Canadiens pounce on Hurricanes
early in 6-2 win to open Eastern Conference Final
[May 22, 2026]
By AARON BEARD
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The Montreal Canadiens never flinched in
winning two Game 7s on the road to reach the Eastern Conference
Final. Opening on the road again was no different, even against a
well-rested top seed that had yet to lose in the postseason.
The Canadiens pounced for four first-period goals on slow-starting
Carolina — coming off the longest postseason break in more than a
century — and beat the Hurricanes 6-2 on Thursday night.
“We knew we could come in here and try to get off to a good start to
the series,” Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki said after a three-assist
night. “We’re happy with the result, but they’re definitely going to
be better than what they were tonight.”
Cole Caufield and Phillip Danault scored in the opening four
minutes, Alexandre Texier followed four minutes later, and Ivan
Demidov finished a breakaway for a shocking 4-1 lead midway through
the opening period. That came against a team that hadn't allowed
more than two goals in an 8-0 playoff start.
Juraj Slafkovksy scored twice in the third period for Montreal, the
second on a late empty-netter, while Jakub Dobes had 24 saves.
Game 2 is Saturday night.
The Hurricanes were the first team to sweep their first two playoff
rounds since the NHL went to best-of-seven series in all four rounds
in 1987. But that led to a lengthy break of 11 days, the longest
rest for any team before starting the next playoff run since at
least 1920, while waiting on the Canadiens to battle their way past
Tampa Bay and Buffalo.
That led to the rest-versus-rust discussion about the Hurricanes,
along with how well the Canadiens would pivot from those
to-the-limit wins.
And outside of Seth Jarvis beating Dobes just 33 seconds in, the
Canadiens answered that question resoundingly in those opening
minutes to extend Carolina's misery in this round.
“I didn’t think we were very sharp, to put it bluntly,” Carolina
coach Rod Brind’Amour said. “Our top guys had tough nights. That’s
not going to work at this time of the year.”
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Montréal Canadiens' Mike Matheson (8) takes out Carolina Hurricanes'
Taylor Hall (71) in front of Canadiens goaltender Jakub Dobes (75)
during the second period in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals
NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoffs series in Raleigh, N.C., Thursday,
May 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Karl DeBlaker)
Much of Carolina’s success comes from pressuring
opponents in the offensive zone and minimizing chances going the
other way. But Montreal effectively moved the puck out of danger
against Carolina's aggressive pressure early, setting up clean
breakouts, open-ice space and multiple breakaway chances at Frederik
Andersen.
“The execution was there right off the bat,” Canadiens center Jake
Evans said.
Danault's goal was a full-speed breakaway right up the middle off a
feed from Alexandre Carrier, while Demidov went
forehand-backhand-forehand to beat Andersen for the 4-1 lead with
8:28 left in the first.
Andersen was leading the postseason in goals-against average (1.12)
and save percentage (.950), but finished with just 16 saves.
Eric Robinson also scored for Carolina, which is in the Eastern
final for the third time in four years and fourth time in the
current eight-season playoff run under Rod Brind'Amour. But the
Hurricanes are now 1-13 in those games, including sweeps against
Boston in 2019 and Florida in 2023.
Carolina's loss meant the two Stanley Cup favorites both lost the
opener of the conference finals. Colorado lost at home to Vegas on
Wednesday night.
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