Ehlers' huge Game 2 performance in Eastern Conference Final pushes Hurricanes past Canadiens in OT

The Carolina Hurricanes wanted another scoring threat with open-ice skill and defense-stretching speed. The pairing worked perfectly to get the Hurricanes back into their Eastern Conference Final series against the Montreal Canadiens. Ehlers got loose up the center of the ice and popped the puck past Jakub Dobes at 3:29 of overtime to lift the Hurricanes past the Canadiens 3-2 on Saturday night , leveling the best-of-seven series at one game apiece.

It was part of a two-goal night for Ehlers, who had a highlight-reel effort on his second-period score, and joined a roaring home crowd with his own full-throated scream with arms raised after the OT winner. “Coming to a new place, it was the first time in my career and it's been great so far, it's been special,” Ehlers said. "The city's been great.

The guys, the organization. So to be able to do this at home in front of our crowd was special. “I felt everything out there.

So that's one I'm not going to forget. ” Neither will Hurricanes' fans considering the stakes. Carolina was facing massive pressure to regroup from Thursday’s 6-2 loss in the series opener, coming after an 11-day rest that stood as the longest between-rounds playoff break in more than a century.