Aho scores in OT as Hurricanes beat Canadiens 3-2 to take 2-1 series lead

Montreal Canadiens goaltender Jakub Dobes (75) makes a save during first period of Game 3 of the NHL Eastern Conference final Stanley Cup playoff series against the Carolina Hurricanes, in Montreal on Monday, May 25, 2026. (Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press)

Andrei Svechnikov scored at 14:06 of overtime as the Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Montreal Canadiens 3-2 on Monday to take a 2-1 lead in the Eastern Conference final.

Shayne Gostisbehere and Taylor Hall had the goals in regulation for Carolina. Frederik Andersen made 10 saves.

Mike Matheson and Lane Hutson replied for Montreal, which got 35 stops from the outstanding Jakub Dobes.

The best-of-seven series returns to the Bell Centre for Game 4 on Wednesday.

Svechnikov fired a shot in a back-and-forth OT that found the net with bodies standing in front of the net.

After picking up a 3-2 extra-time victory at home Saturday that looked a lot more like their relentless style following a discombobulated 6-2 loss in Thursday’s opener, the Hurricanes came out flying and took the lead at 8:24 of the first period when the puck popped into the slot for Gostisbehere to fire in off the left post past a diving Dobes.

The Canadiens, who topped the Tampa Bay Lightning and Buffalo Sabres in a pair of seven-game matchups to make the conference final despite a combined 2-4 record at home, tied it at 15:28 after a good forecheck from Alex Newhook and Jake Evans led to Ivan Demidov finding Matheson in prime shooting range to beat Andersen upstairs.

Carolina, the East’s top seed coming off sweeps of the Ottawa Senators and Philadelphia Flyers, pushed back less than minute later when Hall shovelled home his own rebound from in tight past Dobes as the winger was falling to the ice at 16:22.

Montreal, which registered just 12 shots in Game 2, evened things up again on a power play thanks to a slick sequence that saw Cole Caufield and Hutson play catch off the rush before the latter fired into a wide-open net at 4:43 to set off deafening, towel-waving celebrations.

Hutson became the fourth defenceman in franchise history with at least 15 points in a single post-season, joining Larry Robinson (three times), Chris Chelios and J.C. Tremblay.

Dobes made a huge save off the stick of Svechnikov moments later on a 3-on-1 after also denying the Hurricanes forward on a one-timer in the first. The fiery Canadiens netminder followed that up with a stop on Gostisbehere on another odd-man rush with his right pad.

Carolina defenceman Sean Walker then bowled Dobes over for a goaltender interference penalty later in the period, but Montreal centre Jake Evans was assessed a roughing minor to see the teams play 4-on-4.

Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki had a terrific chance on a 2-on-1 before choosing a between-the-legs pass to Caufield that failed to connect, and Noah Dobson flubbed another opportunity with Andersen at his mercy.

Montreal, which last played at home in an ugly 8-3 loss to Buffalo in Game 6 of the second round, appeared to take the lead at 8:28 of the third when Dobson’s pass went in off the stick of a sliding Nikolaj Ehlers, but Carolina correctly challenged for offside on Caufield’s zone entry 29 seconds earlier.

Dobes foiled Walker a few minutes later on a chance from the slot and held the line on an Sebastian Aho breakaway.

Suzuki missed the net in alone early in OT before Matheson rang a shot off the crossbar moments later after a spin-o-rama near the blue line.

Dobes shot out his pad to thwart Logan Stankoven at the other end and then stared down Jalen Chatfield.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 25, 2026.

Joshua Clipperton, The Canadian Press