Puck Drop: 7:00 PM ET
Venue: PNC Arena — Raleigh, North Carolina
Broadcast: ESPN / Sportsnet / TVA Sports
Series: Montreal leads 1‑0
Venue & Environment
PNC Arena is one of the NHL’s most hostile playoff environments, and Carolina historically thrives at home:
- 17–6 in their last 23 home playoff games
- Top‑5 in home expected‑goals share during the 2025–26 season
- Known for aggressive forechecking and long offensive‑zone cycles
But Montreal stole Game 1 with a disciplined defensive structure and elite goaltending, flipping home‑ice advantage and putting immediate pressure on Carolina.
Injury Report
Montreal Canadiens
- Cole Caufield — Probable (upper body) Took a hard hit in Game 1 but returned and finished the game.
- Kaiden Guhle — Probable (lower body) Expected to play; logged 21:44 in Game 1.
- Christian Dvorak — Out (knee) Long‑term absence continues.
Carolina Hurricanes
- Andrei Svechnikov — Questionable (knee soreness) Missed Game 1; his availability dramatically changes Carolina’s scoring depth.
- Brett Pesce — Out (lower body) A major loss on the right side of the defense.
- Jesperi Kotkaniemi — Probable (illness) Expected to return to normal minutes.
If Svechnikov returns, Carolina’s top‑six becomes significantly more dangerous.
Team Records
- Montreal Canadiens: 1‑0 in series, 45‑33‑4 regular season
- Carolina Hurricanes: 0‑1 in series, 52‑28‑2 regular season
Recent Team Form
Montreal Canadiens
- Won 4 of last 5 playoff games
- Allowed 2 goals or fewer in 6 of last 8
- Power play: 3-for-10 over last three games
- Goaltending has been elite: .934 SV% over last five
Carolina Hurricanes
- Lost 3 straight playoff games
- Scored 2 goals or fewer in 4 of last 6
- Penalty kill remains strong (88%), but 5‑on‑5 scoring has dried up
- Defensive structure weakened without Pesce
Key Player Matchups
Nick Suzuki (MTL) vs. Sebastian Aho (CAR)
- Suzuki controlled pace in Game 1 with a goal and 2 assists
- Aho was held to 1 assist and only 2 high‑danger chances
- Montreal’s top line out‑chanced Carolina’s 11–6 at 5‑on‑5
Cole Caufield (MTL) vs. Seth Jarvis (CAR)
- Caufield’s shot threat forced Carolina to collapse defensively
- Jarvis was Carolina’s most dangerous forward but lacked support
- If Svechnikov returns, Jarvis may see more favorable matchups
Samuel Montembeault (MTL) vs. Frederik Andersen (CAR)
- Montembeault: 37 saves on 39 shots in Game 1
- Andersen: .889 SV% and struggled with lateral movement
- Goaltending was the difference in Game 1
Montreal’s Physicality vs. Carolina’s Speed
- Montreal outhit Carolina 41–29
- Carolina had the edge in shot attempts but lacked net‑front presence
- Montreal’s defensive structure forced Carolina to the perimeter
Series History
- Montreal leads 1‑0 in this series
- Hurricanes had won 7 straight vs. Montreal prior to Game 1
- Last playoff meeting: 2021, Carolina swept Montreal 4‑0
- Montreal has not won a playoff series vs. Carolina since 2006
Game 1 broke a long trend of Carolina dominance.
Betting Trends
Montreal Canadiens
- 6‑2 in last 8 playoff games
- 5‑1 ATS in last 6
- Under has hit in 5 of last 7
- 4‑1 in last 5 road games
Carolina Hurricanes
- 1‑5 in last 6 playoff games
- 0‑3 in last 3 overall
- Under is 6‑2 in last 8 home playoff games
- 4‑8 in last 12 vs. Atlantic Division
Head‑to‑Head
- Under is 7‑3 in last 10 meetings
- Road team is 4‑1 in last 5
- Hurricanes are 7‑1 in last 8 home games vs. Montreal (before Game 1)
Game Odds
Montreal Canadiens 5.5
Carolina Hurricanes – 205
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Thursday, May 22, 2026
