Andrei Svechnikov capped Game 3 with a 3-2 overtime win for the Carolina Hurricanes, giving them a 2-1 series lead over the Montreal Canadiens. The breakthrough came after Rod Brind’Amour’s fourth line sparked one crucial sequence late in the second period, le
MONTREAL — The kind of moment that changes a series didn’t arrive with a star’s flash. It came with a fourth line that simply refused to stop working.
With 6:54 remaining in the period. Carolina coach Rod Brind’Amour sent out his fourth line of center Mark Jankowski and wingers William Carrier and Eric Robinson for an offensive-zone faceoff on their fifth overtime shift. Jankowski won the draw. Robinson eventually put a shot attempt on Canadiens goalie Jakub Dobeš. Jankowski and Carrier recorded hits on Montreal defensemen Lane Hutson and Noah Dobson, respectively.
Then, about 10 seconds after the line headed back to the bench, the game was effectively over. The Hurricanes took their first lead in a conference final since 2006.
Two minutes later. it was Andrei Svechnikov ending Game 3 of the Eastern Conference final. finishing a 3-2 overtime victory to move Carolina ahead 2-1 over the Montreal Canadiens. For the Hurricanes, the result was huge. For the way it happened—the crunch-time value of the first line made the night even heavier—it felt even bigger.
Brind’Amour is asking his forwards to dominate the puck, stress the opponent at all times, and keep believing the goals follow. Even if one line doesn’t score, it can still make it easier for the next. And in this game, Carolina’s fourth line did exactly that.
“I think they can play against anybody,” Brind’Amour said Tuesday. “It certainly helps our overall group. It helps me, being able to sit back there and just go, ‘OK, go ahead,’ when they’re playing at this level.”
That confidence isn’t just talk. In 73:01 postseason minutes with Jankowski-Carrier-Robinson on the ice, Carolina holds a 76-57 edge in attempts, a 26-24 edge in shots, and an expected goal share of 57 percent. The Hurricanes have also outscored opponents 3-1 in that stretch.
Their most noticeable work has come against Montreal—27-16 in shot attempts. 3-0 in goals. 6-3 in high-danger chances. and 57 percent expected goal share. The fourth line hasn’t only been a match-up fix for the Canadiens, though. Carolina’s run through the earlier rounds included playing the Ottawa Senators to a draw. then driving plenty of zone time and scoring chances against the Philadelphia Flyers.
By the time you look at who’s on the ice, those results also read like wins for Carolina’s front office.
Jankowski is a 2012 first-round pick by the Calgary Flames who played for three organizations in five years and was acquired at the 2025 trade deadline from Nashville for a fifth-round pick. Robinson spent time in the American Hockey League the season before signing a one-year, $950,000 contract in the summer of 2024. Carrier. once viewed as a bottom-six commodity for the Vegas Golden Knights. inked a deal with Carolina in 2024 that included six years and $12.6 million.
None of that guarantees a late-series swing. But it does explain why Carolina’s depth can keep showing up when the series tightens.
“It’s huge,” Jankowski said. “It puts a lot of confidence in us that the coaching staff believes in us to be able to go out there and have some good shifts. string some good shifts together (and gain) some momentum for our team. We’re feeding off it. We appreciate that confidence that the coaching staff is giving us. and we’re trying to run with it and trying to do everything we can to help the team. whether that’s a big hit one way (or) creating a scoring chance the other way.”.
The problem for Montreal now is that the Hurricanes are getting more and more comfortable rolling all four lines, no matter who else is out there—an advantage that becomes even more pronounced on the road.
Entering Game 4 on Wednesday. with the series shaped by five-on-five ice time. the match-up numbers also tell a story of imbalance. On the Canadiens side. xG share by line for their centers is: Line 1 Nick Suzuki at 64.1 percent; Line 2 Jake Evans at 29.3 percent; Line 3 Phillip Danault at 29.4 percent; Line 4 Joe Veleno at 24.4 percent.
For Carolina, Hurricanes xG share by line for their centers is: Line 1 Logan Stankoven at 59.7 percent; Line 2 Sebastian Aho at 54.3 percent; Line 3 Jordan Staal at 76.9 percent; Line 4 Mark Jankowski at 59.7 percent.
Montreal’s silver lining is that its top line is finding ways to make impact territorially, including impressive totals for high-danger chances. The tough part is what’s behind it: “Basically no one else is anywhere close.”
That shows up in how Carolina’s opponents have to play. Staal. Jordan Martinook. and Game 2 hero Nikolaj Ehlers have worked particularly well for the Hurricanes. as they’ve been thriving while taking heavy defensive lifting. It’s been noticeable how active—and physical—Staal and Martinook are in the forecheck and through the neutral zone. snuffing out almost every attempted Montreal breakout.
Carolina tried to get that trio up against Montreal’s top line, but in Game 3 that wasn’t the case. With last change, Montreal coach Martin St. Louis was able to largely avoid them. Of the 23:25 Suzuki played at even strength in that game, just 4:28 of it was against Staal.
Still, Montreal has to keep dealing with what’s next. Suzuki and linemates Cole Caufield and Juraj Slavkovský have been getting a heavy dose of defenseman Jaccob Slavin, who is doing a nice job limiting the damage after a tough outing in Game 1.
There’s also the series management question waiting inside Game 4: who do the Canadiens want out against Staal’s line. given everyone has struggled against it?. And who do they worry about more defensively between Stankoven’s and Aho’s lines. which could have renewed momentum after Svechnikov ended Game 3.
Carolina’s pressure has also been built around targets. Montreal has struggled with how much pressure the Hurricanes put on Hutson. Dobeš. their depth D. and what should be a heavily sheltered fourth line that St. Louis is clearly reticent to use. If Montreal can’t create room for its offense to breathe, Carolina’s patience becomes harder to break.
If the Canadiens’ plan for Game 4 has to involve playing matchups closer to a draw than they’ve been. it may mean adjusting their approach when the Suzuki line isn’t on the ice—possibly shifting to more of a grinding. dump-and-chase style. Brind’Amour’s Game 2 adjustments toward a high F3 lock have meant getting any room. or odd-man rushes. through the neutral zone appears unlikely the rest of the series.
Add to that Carolina’s depth advantage—more from its fourth line—and the series problem for Montreal becomes sharper: a mismatch between middle-six forward groups that isn’t an easy riddle to solve. especially with the fatigue factor of having played six additional games in the first two rounds. The series shifts back to Raleigh, N.C., for Game 5, where Brind’Amour will regain last change.
Even the goalie conversation fits the broader picture of Carolina’s steadiness.
Brind’Amour was asked early in his media availability about goaltender Frederik Andersen and how Andersen had expressed excitement about playing in this series in a hockey-mad city such as Montreal. Brind’Amour raised his eyebrows at the notion.
“I just saw him walking out of here,” the coach said in the media room. “He didn’t look too excited. That might be you guys (in the media causing that), though.”
That’s Andersen, Brind’Amour explained. Not a big talker. Calm and earnest. Over the years, he’s earned the nickname Steady Freddy.
And there’s a separate reason the workload may not tell the whole story. It can be challenging to play goal when you go 10 to 15 minutes without facing a shot on net, the way Andersen has at times in this series.
After facing just 46 shots through three games. Andersen is averaging the lightest workload in the NHL playoffs at 20.2 shots against per 60 minutes played. Among goalies who made at least 30 appearances during the regular season. Andersen was tied for third-lowest in that statistic (24.2 per 60). and Canes backup Brandon Bussi was ahead of him.
Andersen has an .804 save percentage in the series after posting a .950 in going 8-0 through the first two rounds. Brind’Amour hardly seems worried.
“He’s very even-keeled, and for that position, that’s really important,” Brind’Amour said. “The way he plays is to be that way. You wouldn’t know if he had a good game or a bad game.”
Andersen’s own read is straightforward: “Playing behind this team, we have the puck a lot,” he said. “We pressure hard. So these kinds of games, they have quite often. You take that experience and battle with yourself to be focused on what’s next.”
There’s also the weight of experience behind the composure. Andersen, a pending unrestricted free agent, has been this far in the playoffs three times before and fallen short. At 36, and having been through tough injuries—including this season—this could be one of his last, best chances to win.
“I think all our guys are (appreciative of being here),” Brind’Amour said. “You can’t take it for granted. The older guys for sure get it. but I think we do a good job in making sure our young guys understand that. too. You can’t take a day in this league for granted, let alone a Stanley Cup playoff game. It’s easier for the older guys to appreciate that, but I know he certainly does.”.
“I’m just thankful for the opportunity, really,” Andersen said. “I’ve been through a lot. But I’m grateful for being around, and being able to play for this long has been really cool. We all dream about these times of year. It’s special.”
In a conference final where so much tends to be measured by stars, Carolina’s Game 3 showed how quickly a series can turn when depth turns into leverage—and when a line that’s supposed to play supporting roles instead finds the swing of the night.
Carolina Hurricanes Montreal Canadiens Andrei Svechnikov Mark Jankowski William Carrier Eric Robinson Rod Brind’Amour Jakub Dobeš Jordan Staal Sebastian Aho Jordan Martinook Frederik Andersen Eastern Conference final Game 3 overtime