Ehlers OT – Nikolaj Ehlers scored twice for the Carolina Hurricanes, including a 3:29 overtime goal, to beat the Montreal Canadiens 3-2 on Saturday night and even the Eastern Conference Final at one game apiece. Game 3 shifts to Canada on Monday.
RALEIGH, N.C. — Nikolaj Ehlers made it look simple in overtime, slipping loose up the middle of the ice and popping the puck past Jakub Dobes at 3:29 to lift the Carolina Hurricanes past the Montreal Canadiens 3-2 on Saturday night and level the Eastern Conference Final at one game apiece.
Ehlers also scored twice for the Eastern Conference’s top seed. His first goal came in the second period, created by a highlight-reel run against two Montreal defenders.
When the game went to OT, it wasn’t just skill—it was timing and execution. The winning sequence began with a retreating Jalen Chatfield bouncing the puck back into the neutral zone to Mark Jankowski. Jankowski redirected it quickly to Ehlers entering the zone at full speed. setting up a clean look at Dobes for the winner.
Eric Robinson added a goal for Carolina.
The Hurricanes came into Saturday night with pressure mounting after Thursday’s 6-2 loss in the series opener, a defeat that only magnified the team’s long-running troubles in the Eastern Final.
But Carolina still had to absorb what the Canadiens had already done in Game 1. Josh Anderson scored twice for Montreal. with the second goal coming at 12:51 of the third period to force overtime at 2-2. That result echoed Montreal’s earlier dominance in the series opener, when the Canadiens won 6-2.
In Game 1. Montreal jumped on a Carolina team that arrived after an 11-day break following a sweep through the first two rounds—reported as the longest wait to start a series in more than a century. The slow start was felt early: Montreal scored for four goals in the opening 11 1/2 minutes. Carolina’s defense struggled to keep Montreal contained on quick transitions and breakaways. with frequent opportunities created for high-danger chances against Frederik Andersen.
Game 2 told a different story. Carolina held Montreal to 12 shots on goal and gave up far fewer of the quick transition chances that had fueled Montreal’s Game 1 success.
The series now shifts to Canada for Monday’s Game 3.
Carolina Hurricanes Montreal Canadiens Nikolaj Ehlers Jakub Dobes overtime Eastern Conference Final Game 2 Frederik Andersen Josh Anderson Eric Robinson Jalen Chatfield Mark Jankowski
So Montreal really gave up 2 OT goals? Wild.
I don’t get how Carolina scored 3-2 but also everyone’s talking about Andersen getting cooked? Like which goalie was in net for real.
Ehlers slipped it in at 3:29 right? That’s basically just luck timing not “simple.” Also wouldn’t Dobes stop that every time if he’s even average.
Montreal started hot in Game 1 like 6-2 and then suddenly they forgot how to skate? Seems like one of those series where the refs or the ice changes everything. Anyway Game 3 in Canada will be a circus lol.