Hurricanes sweep first two series

The Carolina Hurricanes reached the Eastern Conference final on Thursday with an unusual playoff line behind them: eight wins, no losses and no need for a fifth game. CBS Sports reported Carolina became the first team in NHL history to sweep its first two best-of-seven series, sending Rod Brind'Amour's team into the next round unbeaten. The Hurricanes finished first in the Eastern Conference in the regular season, CBS said, and had not played since May 9 after closing out Philadelphia. Montreal arrived by a different route, advancing after a seven-game second-round series against Buffalo. ### Which two series did Carolina sweep? Carolina completed a first-round sweep of the Ottawa Senators and then swept the Philadelphia Flyers in the second round, according to CBS Sports and ESPN's playoff bracket. That gave the Hurricanes a 4-0 result in each of their first two series and put them into the conference final without a loss. (cbssports.com) May 9 was the Hurricanes' last game before the conference final, CBS Sports said, when Carolina finished the second-round sweep of Philadelphia. The layoff left Carolina idle for 11 to 12 days, depending on the schedule reference, while Montreal was still finishing its series. (cbssports.com) ### Why is that being described as NHL history? CBS Sports said no NHL team had previously swept its first two best-of-seven playoff series. That makes Carolina's path notable not because it had already won a title or reached the Final, but because no earlier club had opened a postseason by going 8-0 through two full rounds under the current best-of-seven format. (cbssports.com) NHL.com described the Hurricanes as one of the teams looking to "keep rolling" in the conference finals, while CBS framed the unbeaten start as the central fact of Carolina's run into Game 1. Neither source said the streak guaranteed anything beyond the opening two rounds; both placed the focus on the matchup with Montreal. ### How did Montreal get here? (cbssports.com) Montreal advanced to face Carolina after beating the Buffalo Sabres in seven games in the second round, NHL.com's playoff coverage showed. The Canadiens entered the series as the Atlantic Division's No. 3 seed and came through a longer route than Carolina, which had not played since the earlier round ended. (nhl.com) CBS Sports said the teams took "vastly different paths" to Game 1. Carolina came in rested after consecutive sweeps, while Montreal arrived after a Game 7 win and a shorter turnaround. ### When and where was the next game? NHL.com listed Game 1 of the Eastern Conference final between the Montreal Canadiens and Carolina Hurricanes for Thursday, May 21, at Lenovo Center in Raleigh, North Carolina. (nhl.com) CBS Sports' Game 1 preview also placed the opener on Thursday. NHL.com published the full best-of-seven schedule for the series on May 21, with Games 1 and 2 in Raleigh before the series shifts to Montreal. (cbssports.com) CBS Sports' odds page listed Carolina as the home favorite for the opener. ### What was still unresolved going into the game? Carolina opened the round with a clean playoff record, but the conference final was the first test against a team coming off a seven-game series win and three regular-season victories over the Hurricanes, CBS Sports said. (nhl.com) NHL.com's preview paired Carolina with Colorado as the two teams that had rolled through the first two rounds. Thursday's Game 1 at Lenovo Center was the next marker. NHL.com's schedule page listed the Hurricanes and Canadiens in the Eastern Conference final, with the winner advancing to the Stanley Cup Final against either the Colorado Avalanche or Vegas Golden Knights. (nhl.com) (cbssports.com)