Matheson blocks – After the Montreal Canadiens’ Game 3 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes, Mike Matheson said he’s blocking “outside noise” as the team trails 2-1 in the 2026 Eastern Conference Finals.
The Montreal Canadiens felt the sting of another unanswered script on home ice in Game 3 against the Carolina Hurricanes—until Mike Matheson finally made their night count.
Matheson scored to aid Montreal’s effort, but the Canadiens managed only 13 shots on goal and never got ahead in the game. The Canadiens now trail 2-1 in the 2026 Eastern Conference Finals, a position that sharpens every criticism and makes the next shift feel heavier than the last.
They were chasing something they’d already done once. Montreal dominated the first game of the East Final, winning 6-2 away from home. Yet in Game 3, they couldn’t manufacture the same momentum, and the loss carried a familiar extra burn: the big overtime moment didn’t come.
Matheson, for his part, isn’t going to let doubters control the narrative. “We’re two shots away from being up 3-0 in the series,” Matheson said, via NHL.com. “So. I think it would be easy to possibly let yourself listen to the noise. but at the end of the day. we need to get four wins. And we’ve got a great opportunity to come back here in our building and get a win in Game 4 and see what happens.”.
It’s a line built around the math of a series that could look completely different. In Game 3 itself, Montreal’s scoring didn’t give them the lead at any point. Shayne Gostisbehere put the Hurricanes ahead with an opening tally in the first period. and Matheson’s goal tied things 1-1. In the second. Lane Hutson scored to respond to a Carolina first-period go-ahead marker—keeping the game tied at the points that mattered.
When the match stretched into overtime, Andrei Svechnikov delivered the decisive snipe, ending Game 3 with the Hurricanes taking the extra point. Montreal’s inability to land the overtime outcome has now cost them two games, and the whiplash is hard to ignore.
Game 4 is Wednesday night, with Montreal back on home ice still holding the advantage. The Hurricanes will be looking to do what the Canadiens couldn’t in Game 3—turn a road opening into a breakthrough.
The key detail sits under everything: Game 3 ended without the Canadiens ever holding a lead, despite Matheson’s goal. Now the series shifts back into Montreal’s building. where they’ll try to use the next chance—one Matheson believes could belong to them—to flip the tone of the series from survival to belief.
Montreal Canadiens Carolina Hurricanes Mike Matheson 2026 Eastern Conference Finals Game 3 Game 4 Shayne Gostisbehere Lane Hutson Andrei Svechnikov NHL
Matheson just needs to block more like literally stop letting them score 😑
13 shots is wild, like how do you lose at home and only get that many?? Also overtime goals are always “decisive” 🙄
I don’t get it, they said they were “two shots away from being up 3-0” like… that’s not how it works right? Carolina scored first and then he scored so wouldn’t that mean they were already fine? Whatever, Game 4 better be different.
Every time I hear about “outside noise” I feel like it’s PR talk. They dominated Game 1 6-2 and then just… couldn’t get ahead ever again? Lane Hutson scoring and still no lead, that’s gotta mess with your head. I’m gonna guess the Hurricanes just got lucky in OT again and Montreal refs will have to “figure it out” next game. Also Wednesday night game, who even knows anymore lol