Canes Sweep Flyers in OT: History Made as Carolina Advances to ECF

The Carolina Hurricanes have officially stamped their ticket to the Eastern Conference Final (ECF) for the second consecutive season, completing a four-game sweep of the Philadelphia Flyers on May 9, 2026. In a high-stakes Game 4 at Xfinity Mobile Arena, 22-year-old rookie Jackson Blake played the role of the hero, scoring twice—including the overtime winner—to secure a 3-2 victory and keep Carolina’s perfect 8-0 playoff record intact.

The 8-0 Start: A Rare Feat

With this victory, the Hurricanes became the first team since the 1985 Edmonton Oilers to start a postseason with eight consecutive wins. They joined an elite club that includes the 1969 Blues, 1960 Canadiens, and 1952 Red Wings as the only teams in NHL history to achieve this mark.

Game 4 Recap: The Overtime Dagger

The Flyers, fighting for survival, came out with desperate energy, but the Hurricanes’ structure proved unbreakable.

• Early Deficit: Tyson Foerster gave Philadelphia an early 1-0 lead in the first period, igniting the home crowd.

• The Blake Response: Jackson Blake leveled the score in the second period with a redirected shot after several failed power play attempts from both sides.

• Third Period Drama: Logan Stankoven scored his league-leading 7th goal of the postseason to put Carolina ahead 2-1 at 4:13. However, the Flyers answered back just 1:39 later to force the extra frame.

• The Winner: Just 5:31 into overtime, Jaccob Slavin intercepted a pass and fed Taylor Hall, who found Blake wide open in the high slot. Blake’s “sizzling wrister” beat goaltender Dan Vladar to end the series.

Stats & Standouts

• Jackson Blake: Became the second-youngest player in franchise history to score a series-clinching goal (22 years, 279 days).

• Taylor Hall: With an assist on the winner, Hall has 10 points in 8 games, matching franchise legends for the third-fewest games to reach double-digit points in a postseason.

• Logan Stankoven: Now leads the NHL in postseason goals (7) and has recorded two career go-ahead goals in third periods of potential clinching games.

• Frederik Andersen: Remained a wall in net, stopping 15 of 17 shots and continuing a streak of allowing two or fewer goals throughout the series.

What’s Next?

The Hurricanes will now face either the Buffalo Sabres or the Montreal Canadiens in the Eastern Conference Final.

• Home-Ice Advantage: As the #1 seed in the Metropolitan Division, Carolina will have home-ice advantage for the next round.

• Tickets: ECF tickets are scheduled to go on sale to the general public on Tuesday, May 12, at 12:00 p.m. ET.