return to the ONE Championship ring

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32 minutes ago

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28 May 2026

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Reigning and undisputed ONE women’s atomweight Muay Thai world champion Allycia Hellen Rodrigues of Brazil has long ruled supreme over her division as the queen of ‘the art of eight limbs’.

But the 28-year-old mom-champ will be the first to admit she craves even more accolades, with eyes on the atomweight kickboxing gold in particular, and a little more distant — MMA.

Check out the video below:

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In a recent interview with ONE Championship, the 28-year-old Rodrigues said:

“I’m so happy to sign again with ONE, and I promise my best [in] Muay Thai, MMA, kickboxing, I come for everything. And for this fight, you’re going to see more than my best than my last fight.”

Rodrigues will take her first step toward achieving that goal when she takes on ONE women’s atomweight kickboxing world champion ‘The Queen’ Phetjeeja Lukjaoporongtom of Thailand at The Inner Circle on June 19. The event will take place live in Asia primetime from Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.

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The Inner Circle is ONE Championship’s premium monthly subscription platform, offering fans an all-access pass to exclusive weekly events. Fans in the United States and Canada can catch all the action live via a monthly subscription at live.onefc.com.

Allycia Hellen Rodrigues preparing for an absolute barnburner against Phetjeeja Lukjaoporongtom

Brazilian mom-champ Allycia Hellen Rodrigues says she will be fully prepared for an absolute war when she meets Thai superstar ‘The Queen’ Phetjeeja Lukjaoporongtom at The Inner Circle on June 19.

At stake is Rodrigues’ coveted gold, and the 28-year-old knows she will have to be at her best to stave off the Thai firecracker’s legitimate threat. She told ONE Championship:

“What I have, so many things to do in the fight. I have my clinch, I have my knees, I have to be 100 percent in everything, you know? Yes, I’m going to be 100 percent for war.”

Stay tuned to Sportskeeda MMA for all the latest news and updates surrounding Allycia Hellen Rodrigues’ next fight.

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