The Montreal Canadiens are set to host the Carolina Hurricanes for Game 3 of the NHL Eastern Conference finals on Monday, May 25, 2026, at the Bell Centre.
The best-of-seven series is tied 1-1 after Carolina's 3-2 overtime win in Game 2.
Montreal reached the conference finals after winning Game 7 on the road against both the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Buffalo Sabres.
The Canadiens boast the NHL's youngest playoff roster, anchored by veteran winger Josh Anderson.
Anderson's Leadership Key for Young Core
Anderson, 32, ranks second on the team with five postseason goals and leads all forwards with 42 hits entering Monday's game.
He described the playoff run as an emotional roller-coaster but emphasized the team's enjoyment of the extended season.
"We're having a ton of fun together playing this late into the playoffs," Anderson said. He stressed the collective mindset, adding, "We just got to keep going.
Spend more time together and win more hockey games."
Head coach Martin St. Louis took over in February 2022 during the franchise's lowest point.
He credited veteran players for buying into the long-term vision and helping execute the rebuild.
"They bought into, 'We're going to turn this around,'" St. Louis said.
He expressed happiness that the veterans could see the plan through, allowing younger players to benefit from their patience and mentorship.
Top draft pick Juraj Slafkovsky, 22, credited Anderson for teaching him about positioning and physical play. "I sit next to him in a locker room," Slafkovsky said.
"Taught me a lot just talking to him — the way he sees the game, the way he's trying to set himself up to have a good shift, the way he uses his body."
Forward Cole Caufield, 25, highlighted Anderson's positive attitude during difficult rebuild phases. "He's a positive guy," Caufield said.
"He's always trying to find good things to look to." Caufield noted that Anderson kept the atmosphere light and remains an integral part of the team's success.
Defenceman Noah Dobson, in his first season with Montreal, said postseason hockey suits Anderson's style. "The playoffs are built for his game — the intensity, the physicality," Dobson said.
He added that Anderson's power forward game makes him "hard to handle."
Forward Alex Newhook, a Stanley Cup winner with Colorado in 2022, praised Anderson's ability to elevate his game in meaningful moments.
"He's showing how effective he can be in meaningful games at a meaningful time of the year," Newhook said.
"He takes on the big moments."
Fan Excitement Reaches New Heights
The playoff run has generated extraordinary enthusiasm among Montreal fans. Author Brendan Kelly said the current civic excitement rivals any historical playoff atmosphere.
"I really think there's more excitement than there ever has been about a Habs playoff run," Kelly said.
For fans born after the team's last Stanley Cup win in 1993, this postseason offers a rare chance to end a 33-year drought.
Montrealer Nicholas Bergeron, 35, noted that the team's historical achievements carry deep cultural significance passed down through generations.
"Even though this was 50, 60, 70 years ago, these things are still felt," Bergeron said. "It's more than hockey history at this point."
Lukas Drouin, born in 1988, recalled watching Game 2 with his father and feeling a magical atmosphere.
"Every win is magical, and it's giving so much energy to the people and the fans," Drouin said.
