Andrei Svechnikov's OT Goal Keeps Carolina Hurricanes Alive in Playoffs

Seth Jarvis found Andrei Svechnikov in the high slot with the puck on his stick. Fourteen minutes into overtime. He fired through a Sebastian Aho screen.

Game 3 was over.

Carolina won 3-2.

They lead Montreal in the Eastern Conference Final.

The Hurricanes have won multiple consecutive overtime games to start these playoffs.

That's not luck. That's who they are.

Carolina matches San Jose's record. But hot starts don't mean much anymore.

The Hurricanes tied a record for consecutive overtime wins to start a playoff run. Two teams opened with more: the 2023 Florida Panthers and the 2003 Mighty Ducks of Anaheim. Both made the conference final.

So yeah, the record is real.

But Carolina knows what the Panthers proved. Starting fast means nothing if you can't finish.

Lane Hutson blamed himself. He's right to.

The Montreal rookie had a strong regular season. One of the best stories in these playoffs.

Then came the turnover in overtime.

Hutson coughed the puck up in the defensive zone.

Jarvis grabbed it, found Svechnikov, and the series shifted.

He didn't hide. Stood at the podium and owned it.

Most guys blame bounces, tip their hat to the other team.

Hutson didn't.

Here's the thing though — Montreal played well enough to win.

Nick Suzuki missed a breakaway early in overtime. Mike Matheson hit the crossbar shortly after. The Canadiens were inches from a lead in the third before a Carolina offside challenge wiped out what would have been a goal.

Hutson's mistake didn't lose this game. It cost them a chance to win it in regulation.

Carolina dominated the shot clock. Montreal couldn't buy a shot.

Carolina outshot Montreal significantly.

Thirteen shots. That's it. Montreal had very few in the third period and overtime combined. They went over 24 minutes without a single shot on goal.

Frederik Andersen made several saves and got the win. Jakub Dobes made many saves and lost.

That's what happened.

Carolina threw numerous shots on net in the first period alone. Taylor Hall's first-period goal was a significant milestone in his playoff career.

The kid from 2010 is still here, still scoring.

The Hurricanes found another way. Good teams do that.

Carolina is close. Really close.

Two wins from the Stanley Cup Final. Carolina's first trip since 2006, when Rod Brind'Amour was captain. Not the head coach. He's trying to win one behind the bench now.

Only a few teams in NHL history have erased a series deficit of this magnitude.

If Montreal drops Game 4 at home, the Hurricanes are one win from the final. That's math, not prophecy.

The Panthers are gone. Completely out. That roadblock is gone.

The path is open.

What to watch next: can Montreal respond?

Suzuki and Matheson came close in OT. Dobes is a competitor. Hutson has the mental makeup to shake this off.

The series isn't over.

But the clock is ticking.