KEYS TO THE GAME
Shut down Blake, Hall and Stankoven
Carolina’s second line of Jackson Blake, Taylor Hall and Logan Stankoven has been dominant this postseason, combining for 31 points in eight games, including seven goals from Stankoven alone. The good news for Montreal? The trio was held pointless in three regular-season meetings against the Canadiens. That won’t be easy to repeat over a full series but keeping that line quiet will be a major key for the Habs.
Weather the storm
The Hurricanes enter the Eastern Conference Final undefeated in the playoffs and well-rested after 12 days off. Whether the layoff helps or hurts them remains to be seen, but Montreal should expect an early push in a loud Lenovo Center from a Carolina team that finished second in the NHL in shots on goal during the regular season. A strong start—or at least surviving the opening push—will be crucial for the Canadiens in Game 1.
Bank on experience
The Canadiens went 3-0 against Carolina in 2025-26, including two wins at Lenovo Center. Montreal enters the series as the underdog, but they’ve already shown they can beat the Canes this season. Leaning on that confidence and familiarity could go a long way as the series begins.
2025-26 REGULAR SEASON SERIES
Jan. 1 @ CAR: 7-5 MTL
Mar. 24 vs. CAR: 5-2 MTL
Mar. 29 @ CAR : 3-1 MTL
PLAYERS TO WATCH FOR
How could we ignore Mr. Game 7 himself? With seven goals this postseason, Alex Newhook leads the Canadiens in playoff scoring. But it’s not just how many he’s scored, it’s when he’s scored them. Time and time again, the Newfoundland and Labrador native has delivered in the biggest moments for Montreal, and the Canadiens will be counting on him to do it again in Round 3.
Meanwhile, Frederik Andersen has been nearly unbeatable this postseason. Through eight starts—all wins—the Danish netminder owns a .950 save percentage, a 1.12 goals-against average, two shutouts, and 11.2 goals saved above expected. Simply put, the Hurricanes goalie has been putting up video game numbers.
BY THE NUMBERS: HABS-CANES
Here’s how the Canadiens and Hurricanes match up by the numbers:
