Canadiens beat Hurricanes in Game 1

The Montreal Canadiens opened the Eastern Conference final with a 6-2 win over the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday in Raleigh, ending Carolina's unbeaten run through the 2026 playoffs. Montreal scored four times in the first period and handed the Hurricanes their first loss after back-to-back sweeps in the first two rounds. (apnews.com) Carolina had entered Game 1 at 8-0 this postseason, one win short of the NHL mark for consecutive victories to start a playoff year, according to local coverage in Raleigh. (apnews.com) ESPN had noted before the opener that the Hurricanes became the first team to post four-game sweeps in each of the first two rounds since the league moved to four best-of-seven rounds. (nhl.com) ### How did Montreal take control so quickly? Carolina's Seth Jarvis scored 33 seconds into the game, but Montreal answered 27 seconds later on Cole Caufield's goal to tie it 1-1. Phillip Danault then scored at 4:04 of the first period, and Alexandre Texier added another before the period was half over. The Canadiens kept coming in the opening period. (apnews.com) Juraj Slafkovsky, who finished with three points, helped drive the early burst as Montreal built the four-goal first-period cushion that set the game's shape. The Associated Press said the Canadiens "pounced" on a Carolina team coming off an extended layoff. ### What snapped for Carolina after the 8-0 start? (newsobserver.com) The Hurricanes had not played since completing their second-round sweep, leaving them with an 11-day break before Thursday's opener, according to the Associated Press. Carolina had allowed only eight goals across its first eight playoff games before giving up six in Game 1. (nhl.com) Raleigh News & Observer coverage described the loss as the end of Carolina's push at a record-tying start and said the Hurricanes' eight straight wins had left them one shy of the NHL record. NHL.com listed the series as Montreal 1-0 after the result. ### Which players were central in Game 1? (apnews.com) Juraj Slafkovsky led Montreal with three points, NHL.com said in its game coverage. Cole Caufield and Phillip Danault scored in the first four minutes after Jarvis' opening strike, and Texier also scored in the first period as the Canadiens turned an early deficit into a multi-goal lead. Seth Jarvis accounted for one of Carolina's two goals, with Andrei Svechnikov and Sebastian Aho credited with assists on the opener. (apnews.com) NHL.com's scoreboard showed Montreal winning despite being outshot 27-22. ### Why was the result a surprise going in? Carolina entered the series as the Metropolitan Division champion and had swept Ottawa in the first round and Philadelphia in the second, according to ESPN's postseason schedule pages. (newsobserver.com) ESPN's preview had framed the Hurricanes' two sweeps as a rare start in the modern playoff format. Montreal, by contrast, had gone seven games to get past Buffalo in the second round, according to ESPN's team schedule page. The Canadiens still opened the conference final by taking home-ice advantage from Carolina in the first game of the series. (nhl.com) ### What comes next in the series? Game 2 is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET on Saturday, May 23, in Raleigh, according to NHL.com and the Hurricanes' schedule announcement. (nhl.com) Game 3 then shifts to Montreal on Monday, May 25, with the Canadiens carrying a 1-0 lead into the weekend. (nhl.com) (espn.com 1) (espn.com 2)