Carolina Hurricanes vs Montreal Canadiens Picks and Prediction for Monday May 25 2026
Use Code PPWC
The Carolina Hurricanes and Montreal Canadiens continue the Eastern Conference Final on Monday, May 25, 2026, with Game 3 taking place at Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec. Puck drop is scheduled for 8:00 PM ET with coverage airing on TNT, truTV, and HBO Max. The series is tied 1-1 after Carolina recently won over Montreal in overtime during Game 2. Carolina enters the matchup listed at -135 on the moneyline while Montreal sits at +114. The total for the game is set at 5.5 goals with the over priced at -130 and the under at +110. Get into all the playoff action with our Free NHL picks.
Previous Game Recap
Game 2 of the series was a tightly contested matchup that eventually saw Carolina earn a 3-2 overtime victory over Montreal. The Canadiens opened the scoring in the first period before the Hurricanes answered to even the game at 1-1. Carolina added another goal in the second period to take the lead, but Montreal tied the game during the third period to force overtime. The extra session was brief as the Hurricanes secured the series-tying victory at home and evened the Eastern Conference Final at one game apiece heading into Montreal.
Montreal received strong efforts from several players despite the loss. Josh Anderson scored twice and finished with a plus-two rating while Phillip Danault contributed two assists and helped drive the Canadiens offensively throughout the night. Nick Suzuki recorded two shots and won eight faceoffs while Jake Evans added a solid performance with a plus-one rating and six faceoff wins. On the blue line, Alexandre Carrier and Kaiden Guhle each picked up assists while Jakub Dobes made 23 saves in goal over 63:29 of action.
Carolina was led offensively by Nikolaj Ehlers, who scored two goals on five shots and finished with a plus-two rating. Eric Robinson also found the back of the net while Mark Jankowski delivered two assists in the victory. Jalen Chatfield contributed two assists from the defensive unit and Jaccob Slavin added another helper while finishing with a plus-three rating. Frederik Andersen stopped 10 of 12 shots during the overtime win as Carolina generated enough offense to even the series before the trip to Montreal.
Sign Up Get $30 Premium Picks Credit + Exclusive Offers
Subscribe Now
Carolina Carrying Momentum Into Montreal
Carolina enters Game 3 with a 53-22-7 overall record and a 24-12-5 mark on the road this season. The Hurricanes recently won over Montreal in overtime during Game 2 after recently losing to the Canadiens by a 6-2 score in Game 1. Prior to this series, Carolina recently won over Philadelphia in three straight games, including two overtime victories. The Hurricanes have now won four of their last five games overall entering this matchup.
The Hurricanes have been productive on both ends of the ice this season. Carolina is averaging 3.55 goals per game while allowing 2.88 goals against per contest. The team is also averaging 32.2 shots per game while allowing only 23.9 shots against. Carolina has scored 60 power-play goals with a 24.9 percent conversion rate while also posting an 80.6 percent penalty kill percentage. Sebastian Aho leads the team with 80 points and 53 assists while Seth Jarvis has scored 32 goals this season.
One major strength for Carolina has been its ability to control shot volume. The Hurricanes are averaging over 32 shots per game while allowing fewer than 24 shots against, creating a strong differential that has helped them throughout the postseason. Carolina has also performed well in overtime situations recently with multiple overtime victories during the playoffs, including the latest win over Montreal in Game 2.
Montreal Looks to Respond on Home Ice
Montreal comes into this contest with a 48-24-10 overall record and a 24-15-2 home record this season. The Canadiens recently lost to Carolina 3-2 in overtime during Game 2 after recently winning over the Hurricanes 6-2 in Game 1 of the series. Before facing Carolina, Montreal recently won over Buffalo twice in a three-game stretch. The Canadiens have won three of their last five games overall entering this important home matchup.
Offensively, Montreal is averaging 3.40 goals per game while allowing 3.06 goals against per contest. The Canadiens are averaging 26.3 shots per game and allowing 27.8 shots against. Montreal has scored 56 power-play goals with a 23.1 percent conversion rate while posting a 78.2 percent penalty kill percentage. Nick Suzuki has led the Canadiens with 101 points and 72 assists while Cole Caufield has scored 51 goals this season.
A key challenge for Montreal has been limiting opposing shot opportunities. The Canadiens are allowing 27.8 shots per game while averaging only 26.3 shots offensively themselves. Even with that, Montreal has still found offensive success throughout the season and showed in Game 1 that it can break through against Carolina when the attack is clicking consistently.
Carolina Hurricanes vs Montreal Canadiens Picks and Prediction
Side Pick:
- Carolina Hurricanes Moneyline
Carolina enters this game with momentum after recently winning over Montreal in overtime to even the series at 1-1. The Hurricanes also hold advantages in goals per game, goals allowed per game, shots per game, and shots allowed per game based on the season numbers provided. Carolina’s recent stretch of four wins in the last five games combined with its ability to generate offensive pressure consistently makes the Hurricanes the preferred side in Game 3.
Total Pick:
- Over 5.5 Goals
The over looks appealing in this matchup considering the offensive production already seen during the series. Montreal recently won Game 1 by a 6-2 score while Game 2 still reached five total goals despite needing overtime. Carolina averages 3.55 goals per game while Montreal averages 3.40 goals per game, and both teams have power-play units operating above 23 percent. With both offenses capable of producing and the total sitting at 5.5, the lean is toward the over.
Final Score Prediction: Carolina Hurricanes 4 – Montreal Canadiens 3
Never Tried Picks and Parlays? Now Is Your Chance
- Get your first daily picks package for ONLY $1 using coupon code BUCK
- If the pick loses, we credit your account with 3 Flex Picks
- If the pick wins, we still give you 1 Flex Pick on the house
- Win or lose, you walk away ahead. One dollar. No catch.
Up To $1500 in Bonus Bets Paid Back if your First Bet Does Not Win
New Users – Bet $5 Get $200 in Bet Reset Tokens for 5 Days
New DraftKings Customers: Spend $5+ Get $200 in Bonuses Instantly!
