Marc Dumont
The Montreal Canadiens (9-7) will host the Carolina Hurricanes (9-1) in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Final on Monday, with the puck drop scheduled for 8:00 pm ET.
The teams split the games in Carolina, with the Habs earning an impressive 6-2 in Game 1, and then dropping a 3-2 overtime decision in Game 2.
All things considered, even though the Canadiens were considered complete underdogs for the series, they’ve managed to keep pace with the Hurricanes when it matters most. Carolina does a much better job generating shots, but they’re focused on quantity rather than quality.
Throughout the two games, the even-strength high-danger scoring chances are relatively even, despite the fact that the Hurricanes have controlled almost 60 percent of the shots.
If the Habs are to earn an advantage in the series, playing at the Bell Centre will help from a motivation standpoint, but they’ll need more than just support from over 20,000 fans to get it done. A complete team effort is in order, including a solid start to the game, not to mention sustained offence throughout.
As it stands, we’ve seen the Habs produce perhaps one or two complete games in the playoffs, a symptom of being the youngest team in the league. Let’s just say consistency is rarely on the menu.
For the most part, the Canadiens need to play behind the eight-ball before they find their rhythm, an interesting, if not frustrating style of play, especially against a defensively-sound team such as the Hurricanes.
Potential Changes
Head coach Martin St-Louis does not announce lineup changes, but according to the players available at practice, it appears that Joe Veleno will replace rookie Oliver Kapanen on the fourth line.
Some fans were hoping to see Arber Xhekaj replace Jayden Struble on the third pairing, but the defensive pairings are expected to remain intact in Game 3.
Montreal Canadiens Projected Lineup
Cole Caufield – Nick Suzuki – Juraj Slafkovsky
Alex Newhook – Jake Evans – Ivan Demidov
Alexandre Texier – Phillip Danault – Josh Anderson
Zachary Bolduc – Joe Veleno – Kirby Dach
Mike Matheson – Noah Dobson
Jayden Struble – Lane Hutson
Kaiden Guhle – Alexandre Carrier
Jakub Dobes
Jacob Fowler
Carolina Hurricanes Projected Lineup
Andrei Svechnikov – Sebastian Aho – Seth Jarvis
Taylor Hall – Logan Stankoven – Jackson Blake
Nikolaj Ehlers – Jordan Staal – Jordan Martinook
William Carrier – Mark Jankowski – Eric Robinson
Jacob Slavin – Jalen Chatfield
K’Andre Miller – Sean Walker
Shayne Gostisbehere – Alexander Nikishin
Frederik Andersen
Brandon Bussi
How To Watch The Habs Vs. The Hurricanes Game 3 Of The Eastern Conference Final
The Montreal Canadiens versus the Carolina Hurricanes, Monday, May 25, 2026, will be aired on CBC, Sportsnet, and TVA Sports. An instant recap complete with highlights will be available on Sportsnaut as soon as the final whistle blows.
