Hurricanes finish off Canadiens, return to Stanley Cup Final

The Carolina Hurricanes returned to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time in two decades by eliminating the Montreal Canadiens 6-1 in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Friday, May 29, 2026. Carolina swept its first two playoff series and dominated the conference finals outside of a Game 1 loss, finishing with a dominant run through the postseason. Head coach Rod Brind'Amour, in his 15th season with the organization, previously lost three conference finals appearances (2019, 2023, 2025) before finally earning a return to the Stanley Cup Final.