Shayne Gostisbehere and Taylor Corridor had the objectives in regulation for Carolina. Frederik Andersen made 10 saves.
Mike Matheson and Lane Hutson replied for Montreal, which bought 35 stops from the excellent Jakub Dobes.
One of the best-of-seven collection returns to the Bell Centre for Recreation 4 on Wednesday.
Andrei Svechnikov fired a shot by way of a crowd in a back-and-forth OT that hit Aho in entrance for the profitable margin.
After selecting up a 3-2 extra-time victory at residence Saturday that regarded much more like their relentless type following a discombobulated 6-2 loss in Thursday’s opener, the Hurricanes got here out flying and took the lead at 8:24 of the primary interval when the puck popped into the slot for Gostisbehere to fireside in off the left publish previous a diving Dobes.
The Canadiens, who topped the Tampa Bay Lightning and Buffalo Sabres in a pair of seven-game matchups to make the convention ultimate regardless of a mixed 2-4 file at residence, tied it at 15:28 after forecheck from Alex Newhook and Jake Evans led to Ivan Demidov discovering Matheson in prime capturing vary to beat Andersen upstairs.
Carolina, the East’s prime seed coming off sweeps of the Ottawa Senators and Philadelphia Flyers, pushed again lower than minute later when Corridor shovelled residence his personal rebound from in tight previous Dobes because the winger was falling to the ice at 16:22.
Montreal, which registered simply 12 photographs in Recreation 2, evened issues up once more on an influence play due to a slick sequence that noticed Cole Caufield and Hutson play catch off the push earlier than the latter fired right into a wide-open internet at 4:43 to set off deafening, towel-waving celebrations.
Hutson turned the fourth defenceman in franchise historical past with no less than 15 factors in a single post-season, becoming a member of Larry Robinson (thrice), Chris Chelios and J.C. Tremblay.
Dobes made an enormous save off the stick of Svechnikov moments in a while a 3-on-1 after additionally denying the Hurricanes ahead on a one-timer within the first. The fiery Canadiens netminder adopted that up with a cease on Gostisbehere on one other odd-man rush along with his proper pad.
Carolina defenceman Sean Walker then bowled Dobes over for a goaltender interference penalty later within the interval, however Montreal centre Jake Evans was assessed a roughing minor to see the groups play 4-on-4.
Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki had a terrific probability on a 2-on-1 earlier than selecting a between-the-legs cross to Caufield that failed to attach, and Noah Dobson flubbed one other alternative with Andersen at his mercy.
Montreal, which final performed at residence in an unpleasant 8-3 loss to Buffalo in Recreation 6 of the second spherical, appeared to take the lead at 8:28 of the third when Dobson’s cross went in off the stick of a sliding Nikolaj Ehlers, however Carolina appropriately challenged for offside on Caufield’s zone entry 29 seconds earlier.
Dobes foiled Walker a couple of minutes in a while an opportunity from the slot and held the road on an Aho breakaway.
Suzuki missed the online in alone early in OT earlier than Matheson rang a shot off the crossbar moments later after a spin-o-rama close to the blue line.
Dobes shot out his pad to thwart Logan Stankoven on the different finish after which stared down Jalen Chatfield.
