Recap: Canes Sweep Flyers In OT, Advance To ECF

PHILADELPHIA - Jackson Blake tallied two goals, including the overtime game-winner, to help the Carolina Hurricanes take a 3-2 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers in Game 4 and complete a second straight series sweep.

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For the third time in as many games, Philadelphia came out of the gates hot, earning the better scoring chances early on. Held scoreless in the opening stages of Game 3, this time around, their fortune was more similar to their multi-goal Game 2, striking for the game-opening tally as Tyson Foerster shook loose in the slot just before the eight-minute mark.

Foerster's opener stood as the lone number on the scoreboard through the first half of the contest, but Carolina eventually responded in the middle stages of the second period. After both teams failed to convert on a pair of power play opportunities, Blake flung a puck to the net from the wall in the offensive zone, redirecting off of a Flyers defenseman and in to level the score.

A would-have-been go-ahead goal came just 28 seconds later for the Canes; however, goaltender interference nullified what would have been Mark Jankowski's first time (legally) finding twine in the postseason.

In the third, a postseason-leading seventh goal from Logan Stankoven placed the Canes in the driver's seat at 4:13, but just 1:39 later, Philadelphia had an answer, ultimately forcing overtime.

After a lengthy extra frame in Game 2, Carolina wrapped things up just 5:31 into overtime on Blake's second of the night. Jaccob Slavin picked off a Philadelphia breakout pass in the neutral zone before sending Taylor Hall down the left wing on a 3-on-2. With numbers on his side, Hall found Blake wide open in the high slot, whose sizzling wrister powered through Dan Vladar's attempted glove save and bounced across the goal line.

Frederik Andersen once again allowed two or fewer goals, stopping 15 of 17 shots for his, and the team's eighth win of the postseason.

Stats & Standouts

• Jackson Blake posted his first career multi-goal playoff performance as well as his first playoff overtime game-winner. At 22 years, 279 days old, Blake the second-youngest player in Hurricanes/Whalers history to score a series-clinching goal, behind Ulf Samuelsson (22 years, 17 days in Game 3 of 1986 DSF).
• Taylor Hall (1A) factored on Carolina’s tying goal and boosted his totals in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs to 3-7—10 (8 GP). He tied John Anderson and Kevin Dineen (both w/ 8 GP in 1986) for the third-fewest games by a Hurricanes/Whalers player to a double-digit point total in a single postseason, behind only Sebastian Aho (5 GP in 2020) and Eric Staal (7 GP in 2006).
• K’Andre Miller (1A), already the first defenseman in franchise history with an assist in each of the team’s first four road games of a playoff year, is the NHL’s fifth different blueliner to do so since 2021. The others: Evan Bouchard (6 GP in 2023), Quinn Hughes (4 GP in 2026) and Cale Makar (4 GP in 2024 & 2022).
• Logan Stankoven became the first player in Hurricanes/Whalers franchise history to record two career go-ahead goals in a third period of a potential clinching game after previously doing so against the Senators in the 2026 First Round.
• Advancing to the Eastern Conference Final for the second straight season and the third time in the last four years, the Hurricanes became the fifth team in NHL history to begin their postseason with eight consecutive wins. The others are the 1985 Oilers (9 GP), 1969 Blues (8 GP), 1960 Canadiens (8 GP) and the 1952 Red Wings (8 GP).
• Carolina also won each of its first three overtime games in a single postseason for the second time in franchise history, following 2023 (3 GP). This is the ninth time in franchise history that the Canes/Whalers have won a playoff series in overtime.
• The Canes won their 21st series since the franchise relocated to Raleigh in 1997-98, which is the sixth-most among all teams over that span. The only teams with more are the Lightning (25), Penguins (24), Stars (24), Red Wings (23) and Avalanche (22).

They Said It...

Jackson Blake on the game-winning goal…

“A lot went down on that goal. Slavo makes an unbelievable play. Then Stanks middle-lane drives and pushes those two defensemen back. Hallsy makes a play that not a lot of people can make there. Fortunately, I got the bounce and it went in…”

Frederik Andersen reflecting on the series and more recently, tonight…

“It was a lot of different games, but they pushed really hard this game. I don’t think we came out the best way in the first period. We were a little tip-toeing into it. We came at it better and better, stuck with it, and got rewarded. It was a great job by everyone to battle for each other and get that goal.”

Logan Stankoven on getting back in the goal column and his line scoring all three for the Canes...

“I thought the first period, I didn’t play great, just individually. We talked about it as a line in between periods; we had to be simpler. Even if we’re not scoring, just trying to create some momentum and some O-zone shifts. We did, and we were able to cash in a few times, so it was nice. Great to get back on the board.”

Sean Walker on the whirlwind of coming back to Raleigh for the birth of his daughter and returning to Philadelphia in time for the game...

“It was weird. It was one of the easiest and hardest games I’ve maybe ever played, if that makes sense. You just kind of live in the moment. Running on no sleep, I ate my pregame meal in the hospital cafeteria. It’s just crazy... The guys were amazing, team services (was amazing), the whole organization from the owner down really made it possible for me to be there and get back in time (for Game 4)."

Rod Brind’Amour after a second consecutive sweep…

“The impressive part is how we’ve gone about it. Obviously, we’re getting some huge performances, but everybody’s doing it. It’s how we have to get it done. Go down the list, every guy had his hands in these two series wins.”

Jaccob Slavin on the importance of getting to the Eastern Conference Final for the fourth time in eight years…

“You take it one step at a time, and this is just another step in the process. We’ve got a good group in here who have all been there before now. Everyone knows what to expect and knows what’s expected of us. We have to go in with the right mindset, chip away, and work hard like we do.”

What's Next?

The Canes are scheduled to be off on Sunday. They'll return to practice later in the week as they await their Eastern Conference Final opponent.

Next Game: Date TBD | Eastern Conference Final, Game 1 | Time TBD | How To Watch | Tickets | Parking