Hurricanes' overtime magic continues in clutch Game 3 win over Canadiens

Chip Alexander, The News & Observer on May 25, 2026

Published in Hockey

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MONTREAL — Carolina Hurricanes captain Jordan Staal said he expected a tight game between two good teams Monday in the Eastern Conference final.

How about another overtime game? How tight is that? Staal was right.

The Hurricanes evened the series Saturday on an overtime goal by Nikolaj Ehlers at Lenovo Center. The move to the Bell Centre produced another Monday, when Andrei Svechnikov’s shot with 5:54 left in the extra period snuck past Canadiens goalie Jakub Dobes, giving Carolina another 3-2 win.

Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki had an open shot from the slot in the opening minute of the overtime but missed the net. Defenseman Mike Matheson, who scored Montreal’s first goal of the game, then found the crossbar with a shot.

Dobes denied defenseman Jalen Chatfield on an open shot with 10:32 left in OT.

So ended a game in which the two teams battled on even terms. The Canes outshot and outchanced the Canadiens, who had one shot in the third period, and one more in OT.

But the Habs got another sparkling game in net from the rookie Dobes, and helped him by blocking shots and getting sticks on pucks. Canes goalie Frederik Andersen didn’t get as much work, but made some timely saves.

Dobes allowed goals to Shayne Gostisbehere and Taylor Hall, but that was it in regulation., adding another page to the story that the big rookie from Czechia continues to write this season and in the playoffs.

Game 4 will be played Wednesday at the Bell Centre, and it could again be a tight-checking, hard-working game as the Canes look to take a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series.

The Habs believed they had taken a 3-2 lead with 12 minutes left in regulation when defenseman Noah Dobson had a shot glance off the stick of Ehlers, who tried to make a sliding stop only to have the puck skid past Andersen.

The huge cheers at the Bell Centre quickly died when the goal was challenged and reviewed: The ruling: Cole Caufield was offside entering the zone. No goal.

Dobes made a tough stop on Aho with 5:47 left in regulation after Aho found some open ice. In the second period, he denied Andrei Svechnikov’s hard wrister and a rush chance by Gostisbehere.