MONTREAL -- The Carolina Hurricanes dominated Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals Monday, but it still took a nail-biting, 3-2 overtime win over the Montreal Canadiens for the Hurricanes to take a 2-1 series lead.
Carolina outshot Montreal 38-13 after holding the Canadiens to just 12 shots in the Hurricanes' 3-2 overtime win Saturday. Montreal registered just one shot on net in the final 37:40 on Monday -- an attempt that was belatedly credited to the Canadiens in overtime -- yet Carolina was scratching and clawing to another victory. Andrei Svechnikov ripped a shot, with teammate Sebastian Aho parked in front of the net, to finally beat Jakub Dobes with less than five minutes remaining in the first extra frame.
Carolina is 5-0 in overtime and on the road in the postseason. And it has handed Montreal consecutive losses for the first time in the postseason.
"I just really think it's our mentality of the team. We love tight games," Svechnikov said. "Overtime, we love that, and we love staying above them, and don't give them lots of chances, and I think that's why we won that again in overtime."
Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour sensed the calmness of his group on the bench when the game -- again -- went into overtime despite how Carolina smothered Montreal all game. Carolina's poise under pressure has been a strength all season, and Monday was no exception.
"Obviously, we're really comfortable [in overtime]," Brind'Amour said. "I think we trust our game, and especially tonight, where it was, clearly we were going pretty well, so, we didn't really need to make too many adjustments or anything. So, just keep playing, and it doesn't always work out [in your favor], but tonight it did."
Aho originally appeared to have scored the winner before his linemate, Svechnikov, was credited with the score. Aho wasn't stressing over the decision because what mattered most to Aho and Brind'Amour was the win.
"I don't even care," Aho said, echoing his coach's assessment. "They have good technology. They'll figure it out. Honestly, we'll take the win and move forward."
The Hurricanes shouldn't have had to be pleased with just squeaking their way through, but that's how Game 3 played out. Carolina scored first -- for the third consecutive game -- when Shayne Gostisbehere buried a perfect pass from Mark Jankowski to beat Dobes early in the first period.
It was Gostisbehere's first goal of the postseason and the ninth time this postseason that the Hurricanes have scored first. The only blemish on that 10-1 record is Game 1 of this series, when the Canadiens took a 4-1 first-period lead and held on to win 6-2.
Since then, Carolina has gotten the better of Montreal in most categories. But it takes a herculean effort every time. The Canadiens' goaltending has kept Montreal holding on when the numbers suggest the Hurricanes could have cruised. On Monday, Dobes had 35 saves and a .921 save percentage, while Carolina's Frederik Andersen had just 11 stops and an .846 percentage.
Carolina couldn't even escape the first period of Game 3 with an easy lead. Mike Matheson -- courtesy of an excellent pass from below the goal line by Ivan Demidov -- drew the Canadiens even late in the opening frame. It marked the 11th straight game in which the Canadiens notched a first-period goal.
Carolina was determined to finish strong though, and Taylor Hall made it happen. Hall's line with Logan Stankoven and Jackson Blake had been the Hurricanes' best through the first two rounds, collecting 14 goals and 31 points, but Carolina's trio had zero points against Montreal headed into Monday.
That changed quickly when, after buzzing throughout the first period, Hall bullied his way past Alexandre Carrier in front of Montreal's net and scored to give Carolina a 2-1 lead.
At that point, the Canadiens were on pace for only 15 shots on goal through three periods. Montreal couldn't hit that total despite having nearly an entire additional period.
Regardless, the Canadiens made the most of their chances.
Montreal's break came when, early in the second period, Jordan Martinook was called for an offensive-zone slashing penalty on Lane Hutson. It was a light touch by Martinook on Hutson, and Hutson took advantage of his ensuing power-play opportunity. He and Cole Caufield executed a textbook zone entry, and Caufield fed Hutson for a tying goal. Dobes also received an assist on the play, marking the rookie's first NHL point.
That was just the third man-advantage score Carolina has allowed this postseason. The last came in Game 2 of its second-round series against Philadelphia.
After 40 minutes of Game 3, Carolina led Montreal 25-11 in shots, 60-30 in shot attempts, but the score was 2-2 entering the third period. All the Hurricanes could do was what they had been trying to do -- break down Dobes just enough to earn another victory.
"I've been playing [here] for eight years in this system," Svechnikov said. "And that's what we do every day [is keep going]. And I got some experience to not get frustrated -- we all do -- and that's why Rod, in the intermissions, he says, 'You have got to stick with our game.' And that's why we did."
Montreal thought it won the game in regulation when Caufield scored late in the third. But Carolina challenged successfully for offside, pushing the Hurricanes into a fifth overtime in only 11 playoff games during this run.
Brind'Amour didn't hesitate to ask for a review of Caufield's score.
"It's a bit of a tricky one," Brind'Amour said. "Because it's always tough when the guy is dragging [his skate]. But we went through it [when Jordan Staal was ruled offside on Jankowski's potential overtime winner in Game 2], and that actually helped us to be confident [on this challenge], and it was a huge point in the game."
The Hurricanes might not have needed the extra time if their power play -- a woeful 0-for-3 -- had helped. But their third-period power-play chance was the worst yet, registering only one shot on net.
Nick Suzuki might have ended things quickly in overtime if his breakaway chance hadn't hit the post. Even still, despite the lack of work, Carolina's coach was impressed with Andersen.
"That is a tough game to play, believe it or not," Brind'Amour said. "When you're not getting a lot of action, and when you do, they were a Grade-A variety. But that's the right guy for us when in this situation, because he is just a calm, whether we're giving up 30 shots a night, or whatever it was tonight, he's going to be the same."
In the end, Carolina did enough to make Montreal uneasy as it looks ahead to Game 4 on Wednesday. The Hurricanes need to be better at maximizing what they're doing well. But regardless of style points, Carolina is just pleased to be on the right side ... for now.
"I don't think you can really put it on one thing," Brind'Amour said. "I think we've got a good group, good players, and they play hard for each other, and I think that shows."
