Taylor Hall and Logan Stankoven each posted one-goal, two-assist performances to lead the Carolina Hurricanes to a 6-1 victory over the Montreal Canadiens on Friday in Raleigh, N.C., that sends them to the Stanley Cup Final.
Jackson Blake and Seth Jarvis both scored once and added an assist, while Eric Robinson and Shayne Gostisbehere added singles for Carolina, which claimed the Eastern Conference finals in five games.
Goaltender Frederik Andersen made 23 saves.
The Hurricanes will face the Vegas Golden Knights in the Stanley Cup Final, which begins on Tuesday in Raleigh. Vegas swept the Colorado Avalanche in the Western Conference finals.
The Golden Knights won the two meetings this season, both taking place in the opening month.
Cole Caufield replied for the Canadiens, who won the series opener but became overmatched by the more veteran Hurricanes as the series continued.
Goalie Jakub Dobes stopped 23 shots.
The Hurricanes have lost only one game en route to reaching the final for the first time since they won the Stanley Cup in 2006. They are the first team to start the playoffs with a 12-1 mark since the 1976 Canadiens.
Just like in Game 4, the hosts used a three-goal first period to springboard to victory.
Hall opened the scoring just past the midway point of the opening frame when he pounced on a rebound opportunity created by Stankoven’s rush to the net.
Stankoven doubled the lead six minutes later when he rifled a top-corner shot from the right faceoff dot for his team-leading ninth tally.
Robinson capped the dominant period by converting a breakaway chance at the 16:52 mark for his third goal of the series.
The Hurricanes did not let up after the intermission. Blake made it a four-goal edge at 7:19 of the second period when he buried a rebound after Stankoven was denied on a breakaway chance.
Gostisbehere’s power-play goal with 1:58 remaining in the middle frame — he slid home an opportunity from the doorstep — made it a 5-0 affair.
Caufield spoiled Andersen’s bid for a second consecutive shutout when he notched a power-play goal with 9:10 remaining in regulation.
Jarvis rounded out the scoring with an empty-net goal.
–Field Level Media
