Carolina completes two sweeps

The Carolina Hurricanes clinched a return to the Eastern Conference Final on May 9 with a 3-2 overtime win over the Philadelphia Flyers in Game 4 of the second round, according to NHL.com. Jackson Blake scored at 5:31 of overtime at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia to finish a four-game sweep of the Flyers. The result left Carolina 8-0 in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs after another four-game sweep in the first round against the Ottawa Senators. The NHL said Thursday that Carolina’s next series will begin in Raleigh on either May 19 or May 21 against either the Buffalo Sabres or Montreal Canadiens. ### Which two teams did Carolina sweep to get here? The Hurricanes eliminated Ottawa in four games in the first round before doing the same to Philadelphia in the second round, NHL.com reported. Carolina advanced past the Senators with a 4-2 win in Game 4 at Canadian Tire Centre, then closed out the Flyers with Blake’s overtime goal in Philadelphia. (nhl.com) Philadelphia entered the second round as the Metropolitan Division’s No. 3 seed after beating Pittsburgh in six games. Carolina entered as the Metropolitan regular-season champion and held home-ice advantage in the series, according to the league’s second-round preview. ### How unusual is an 8-0 start in the playoffs? (nhl.com) NHL.com said Carolina was “perfect 8-0 in playoffs” after the Game 4 win over Philadelphia. The Hurricanes also became one of the few teams to open a postseason without trailing through their first five games, according to the team’s Game 1 takeaways from the second round. The News & Observer reported on May 15 that Carolina’s two sweeps over Ottawa and Philadelphia gave the club an extended break before the conference final. (nhl.com) That layoff followed a second-round series that ended five days before the Eastern Conference final schedule scenarios were announced. ### Who delivered the clinching goal against Philadelphia? (nhl.com) Jackson Blake scored the winner 5:31 into overtime on May 9, NHL.com said in its game recap. Carolina got to overtime tied 2-2 before the rookie forward ended the series in Game 4. Defenseman Jaccob Slavin told NHL.com after the win, “You’ve got to take it one step at a time, and this is just another step in the process.” NHL.com also reported that Carolina reached the Eastern Conference Final for the second straight season and for the third time in four seasons. (newsobserver.com) ### Who can Carolina face next, and when does that series start? (nhl.com) The NHL said on May 14 that the Eastern Conference Final will match Carolina against either Buffalo or Montreal. The league’s schedule scenarios said the series will begin in Raleigh on Tuesday, May 19, or Thursday, May 21, depending on when the Sabres-Canadiens second-round series ends. (nhl.com) NHL.com’s playoff lookahead for Carolina said the Hurricanes will face the Sabres or Canadiens after advancing past Philadelphia. As of the league’s playoff hub update, Buffalo and Montreal were still playing their second-round series, with Game 6 scheduled for May 16 and Game 7, if necessary, set for May 18. ### What does Carolina’s schedule look like from here? (nhl.com) Raleigh will host the opening game of the Eastern Conference Final because Carolina won the Metropolitan Division in the regular season, the NHL said. The league’s published scenarios list May 19 or May 21 as the start date, with the opponent still to be determined between Buffalo and Montreal. (nhl.com) The Hurricanes’ playoff hub says the team’s 2026 postseason page will carry schedule and ticket updates as the conference final approaches. The next confirmed milestone is the Eastern Conference Final opener in Raleigh, with the exact date tied to the outcome of Buffalo’s series against Montreal. (nhl.com 1) (nhl.com 2)