Announcement: Decisive NHL Playoff Matches Continue
Tonight, the next round of Stanley Cup playoff games will take place. Teams continue to battle for a spot in the next round, and the tension in each series is at its peak.
NHL Playoffs: Montreal Shocks Carolina in Eastern Conference Final Opener
Main Event
On the night of May 22, 2026, the Stanley Cup Final series kicked off. In the first game of the Eastern Conference Final, the Montreal Canadiens routed the Carolina Hurricanes on the road with a score of 6:2. The game was held at the Lenovo Center in Raleigh, North Carolina, USA, and marked Carolina's first loss of points in the current playoffs.
An even bigger surprise occurred the day before: in the Western Conference Final, the Vegas Golden Knights defeated the Colorado Avalanche on the road 4:2. Thus, both season favorites — Colorado (winner of the 2026 Presidents' Trophy) and Carolina (the best team in the East) — lost the opening games of their home finals.
Details and Statistics
Carolina vs. Montreal 2:6 (series 0-1)
The biggest surprise was the first 20 minutes: Montreal scored four goals in less than 12 minutes of game time. The home team opened the scoring at the 33-second mark — Seth Jarvis found the net, but then the visitors took over:
- 3:41 — Cole Caufield tied the game;
- 4:02 — Phillip Danault put Montreal ahead;
- 7:56 — Alexandre Texier scored the third goal;
- 11:32 — Ivan Demidov netted the fourth goal for the Canadiens on a breakaway.
In the third period, Juraj Slafkovsky scored a double (at 43:00 and 59:00, the latter into an empty net). For the home team, Eric Robinson scored the second goal.
The visitors' statistical dominance was overwhelming: Carolina goaltender Frederik Andersen, who had allowed an average of 1.12 goals per game (best in the playoffs) before this match, stopped only 16 of 21 shots. His counterpart Jakub Dobeš (25 saves) was more confident.
For Carolina, this loss was their first in 9 games of the current Stanley Cup playoffs — the Hurricanes had previously won both series (against Ottawa and Philadelphia) 4-0. Moreover, Carolina has lost 13 of their last 14 conference final games in recent years.
Colorado vs. Vegas 2:4 (series 0-1)
The Western Final, which started on May 20, also brought a surprise. Vegas defeated Colorado on the road — a team that won the regular season with 121 points. The hero of the game was the Knights' goaltender Carter Hart, who made 36 saves.
Context and Significance
The favorites' struggles are linked to various factors. Carolina entered the Eastern Final after an 11-day break — the longest layoff for a team before the next playoff round since 1920. The Hurricanes finished their semifinal series against Philadelphia on May 10, and such a long pause affected their game rhythm. Montreal, on the other hand, played a grueling seven-game series against Buffalo, which ended on May 19 with an overtime in Game 7. The difference in game practice proved decisive in the opening minutes.
For Montreal, this is the second consecutive season reaching the conference final. The team demonstrates impressive depth: in the first game against Carolina, six different players scored. Ivan Demidov, a 20-year-old Russian forward, stands out with his 8th playoff goal (he has 3 goals and 5 assists in 15 games).
What's Next
The second game of the Carolina-Montreal series will take place on the night of May 24 (02:00 Moscow time). The match will again be held in Raleigh. The Hurricanes urgently need to solve their slow-start problem and restore goaltender Andersen's confidence.
In the West, the second game between Colorado and Vegas is also scheduled for May 24. The Avalanche will try to bounce back at home to avoid heading to Las Vegas down 0-2.
Editorial Prediction
Montreal looks like a dangerous opponent for any team. The Canadiens have gone through two seven-game rounds (against Tampa and Buffalo) and are in optimal game shape — unlike Carolina, whose 11-day layoff proved to be a fatal scheduling error. In the second game, the advantage is with Montreal: the visitors have already proven they can crack the defense of the best regular-season team, and the psychological pressure is now on the home team, which cannot afford to lose a second straight home game. The key factor will be the opening stretch: if Carolina starts sluggishly again, the series could quickly become catastrophic for the favorite.
— Editorial Team
