Ehlers scores OT winner as Hurricanes even series with Canadiens

Carolina Hurricanes' Nikolaj Ehlers (27) shoots the puck at Montréal Canadiens goaltender Jakub Dobes (75) during the second period in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoffs series in Raleigh, N.C., Thursday, May 21, 2026. (Karl DeBlaker/The Associated Press)

Carolina Hurricane Nikolaj Ehlers scored his fourth of the playoffs and second of the game to win in overtime in Game 2, and even the series with the Montreal Canadiens in the Eastern Conference finals.

Tied 1-1, the two teams head back to Montreal for Game 3 on Monday.

After a guns-blazing Habs firefight in Game 1 on Thursday, the second skate around in Raleigh was a much more cagey affair.

Outshot, outhit, outscored

The Hurricanes again got on the board first when Eric Robinson tipped a William Carrier shot past Habs goalie Jakub Dobes.

The period was dominated by Carolina, but, as is Habs general mode d’operandi, they made the most of their chances.

In this case, it was one of two shots in the period that Josh Anderson scored on Frederik Andersen from Philip Danault and Kaiden Guhle.

The Canes continued to dominate, however, hitting the post and crossbar, as well as outshooting the Canadiens 15-5 over two periods.

The Danish former Winnipeg Jet Ehlers then put the home side ahead, skating across the front of Dobes’s net past Lane Hutson and Cole Caufield before sliding it in.

In addition to outshooting and outscoring the Habs in the first two periods, the Canes were far more aggressive, out-hitting the visitors 35 to 15.

Anderson beats Andersen again

Carolina continued to pressure Dobes, who made a number of stellar saves and got in at least one jaw session with Mark Jankowski, who stood in front of the Czech netminder exchanging thoughts on the nature of the universe, one presumes.

The Habs winger named Anderson from Canada then pounced on a bobbly, scramble in front of the Canes goalie named Andersen from Denmark and sniped in his second of the game and fifth of the playoffs at 12:51.

Neither team could break the other for the rest of the third.

Overtime

Heading into the extra time, Carolina was 3-0 in overtime in the playoffs, and Montreal was 3-2.

Ehlers made it a perfect four-for-four for the Canes at 3:29 to win the game.

Some stats

Carolina was 22-7-0 following a loss of any kind during the regular season, and its .759 points percentage led the NHL in that scenario.

This was the first time the Canes were coming off a playoff loss and left with a win.