The Washington Capitals had no answers for the Carolina Hurricanes’ relentless attack. After knocking out Montreal in five games, Washington only scored seven goals in the second round as the Hurricanes buzzed past them in five.
Backed by solid goaltending from Frederik Andersen and big plays from Jordan Staal and Andrei Svechnikov, the Canes punched their ticket to the Eastern Conference Final with a 3-1 win in Game 5.
But the spotlight belonged to Svechnikov.
Andrei Svechnikov Peaking as Carolina Hurricanes Charge into Conference Final
Svechnikov has always had the tools—size, speed, and a deadly shot. He scored 20 goals during the NHL regular season, but fans knew he had more to give. In the playoffs, he’s finally putting it all together.
Svechnikov leads the team in goals and is the second-highest goal scorer among all postseason players. In Game 5, he buried the game-winner with less than two minutes to go, grabbing a pass from Sean Walker in the slot and firing it top shelf to seal the deal and send Carolina to its second Conference Finals in three years.
”We say it all the time. I think all year we’ve been waiting for that Andrei, and still, we got through the regular season, but it was like… you know, you watched him every night. Tonight, that goal wasn’t even a great goal, but he had a lot of other ones off the bars and the posts. I think that one, he deserved it just from his play all series.” Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour said of Svechnikov.
He added that for any team still in the playoffs, it’s essential for its top players to perform at their best. Svechnikov has always been one of the Hurricanes’ top talents; he just hasn’t consistently delivered until now.
Svechnikov’s timely contributions in Game 5 underscored his growing impact, suggesting a player ready to elevate his game further as the stakes continue to rise in pursuing the Stanley Cup. His evolving performance could be a key factor in Carolina’s deep playoff push, providing a boost as they face increasingly formidable opponents further.
The Hurricanes will next face the winner of the second-round series between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Florida Panthers. The series is tied 3-3 after Toronto’s 2-0 win in Game 6. The puck drops for Game 7 on Sunday, May 18 at 7:30 p.m. ET.