Sebastian Aho is entering Game 3 of the Carolina Hurricanes’ Stanley Cup Playoffs series against the Montreal Canadiens with one clear priority: a strong start. After the Hurricanes tied the series at 1-1 with an overtime win in Game 2, Aho said the team must establish its game early and focus on the first shift, noting that both sides are strong and will have their moments. The Hurricanes will look to carry that momentum into Monday night’s matchup in Montreal.
Aho is expected to skate on Carolina’s top line in Game 3 alongside Andrei Svechnikov and Seth Jarvis. The trio has not yet produced consistently in the series, and Aho’s overall postseason numbers have been modest by his standards. Through the playoffs, he has recorded three goals and two assists, with a minus-three rating. Against the Canadiens specifically, he has one assist in two games and a minus-two rating, while firing five shots without scoring.
Aho has not found the net since Game 4 of the first round against the Ottawa Senators, when he scored twice. The top line has also struggled to generate sustained offense, with Jarvis and Svechnikov each producing limited scoring to this point in the postseason. Jarvis scored in Game 1 against Montreal and has two goals overall, while Svechnikov has one goal, which came earlier in the playoffs against the Philadelphia Flyers.
The Hurricanes will need more production from their top players as the series shifts to Montreal. Game 2’s overtime victory, sealed by Nikolaj Ehlers, evened the series and gave Carolina a needed lift heading into a pivotal Game 3. With the matchup now in a best-of-five race, Carolina will be aiming to dictate the pace early and put pressure on the Canadiens on the road.
Puck drop for Game 3 is set for Monday at 8 p.m. ET.
