logo
FlamesNation has no direct affiliation to the Calgary Flames, Calgary Sports and Entertainment, NHL, or NHLPA
What’s Going On In the Playoffs: Hurricanes beat Canadiens, setting up Stanley Cup showdown with Golden Knights
alt
Ryley Delaney
Jun 2, 2026, 19:30 EDTUpdated: Jun 2, 2026, 19:58 EDT
Comments
In just over two weeks at the very best, there’ll be no more hockey left for the season.
This postseason has flown by, as there have been a ton of sweeps and just two series that went to Game 7. Funnily enough, one of the two teams in action this past week, the Montréal Canadiens, featured in both those games.
Down 2-1 after three games, the Canadiens were looking for a way to not only win a game, but also put more than 20 shots on goal. On the other hand, the Carolina Hurricanes were looking to punch their ticket to their first Stanley Cup Final in two decades.
Let’s take a look at what went on in the playoffs this past week.

Hurricanes/Canadiens

Unfortunately for the lone Canadian team remaining in the playoffs, the Canadiens played 15 good minutes of hockey before everything crumbled. With five to play, Sebastian Aho gave the Hurricanes a 1-0 lead. 
Then 68 seconds later, Jordan Staal extended that lead to two, before Logan Stankoven scored for the Hurricanes again. Just like the Hurricanes took a 3-0 lead into the first intermission thanks to three goals in two minutes and 48 seconds.
Neither team scored in the second period, but the Canadiens’ 10 shots were the most they had in a period since Game 1’s first period. Down three and on the brink of a 3-1 series deficit, the Canadiens pulled late, and Andrei Svechnikov scored an empty netter.
The series shifted to Raleigh, North Carolina for Game 5. Again, it went sideways in the first period for the Habs, as Taylor Hall opened the scoring midway through the first for the Hurricanes. Then with just under five to play, Stankoven scored again, followed by Eric Robinson’s third of the post-season less than two minutes later.
Carrying a 3-0 lead into the second period, the Hurricanes extended their lead to four thanks to Jackson Blake’s goal seven minutes in. With less than two minutes to play, Shayne Gostisbehere scored to basically end the Habs season. This second was the third and final time they mustered double-digit shots in a period this series.
Their final goal of the 2025-26 season came midway into the third, as Cole Caufield scored on the power play, but Seth Jarvis iced the game with an empty-netter with less than four to play in a 6-1 victory.

Setting up the Stanley Cup Final

The Golden Knights will have a full week off after sweeping the Colorado Avalanche. This is their first Stanley Cup Final since winning it all in 2023, and the third time they’ve played for Lord Stanley since their first season in 2017-18.
Standing in the path of their 2023 run were the Edmonton Oilers, who the Golden Knights soundly defeated in six games. The last time the Hurricanes won the Cup was in 2006, two decades ago, when they beat the Oilers in seven.
There is some rooting interest from Calgary Flames fans, because if the Golden Knights manage to win, the 2028 second-rounder they received in the Rasmus Andersson trade will become a 2028 first, meaning the Flames would own all three of the Golden Knights’ next three first rounders. At this point, there isn’t much of a difference between drafting 31st and 32nd, but a large difference between drafting in the first round or second round, so a Knights’ win is ideal.
All games in this series will have a 6:00 p.m. MT start time, with Game 1 being in Raleigh on Tuesday. Game 2, also in Raleigh, is on Thursday, before the series shifts to Las Vegas for Games 3 and 4, on Saturday and Tuesday respectively.
Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for FlamesNation, Oilersnation, and Blue Jays Nation. She can be followed on Twitter @Ryley__Delaney.
Sponsored by bet365:
Editorials
MORE NEWS. IN YOUR INBOX.
CLICK TO SUBSCRIBE TO OUR WEEKLY NEWSLETTER

Breaking News