Montreal Hosts Carolina in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Final
On the night of May 28, the Montreal Canadiens will face the Carolina Hurricanes at home in Game 4 of the NHL playoff series. The series currently stands at 2-1 in favor of Carolina, and a win would allow the Canadians to tie the series, while the Hurricanes aim to take another step toward the Stanley Cup Final.
Montreal hosts Carolina in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Final
Main Event
On the night of May 28, 2026, at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Final of the National Hockey League (NHL) will take place, where the local Canadiens will host the Carolina Hurricanes. The puck drops at 3:00 AM Moscow time. The current series score (best of seven) is 2-1 in favor of the Hurricanes, and this game is critical for the home team: a win would tie the series, while a loss would put Montreal on the brink of elimination from the Stanley Cup playoffs.
The series started with a blowout: in Game 1 on May 22, Carolina opened the scoring at 33 seconds thanks to Seth Jarvis, but Montreal then scored four straight goals and won 6-2. However, the Hurricanes then seized the momentum: in Game 2 on May 24, Rod Brind'Amour's team pulled out an overtime win (3-2) thanks to a double from Nikolaj Ehlers. In Game 3 on May 25, the script repeated itself—another overtime, another 3-2 win for Carolina, and again the decisive goal was scored by a Russian-born player.
Details and Statistics
Game 3 was incredibly tense. In the first period alone, fans saw three goals: at the 6-minute mark, Shayne Gostisbehere put Carolina ahead, but three minutes later, Montreal defenseman Mike Matheson tied it—with an assist from the home team's Russian rookie Ivan Demidov. A minute later, Taylor Hall put the Hurricanes ahead again, 2-1. In the second period, the Canadiens tied it again: at the 10-minute mark, Lane Hutson scored on the power play.
Regulation ended tied 2-2. Overtime lasted until the 16th minute, when Carolina's Russian forward Andrei Svechnikov scored a precise shot to give his team the win. Initially, the goal was credited to Sebastian Aho, but after video review, it was awarded to Svechnikov. This goal was the 26-year-old Russian's first career playoff overtime winner.
Carolina continues a phenomenal overtime streak: the team has won six consecutive overtime periods in the playoffs, dating back to Game 5 of the first round in 2025 against New Jersey. Moreover, the Hurricanes became only the fourth team in NHL history to win five or more overtime games in a single playoff run, joining the Florida Panthers (7), the 2003 Anaheim Mighty Ducks (7), and the 2011 San Jose Sharks (5).
Context and Significance
Montreal's key problem right now is a catastrophic lack of offensive activity. Over the last two games, the Canadiens have managed only 25 total shots on goal, while Carolina has 65. In Game 3, the home team had just 13 shots (one in overtime), and over the last 37 minutes and 40 seconds of game time, only two shots. Moreover, Montreal finished both overtime periods with zero shots.
Canadiens head coach Martin St. Louis acknowledged the issues in his pre-game press conference but remains optimistic: "We're down, but we're not dead. We'll keep fighting," he said. He also noted that the team needs to find a balance between puck control and willingness to give up possession to regain it in the offensive zone: "You can't be stubborn. Sometimes it's okay to give up the puck to get it back."
Carolina goaltender Frederik Andersen is much more confident. In Game 3, the Dane stopped only 11 of 13 shots, but crucially, he remains calm in key moments. "He's just calm, whether we're facing 30 shots a game or 13 like tonight. That's exactly what we want from him," Brind'Amour praised his goalie. Meanwhile, Montreal goalie Jakub Dobeš, despite the loss, had an outstanding game, stopping 36 of 39 shots.
Special attention goes to the Russian players' duel. Andrei Svechnikov (5 points: 2+3 in 11 playoff games) was the hero of Game 3, while 19-year-old Ivan Demidov continues to impress in his NHL debut season. His assist in Game 3 gave the Russian his 9th point (3+6) in the current playoffs, moving him to fourth place in scoring among rookies in Montreal's playoff history.
What's Next / Game 5 Preview
Game 4 will be a turning point for both teams. If Montreal wins, the series will be tied 2-2 and return to Raleigh for Game 5 on May 30 at Carolina's home ice. If the Hurricanes win again on the road, the series will be 3-1 in their favor, and the Canadiens will be one loss away from elimination.
St. Louis expects faster puck decisions and better execution in the offensive zone from his team. "We have all the tools. We can play with possession, we can play on the forecheck. The question is, can we see clearly through the chaos of this environment and our playoff position?" the Montreal head coach asked rhetorically.
The game will be played in front of a sold-out Bell Centre, and the home crowd support could be the factor that brings the Canadiens back into the series. However, statistics show that Carolina is more than comfortable on the road: the team has won two straight road overtime games and is ready to continue its winning streak.
Editorial Prediction
Carolina looks like the clear favorite for Game 4. Brind'Amour's team has found its stride after an 11-day break before the series and now shows overwhelming territorial pressure and shot advantage—65 to 25 over the last two games. Additionally, the Hurricanes have unique psychological resilience in overtime, giving them a huge advantage in a potential long game.
The key factor will be whether the home team can solve its zone exit issues under Carolina's forecheck. If Montreal continues to lose pucks at the blue line and allows the opponent to cycle in its zone for 40-50 seconds, Andersen will again face only 10-15 shots per game, which may not be enough. However, the home crowd support and Dobeš's goaltending talent are arguments for the Canadians. Prediction: a narrow Carolina win in regulation or a second straight overtime, with a 3-2 score.
— Editorial Team
