NHL Playoff Predictions 2026: Will the Hurricanes' rest or the Canadiens' resilience prevail?
Different paths have led the Carolina Hurricanes and the Montreal Canadiens to the Eastern Conference finals, but tonight, they'll kick off what should be a tightly contested series.
NHL Playoff Predictions 2026: Will the Hurricanes' rest or the Canadiens' resilience prevail? originally appeared on The Sporting News . Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
The conference final stage has officially arrived in these Stanley Cup playoffs, with the final four teams remaining as the Carolina Hurricanes , Montreal Canadiens , Colorado Avalanche , and Vegas Golden Knights . The Avalanche and Golden Knights kicked things off on Wednesday with Game 1 at Ball Arena in Denver. The Golden Knights picked up a vital road victory, but this series is far from over.
But the attention tonight turns to the Hurricanes and the Canadiens, who have reached this point in the playoffs in very different ways. The Hurricanes have dominated their opponents, going 8-0 through the first two rounds. The Habs, on the other hand, have scratched and clawed their way through two Game 7s.
Rest against resilience is the theme to watch in this series. Nonetheless, here is our prediction for the Eastern Conference final. Carolina Hurricanes (M1) Vs.