Category: Ice Hockey

After splitting the first two games of the Eastern Conference Final on the road, the Montreal Canadiens were hoping to get back to their winning ways at the Bell Centre, but the Carolina Hurricanes had other plans. For a second game in a row, the Canes dominated the game from start to finish, and while the Canadiens did push the game to overtime, it felt like Montreal was only delaying the inevitable.

Throughout the game, the Sainte-Flanelle committed 21 turnovers, including one in overtime through Lane Hutson. The sophomore defenseman didn’t shy away at the end of the game and took the blame for the loss when he was asked about Jakub Dobes’ performance:

Yeah, I mean, he was great all playoffs, so I’m not surprised. He battled so hard. It sucks that I just blew it for him, but it is what it is. […] It would be nice to be up 2-11, but we’re not, and it's because of me. It’s frustrating, but we just have to battle to the end.

-

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While there’s no denying that Hutson did make the final turnover, the goal didn’t come straight after; the Canadiens had time to reset and defend as the Hurricanes set up the game-winning play. Hutson has always been his own harshest critic, and that’s not about to change.

If Svech, Lane Hutson would get a secondary assist as it was Hutson- Svech - Jarvis - Svech.

If Aho, Hutson gets booted off the Apple train :( https://t.co/klifvAfY8I

— Caniac Brainiac (@AtTheBlueLine) May 26, 2026

However, his game cannot be summed up by the one single mistake; if the Habs didn’t have Hutson last night, they likely wouldn’t even have made it to overtime. Not just because he scored the game-tying goal and drew the penalty that allowed him to do so, but also because he blocked five shots and was once again all over the ice, skating for almost 29 minutes.

Just like on Saturday night, though, it was obvious that the Hurricanes planned on making Hutson’s night difficult with their relentless forecheck. On top of having to absorb the hits, the Illinois native had very little time to make plays in his own zone while bracing for impact. This is part of the reason why the Canadiens struggled even to exit their own zone at times, and when they did, they couldn’t get past the red line before losing the puck again.

Hutson has not been hit that often since he started his pro career. The 22-year-old is a smooth skater, and often, he manages to evade hits, but not in this series. At one stage, he was even hit by two Hurricanes at once.

If the Canadiens are to extend this series past the five-game mark, they will need to find an answer to the Canes’ suffocating brand of hockey. If they fail to do so, the Habs' great run could soon be over.

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Gabriel Landeskog has been a shooting machine against the Vegas Golden Knights, generating looks at a highly efficient clip.

Colorado's captain headlines my Avalanche vs. Golden Knights props and NHL picks for Game 4 on Tuesday night.

Be sure to read our full Avalanche vs. Golden Knights predictions.

Best Avalanche vs Golden Knights props for Game 4

Game 4 Prop #1: Gabriel Landeskog Over 2.5 shots on goal (-105)

Gabriel Landeskog has tested Carter Hart more than anybody in this series, leading the Colorado Avalanche in shot attempts, shots on goal, and scoring chances.

He has played at least 20 minutes in all three games, and logged 24 minutes of ice last time out as the Avs desperately attempted to avoid falling into an 0-3 hole.

The captain will see a healthy dose of ice with their season on the line, and he has consistently delivered when doing so. Landeskog averaged 3.7 shots on 6.9 attempts when logging 20+ minutes this season. Play up to -130.

Game 4 Prop #2: Nazem Kadri Over 2.5 shots on goal (-120)

Landeskog is the only player on the Avalanche with more shots or scoring chances in the third round. Nazem Kadri has been all around the net, and he has done a better job of tilting the ice in Colorado's favor than anybody.

Shot attempts are 53-30 Colorado at 5-on-5 during Kadri's minutes. That's a nearly 64% share of the shot attempts, which is tops among all Avalanche players.

Kadri had three shots and eight attempts in more than 19 minutes last time out, and could be heading for an even bigger workload with Nathan MacKinnon fighting injury. Playable to -130.

Game 4 Prop #3: Noah Hanifin Over 1.5 blocked shots (-160)

The Noah Hanifin pairing is starting more shifts in the defensive zone than anybody on the Vegas Golden Knights.

That's one reason he's been on the ice for 106 shot attempts against in just three games. There are a ton of opportunities to jump in the shooting lanes, and Hanifin's done a great job in that regard.

He has blocked nine shots in the series, including a five block performance in Game 3. Hanifin registered at least two blocks in five of the last six, and I'm backing him to do it again up to -175.

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Buffalo Sabres forward Noah Ostlund took a major step in the right direction with his development this season. After appearing in first career eight NHL games in 2024-25, Ostlund not only cemented himself as a regular in the Sabres' lineup this campaign but emerged as one of their key forwards. 

In 60 games this season with the Sabres, Ostlund recorded 11 goals, 16 assists, 27 points, and a plus-11 rating. While he got injured during the playoffs, he was still impactful when healthy, recording a goal and an assist in three games. 

With how well Ostlund played this season for the Sabres, it is undoubtedly fair to say that it was a successful year for the 2022 first-round pick. Yet, now that he has a full year on his resume, it would not be shocking in the slightest if he hits a new level for the Sabres next season. 

Ostlund has the potential to become a high-impact forward for the Sabres. Now that he is more adjusted to the NHL level, he is a prime breakout candidate for the Sabres heading into the 2026-27 season. The possibility of him hitting the 20-goal and 50-point marks next season should not be ruled out. 

It is going to be intriguing to see what kind of campaign Ostlund can have for the Sabres next season. 

Jett Luchanko is one of the top prospects in the Philadelphia Flyers' system. The 2024 first-round pick is a player that the Flyers are hoping will emerge as a key part of their roster, and he certainly has the potential to. 

Luchanko showed promise this season in the OHL, as he recorded 43 points in 38 games split between the Guelph Storm and Brantford Bulldogs. This is after he had 21 goals and 56 points in 46 games for the Storm during the 2024-25 campaign.

Luchanko has also played in eight NHL regular-season games over the last two seasons and even made his NHL playoff debut for the Flyers this spring. With this, it is clear that the Flyers are optimistic about the 19-year-old forward's future with the club. 

Luchanko is still looking to break out and become a full-time NHL player. Yet, when noting that he has the tools to become an impactful center in the NHL, it would not be surprising if he puts together a breakout year for the Flyers next season. There is a lot to like about his all-around game, and it would be huge for Philadelphia if he took that next step in 2026-27.

It will be interesting to see what kind of year Luchanko has next season, but he is a youngster to be excited about.

Pierre LeBrun had a note about Evgeni Malkin and the negotiation with the Penguins for a new contract.

NEW for @TheAthletic, Nico Hischier’s future, NHL coaching carousel, Bo Byram, Claude Giroux and more in Rumblings ! ⤵️https://t.co/XpnXRoxdHU

— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) May 26, 2026

The Penguins have been engaged in contract talks with Malkin’s agent, J.P. Barry. Malkin turns 40 on July 31, so it’s no surprise both sides are focused on a one-year deal. But it’s finding the sweet spot on the compensation that has remained elusive so far. Malkin’s AAV was $6.1 million this year, although with his front-loaded contract, his actual compensation was $4.8 million. I would imagine the Penguins would be starting talks closer to that $4.8 million and the agent would be starting closer to the AAV.

Because of Malkin’s age, the one-year deal could include bonuses, which would help massage the AAV.

This will eventually get done. Malkin isn’t going anywhere. But it’s not done yet.

The real dollars of salary becoming a point of contention is an interesting twist in proceedings. The Penguins have plenty of cap space and in fact have to spend a lot of money this summer just to reach the salary cap floor, so in that position it seems a bit silly to be haggling over relative chump change on setting the contract level for a player who still scored over a point per game and produced 61 points last season. By any metric, no matter what salary that Malkin will accept it is probably going to be less than his pure value and already present the Pens with a pretty good deal value-wise. That’s even before considering the gate appeal, general interest and revenue that having Malkin back will do for the team on the other end of the equation.

Then again, this type of harder line negotiating is often what seems to happen with Kyle Dubas. He tends to set a price he’s willing to pay and stick with it. That was seen last summer when the Pens didn’t qualify either Connor Dewar or Philip Tomasino and allowed both to hit unrestricted free agency. Both were brought back on team-friendly salaries and one year deals for the start of 2025-26. Interestingly, there was seemingly no drama to wrap Dewar up for a two-year extension this time around – a part of the process no doubt aided by offering Dewar the same salary that his linemate Blake Lizotte received ($2.25m) on his recent contract extension.

As mentioned, bonuses could be the answer to bridge the gap. Malkin, as a 35+ player, is eligible for performance bonuses in a one-year contract. The Penguins used bonuses last season for Anthony Mantha for every 10 games played. That could be set for Malkin on goals, assists, points or playoffs, though details would have to be ironed out with his agent.

LeBrun’s tone is confident the deal with Malkin and the Pens will get done, the most important part of it all might be the part about both sides are in communication. That’s a positive sign that with open lines that the team and player can figure out the details for what ends up being agreeable to keep the star forward around in 2026-27.

While there appears to be no rush, the Toronto Maple Leafs continue to search for a new head coach since Craig Berube was fired earlier in the month.

NHL insider Elliotte Friedman provided a soft update on where the Maple Leafs stand with coaching candidates, specifically David Carle and Bruce Cassidy.

Guesting on Donnie & Dhali, Friedman didn't have much to report on where Toronto stands with the potential hire of former Vegas Golden Knights bench boss Cassidy.

He has said before that he doesn't believe the Maple Leafs and Cassidy will be a fit this off-season, and reiterated that on Monday's show.

"I think Bruce Cassidy's stock is still good," Friedman started. "But I'm not convinced that Cassidy is going to end up in Toronto."

Not only does he not see a potential marriage between the Leafs and Cassidy, but Friedman is also unsure whether the two parties have connected in any way.

"I don't even know that the Maple Leafs have asked (the Golden Knights) to talk to him, to be honest," Friedman briefed.

From there, the conversation shifted to Carle, who is currently the head coach of the Denver University Pioneers of the NCAA and has been the bench boss for the past eight seasons. Not to mention, the 36-year-old has been part of the Pioneers' coaching staff since 2008-09, according to eliteprospects.com.

David Carle Among Three First-Time NHL Head Coach Candidates For Maple LeafsWith Craig Berube out, the Toronto Maple Leafs are in search of a new head coach, with multiple reports suggesting they'll look for a fresh candidate. Here are three first-time NHL head coaches who could be considered for the Maple Leafs' 42nd head coach in franchise history.

Some have drawn lines between Carle and the Colorado Avalanche. The Avalanche are on the brink of being swept by the Golden Knights, and there have been suggestions that Carle could be eyeing an eventual coaching change in Colorado. 

Friedman was even asked about that on Donnie & Dhali. But keeping focus on the Maple Leafs, Friedman reported that he thinks Toronto is interested in him.

"I think everybody's trying to gauge what the possibility is really," he said. "I do think Toronto wants to make Carle at least think about them, and see if they can do that."

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Before the Toronto Maple Leafs decided on hiring John Chayka and Mats Sundin as the GM and senior executive advisor of hockey operations, respectively, MLSE president and CEO Keith Pelley conducted his search to find new leadership in the franchise's front office.

Hall of Fame defenseman Chris Pronger was one of the candidates who was interviewed for a role in the organization's hockey operations department.

As a guest on TSN's OverDrive, Pronger explained the process of meeting with the Maple Leafs and what his conversation with Pelley was like, as well as with Neil Glasberg, who led the firm that supplied candidates for MLSE.

"Just had a good, frank conversation about the team, about the direction, my thoughts on what they needed, in the front office and on the ice, with respect to the players," Pronger said on OverDrive

Pronger does have some experience as an executive in the NHL. Beginning in 2017-18, he was a senior advisor for the Florida Panthers for three seasons, which is similar to the role Sundin has with the Leafs now. Pronger was also named senior VP of hockey operations in 2019-20, and hasn't had a role since, according to eliteprospects.com.

After a conversation with Pelley and Glasberg that lasted about a couple of hours, Toronto obviously didn't go through with hiring Pronger.

"I got good feedback on my conversation with them, but they were going in a different direction," Pronger said.

Report: Maple Leafs And Auston Matthews 'In A Good Place' After Online MeetingThe Toronto Maple Leafs' front office of John Chayka and Mats Sundin has reportedly had a lengthy conversation with captain Auston Matthews over a Zoom call, marking the first time the two parties had a notable chat.

The former Stanley Cup champion with the Anaheim Ducks was asked about the Maple Leafs' defense in comparison to the teams remaining in the playoffs, including the Vegas Golden Knights and the Montreal Canadiens.

"When you have no-move clauses, and limited no-trade clauses and all the rest of that, you have to find the perfect fit," he said. "It's one thing to move off a player, but what is coming back? You still got to fill holes."

Pronger further expressed that the makeup of the Maple Leafs' D-core is inadequate, and he believes Toronto's blueline needs an overhaul to some degree.

They got to get faster on the back end, they got to get more puck-movers," Pronger explained. "If you want to play an up-tempo, offensive game, you've got to have defensemen that can transition the puck and get it up the ice quick, get retrievals quicker… there's a lot that kind of goes into the nuances of the transition game."

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The Philadelphia Flyers have made clear their willingness to make an upgrade on defense this offseason, and while a power play quarterback is the top priority, they could go in other directions, too.

Despite the Flyers' best defense prospects all being right-shot defenders, the most popular names linked to the Flyers ahead of free agency are, of course, all right-shot defenders.

Veterans like John Carlson, Rasmus Andersson, and Darren Raddysh all come with varying degrees of short- and long-term appeal, but two of the three would block a prospect like Oliver Bonk, Spencer Gill, or Carter Amico from an NHL roster spot for several years.

But, because the Flyers are fortunate enough to be working from a position of strength on the right, they can continue utilizing their effective strategy of drafting for value and signing for need.

And because they have very little coming up on the left side of the defense, they can sign for need without worry.

This offseason's top dog at the position, who I have long believed to be a fit for the Flyers even before he became set to hit the open market, is none other than San Jose Sharks defenseman Mario Ferraro.

Ferraro, 27, is actually one of the youngest unrestricted free agents on the market this year, and he comes with a lot of upside relative to his role and what the Flyers need.

Over the course of their rebuild, following the departures of Brent Burns and Erik Karlsson, the Sharks have typecast Ferraro as a No. 1 defenseman, a role he is not suited for but took on head-first nonetheless.

Flyers Trade Targets: Best Alternatives to Unobtainable RFAsThe Philadelphia Flyers have no chance of getting a top RFA, but they can buy low on other talented centers available around the NHL to secure their future.

The former second-round pick has a career-high of 23 points, set this past season, and has recorded no fewer than 125 blocked shots and 124 hits in each of his last four seasons.

So, while he is 5-foot-11, Ferraro does play the rugged game required of a player with his skillset, and that is actually something the Flyers will need more of going forward.

And with the Flyers, he wouldn't need to continue playing the absolute most difficult minutes his coaching staff has to offer to him.

Third-pair defenseman Nick Seeler, who will turn 33 next week, is starting to slow down, and he already offers little in the way of skating, passing, and transition play.

Those are some of Ferraro's strengths, even if the point totals don't fully reflect that.

Should the Flyers end up moving on from Rasmus Ristolainen and/or incorporating David Jiricek into the lineup full-time, they'll need an experienced veteran with some juice in his legs, especially to cover Jiricek's warts as he continues to develop as an NHLer.

According to NHL insider Elliotte Friedman via his "32 Thoughts" podcast, Ferraro is "likely" to hit the open market, and that is a situation that has been trending this way for quite some time now.

By extension, that means the Flyers will have other teams competing with them to secure Ferraro's services should they be interested, even though they'll have the requisite cap space to manage such a situation.

The only part where things get tricky is that Ferraro is coming off a four-year, $13 million contract ($3.25 million AAV) with no trade protection, and his next deal could be even longer and doubly expensive.

For the Flyers, that might effectively look like resetting the clock on Seeler, who will be 35 when his current contract expires.

Ferraro, with a six-year deal, will be 33 when it expires, and it's important to keep in mind Seeler's age and regression with the similar physical, shot-blocking playstyles, even if Ferraro is a better puck transporter with his legs and stick.

With that in mind, though, the Flyers have little else to spend their boatloads of cap space on, and Ferraro is a worth successor and upgrade on Seeler who can play up and down the lineup if and when called upon.

The longtime Sharks defenseman has the skills and athleticism to complement someone like Jiricek, or even Jamie Drysdale, and that should be an attractive sell to a Flyers team looking to take another step forward in 2026-27.

Ten years ago today, it was a coming out party of sorts for Bryan Rust with two big goals in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Final against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

The Penguins had rallied back from a 3-2 deficit in the series to send things back to Pittsburgh for a seventh game and the energy at PPG Paints Arena was tight, to say the least.

A scoreless opening period had things feeling even tighter as the game went to the second period tied 0-0.

Just under two minutes into the second period, Bryan Rust scored one of the prettiest goals you can imagine, picking the corner of the net to beat Andrei Vasilevskiy and making it 1-0 Pittsburgh.

Jonathan Drouin scored his fifth goal of the playoffs just before the midway mark of the period, tying things up at 1-1, but Bryan Rust wasn’t done yet.

Rust scored just 30 seconds after Drouin’s equalizer to put the Penguins back on top.

Pittsburgh held on for victory and were headed back to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 2009.

Hope you had a great Memorial Day weekend (if your country does that) and enjoyed hanging out with friends and watching NHL playoffs like I did.

Somewhat shockingly, John Tortorella’s Knights have the Avalanche on the brink of a sweep. Meanwhile, the Carolina-Montreal Offer Sheet Series continues to be a close one.

Islanders News

We already linked it before the weekend but man, I’m not inspired by that Hamilton Hammers logo. “Subtle hockey puck details on the hammer knobs pay homage to the iconic puck in the New York Islanders logo, linking the sport’s identity with the craftsmanship of the tools and nodding to the franchise’s origins, including the fisherman logo era.” Alright, okay, sure. [Isles]

Keeping up at the Worlds: Danny Nelson gets a point in the loss (to Latvia!?!) and is scratched for the win over Hungary (???). How is Hungary even in the… [Isles]

Elsewhere

• It was another dominant Hurricanes performance (12 shots allowed!) yet close game as Carolina needed overtime to get past the Canadiens in Game 3. [Sportsnet]
• Cale Makar returned and was a force in Game 3 logging over 27 minutes, but not enough. [NHL | Sportsnet]
• But Nathan MacKinnon, who was injured blocking a shot in Game 3, is a question mark. [NHL]
• Spinning the right cliches: The Avs say they’re “embracing” the 0-3 challenge while the Knights say they’re taking nothing for granted. [NHL]
• Color of Hockey: profiling draft prospect Ryan Lin, who upped his offensive game for WHL Vancouver. [NHL]
• Elliotte Friedman’s sources say the Leafs’ meeting with Auston Matthews was “positive.” [Sportsnet]
• Meanwhile, his old running mate Mitch Marner is building a Conn Smythe candidacy. [Sportsnet]
• Bad news for Max Domi, who must be reevaluated in training camp after complications from an unspecified surgery. [NHL]
• Chris Pronger on failed Maple Leafs interview blah blah blah. [TSN]
• Say what you will about PK Subban as a commentator (we sure will), he was an electric player who made an astounding charitable commitment, and kept it. [NHL]
• The Oilers have signed Aku Raty, and I share that just so you can help keep straight that it’s not Aatu Raty, the former Islander and current Canuck who is Aku’s brother. [Sportsnet]
• F Bettman and the NHL: A Quebec town could not hold a Canadiens playoff watch party because it’s in Senators “territory.” [TSN]

Carolina Hurricanes (53-22-7, in the Metropolitan Division) vs. Montreal Canadiens (48-24-10, in the Atlantic Division)

Montreal, Quebec; Wednesday, 8 p.m. EDT

LINE: Hurricanes -141, Canadiens +118; over/under is 5.5

STANLEY CUP SEMIFINALS: Hurricanes lead series 2-1

BOTTOM LINE: The Carolina Hurricanes visit the Montreal Canadiens in the third round of the NHL Playoffs with a 2-1 lead in the series. The teams meet Monday for the seventh time this season. The Hurricanes won 3-2 in overtime in the last matchup.

Montreal has a 48-24-10 record overall and a 26-18-4 record on its home ice. The Canadiens are fifth in the league serving 10.4 penalty minutes per game.

Carolina has a 53-22-7 record overall and a 29-12-5 record on the road. The Hurricanes rank second in NHL play with 291 total goals (averaging 3.6 per game).

TOP PERFORMERS: Cole Caufield has 51 goals and 37 assists for the Canadiens. Alexander Newhook has six goals and two assists over the last 10 games.

Seth Jarvis has 32 goals and 34 assists for the Hurricanes. Logan Stankoven has six goals over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Canadiens: 5-3-2, averaging 3.7 goals, 6.3 assists, 5.3 penalties and 17.4 penalty minutes while giving up three goals per game.

Hurricanes: 9-1-0, averaging three goals, 5.7 assists, 5.9 penalties and 13.4 penalty minutes while giving up 1.9 goals per game.

INJURIES: Canadiens: Patrik Laine: out (abdomen).

Hurricanes: None listed.

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

The Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Montreal Canadiens, 3-2, in overtime on Monday night at the Bell Centre.

When the Canes needed them most, the top line stepped up. Andrei Svechnikov’s shot 14 minutes into overtime gave the Canes their second straight 3-2 overtime win and a 2-1 series lead. Only two wins separate the Canes from a Stanley Cup berth. The road to the Stanley Cup in the East once again runs through Raleigh, with the Hurricanes taking back home ice advantage in the series.

Much of the first half of the first period was controlled by the Hurricanes’ relentless forecheck that hardly allowed Montreal any clean breakouts. 

Shayne Gostisbehere put the Canes on the board first, finding the back of the net less than 10 minutes into the game on a great pinch in. For the third straight game, Carolina took a 1-0 lead early in the first period. 

Carolina’s forecheck seemed to let off the gas a bit in the first period. That lull in action allowed the Canadiens to tie the game on a pinch in of their own, as defenseman Mike Matheson found the top corner of the net to tie the game at 1-1. 

Just as quick as the Habs tied the game, the Canes took the lead right back. Taylor Hall notched his fourth goal of the playoffs on a tap in up close with a little over three minutes left in the opening period. 

Following the first period, the Canes held a 14-5 shot advantage. 

In the second period both teams continued to trade offensive chances, a stark change to the series. 

After Jordan Martinook took a slashing penalty around five minutes into the  period, Carolina’s penalty killing streak came to an end on a give-and-go resulting in a Lane Huston goal. 

The Canes were able to counter with a 3-on-1, but Canadiens goaltender Jakub Dobes made a save on a shot from Svechnikov to keep the game tied. 

Carolina was unable to convert on their second power play of the night, with Seth Jarvis ringing a shot off the post.  

For the first time in the series, the game was tied heading into the third period.

After a slow start to third period, it looked like the Canadiens had taken the lead after Noah Dobson banked it in. But after the Hurricanes challenged the play, it was determined Cole Caufield went offsides prior to the goal, keeping the game knotted.

The Hurricanes were unable to convert on their third power play of the game, bringing their series total to 0-for-8.

For the second straight game, overtime was needed to break a 2-2 tie.

After a Montreal turnover, the shot from Svechnikov sealed the game for the Canes and gave them their second straight overtime victory. The Hurricanes are now 5-0 during the playoffs in overtime games.

Game 4 is set for Wednesday at 8 PM, with a chance for Carolina to take a demanding 3-1 series lead heading back to Raleigh.

The Carolina Hurricanes have taken the lead in the Eastern Conference finals because they have figured out how to win the territorial battle and the overtime.

Game 3 was the second consecutive overtime game in the series and the Hurricanes prevailed again, this time on an Andrei Svechnikov goal, for a 3-2 victory and a 2-1 series lead.

The Hurricanes have found their game again after a 6-2 blowout loss in the opener that could have been the result of 11 days off following back-to-back sweeps.

But the past two games have seen a return to Hurricanes hockey of aggressive forechecking and firing plenty of shots. It was evident from the start of Game 2, in which Carolina outshot Montreal 26-12. It was more pronounced in Game 3 with a 38-13 shot edge. And that was with Montreal blocking 33 shots.

The Hurricanes, who won Game 2 on a Nikolaj Ehlers goal, and Canadiens alternated goals in Game 3.

Hurricanes defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere opened the scoring in the first period, but Mike Matheson tied it for Montreal. Taylor Hall scored less than a minute later to put Carolina ahead 2-1 before the end of the period.

Lane Hutson tied the game in the second period and a waved-off Montreal goal (for offsides) forced the 20th overtime game of the 2026 NHL playoffs.

Though the Canadiens had a couple early chances, Carolina outshot them 6-1 in the extra period.

The winning play started when Carolina intercepted a pass and entered the zone. Seth Jarvis found Svechnikov, whose shot beat a screened Jakub Dobes. Sebastian Aho, was battling Juraj Slafkovsky for position in front of Dobes, was initially awarded the goal but it later was given to Svechnikov.

"There's a chance that it went off my hip," Aho told TNT. "But I don't care who gets the goal. We'll take the win."

The Hurricanes improved to 5-0 in overtime this postseason while the Canadiens fell to 3-4.

Montreal also fell to 2-5 at home. The Canadiens will have to figure out to beat the Hurricanes' aggressive forecheck, as they did in Game 1, if they are going to be able to tie the series in Game 4 on Wednesday, May 27.

Here are highlights from Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals:

Final score: Hurricanes 3, Canadiens 2 (OT)

The Hurricanes dominate in shots for the second game in a row. The Canadiens push it to overtime for the second game in a row. And the Hurricanes prevail again for a 2-1 lead in the Eastern Conference finals.

Andrei Svechnikov scores

The Hurricanes enter the zone after a turnover and the puck eventually gets to Andrei Svechnikov, whose shot beats a screened Jakub Dobes at 14:06 of overtime. Sebastian Aho, who had been setting the screen, was originally awarded the goal, but it was changed to Svechnikov.

CANES TAKE GAME 3 IN MONTREAL 🔥

A PIVOTAL WIN FOR CAROLINA TO PULL AHEAD IN THE ECF 🙌 pic.twitter.com/oqW1n3yvbh

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) May 26, 2026

Missed penalty?

The Canadiens appeared to have too many men on the ice, but the on-ice officials huddle and nothing is called.

Midway through overtime

Carolina leads 5-0 in shots in overtime as the ice crews come out to scrape the ice.

Jakub Dobes save

Jakub Dobes makes a shoulder save as Jalen Chatfield gets off a shot on a 3-on-2 break.

3 minutes in

The Canadiens have had the best chances. Nick Suzuki misses on a breakaway and Mike Matheson hits the crossbar.

Hurricanes, Canadiens overtime records

Hurricanes are 4-0 and Canadiens are 3-3 in the 2026 playoffs.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Canadiens vs Hurricanes highlights: Carolina prevails in OT

When the Vegas Golden Knights learned that their captain would be available for Game 3 against the Colorado Avalanche on Sunday, his first game in 16 days, it seemed like it would be an automatic boost for a team that already held a 2-0 series lead.

But when Vegas fell behind 3-0 in Game 3 on home ice, it briefly felt like the return of former Ottawa Senator Mark Stone hadn't changed much.

But that feeling didn't last long.

Five unanswered goals later, with Stone right in the middle of it all, the Golden Knights skated away with a 5-3 victory and now, quite shockingly, hold a 3-0 lead in the NHL Western Final.

"Obviously it wasn't a good start," Stone told the media after his first game since May 8. "We knew they were coming; they're down 0-2 in the series. So they knew that that was gonna be probably their best period of the season. And we just didn't find it, I guess. We still had some looks, but we just couldn't get out of our own way almost."

Stone said the key for Vegas was simply to keep playing their game after the rough opening period. Interestingly, that was the same message Travis Green tried to hammer home to Stone's old team in Ottawa for the entire season.

"You start turning it into a track meeting against (Colorado), they're just gonna make it 4, 5, or 6 to 1. I thought we did a really good job at getting back to just playing our game and not getting away from what was successful in the first two."

Captain stuff.

Stone was also asked how he felt physically after missing more than two weeks with an injury.

"Yeah, just rehabbing in the last couple weeks and trying to push back,” Stone said. “It makes it a lot easier when the team’s playing the way they're playing. So yeah, I was inching closer. I tried to buy a little bit more time and felt like yesterday, there was no reason to not jump back in there. So tonight felt great."

There certainly weren't any signs of rust or injury.

With Vegas trailing 3-0, Stone kickstarted the comeback with a power-play goal. Later, he helped set up Tomas Hertl for the game-winner as the Knights completely flipped the momentum of both the game and the series.

Vegas head coach John Tortorella was asked about the return of his captain and what he means to the team.

"Stoney's such an important guy," Tortorella said. “And I've said it to you guys. And before you even step on the ice, just to have the presence in the room. And he's a pretty good player, right? On the ice. So I'm not sure, I think he got 15 or 16 minutes. He scores a huge goal on a pretty goal on the power play to get us, at least back in the game.

"But he put in some big minutes, put in some big minutes towards the end of the third period too for us at key times."

For Senators fans, though he was traded away seven years ago now, it was another reminder of exactly what made Stone such a special player in Ottawa. Even after over two weeks on the shelf, he just stepped back into the lineup and immediately changed the tone as he so often did here. 

With the Avalanche down 0-3 and dealing with superstar injuries, they already have two big strikes against them. But Vegas getting their captain back on Sunday may be strike three.

By Steve Warne
The Hockey News

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