Canadiens host Hurricanes in Game 3 seeking home ice advantage

The Montreal Canadiens are back on home ice tonight for Game 3 of the Eastern Conference final against the Carolina Hurricanes, hoping to turn a familiar pattern into a different outcome. For the third consecutive round this postseason, Montreal opened the best of seven series on the road with a split, winning Game 1 before falling in overtime in Game 2 on Saturday at the Lenovo Center in Raleigh, North Carolina.

The Canadiens followed the same script in the opening round against the Tampa Bay Lightning and again in the second round against the Buffalo Sabres. In both previous series, Montreal split its first two home games before ultimately needing Game 7 victories on the road to advance. Now, facing the top seeded Hurricanes, the team is focused on making home ice a decisive advantage rather than a temporary stop.

Captain Nick Suzuki and forward Josh Anderson both said the young team owes it to their fans to win at home, embrace the energy from the crowd, and get off to much better starts than they have in previous games at the Bell Centre. Coach Martin St. Louis acknowledged the challenge ahead after Saturday’s overtime loss, noting that the team is in a battle heading back...