Can anyone beat the Carolina Hurricanes?
They improved to 7-0 in the 2026 NHL playoffs with a 4-1 road victory against the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday, May 7. And in doing so, they showed why they are so formidable.
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A turning point occurred in the second period with the game tied 1-1. Taylor Hall rocked Philadelphia’s Travis Sanheim into the boards.
“I was in a vulnerable spot and he decides to finish his check and it just felt like his hands drove my head right through the wall,” Sanheim said. “I thought it was a pretty dirty play.”
Hall was called for a five-minute major in order to trigger a review. A two-minute penalty was issued instead.
The Flyers weren’t happy, but they still had a power play in order to break a tie. But 11 seconds later, it was the Hurricanes who broke the tie when Carolina forced a turnover and Jordan Staal fed defenseman Jalen Chatfield for a short-handed goal.
Here’s why the Hurricanes are unbeaten in the playoffs:
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They’re hard to play against
Carolina plays an aggressive style that frustrates opponents. The ‘Canes never trailed in the opening sweep of the Ottawa Senators and added to that in Game 1 against the Flyers.
But Philadelphia scored two quick goals in Game 2. No problem. The Hurricanes kept chipping away, tied the game and won 3-2 in overtime.
Philadelphia had a 5-on-3 power play in Game 3 and wasn’t able to muster much.
Hurricanes have scoring depth
Thursday was Staal’s night with a goal and an assist. It was his first goal of these playoffs.
The Hurricanes have more than enough scoring to go around.
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Logan Stankoven is tied for the playoff goal lead with six. Hall has nine points and Jackson Blake has eight. Nikolaj Ehlers has goals in each of the past two games. They’re unbeaten despite Andrei Svechnikov not scoring until Thursday.
Andersen had a regular season to forget with a 3.05 goals-against average and .874 save percentage. Brandon Bussi supplanted him at one point.
But coach Rod Brind’Amour went with the veteran Andersen in the playoffs, and it has paid off. Andersen has two shutouts and has given up two or fewer goals in each game. He’s just the third goalie in the last 30 years to open 7-0.
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The Flyers are banged up with Owen Tippett and Noah Cates unable to play. But unless the Flyers can figure out the Hurricanes, they, like the Senators, will be swept.
Then it comes down to whether the Hurricanes and Brind’Amour can get past the conference finals. The way they’re playing, it’s possible.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Hurricanes beat Flyers to remain unbeaten in playoffs: Why they’re 7-0
