The Stanley Cup Playoffs field is down to four teams. On Thursday, the Montreal Canadiens stunned the Carolina Hurricanes with a 6-2 win in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Final.
After beating the Buffalo Sabres in dramatic fashion, the Canadiens are now up against the top-seeded Hurricanes. In winning Game 1 of the conference final, Montreal handed Carolina its first loss of the postseason, ending the Canes' bid for a perfect 16-0 run.
Juraj Slafkovsky was terrific, recording two goals and one assist while Jakob Dobes stood tall between the pipes yet again.
Western Conference Final: Avalanche vs Golden Knights
Out West, the Colorado Avalanche have been arguably the best team in the league all season, and that has carried over to the playoffs. They swept the Kings out of the first round before they knocked out the Wild in the second round. Colorado closed out the Minnesota series with an astonishing three-goal comeback in Game 5.
The level of difficulty will ramp up a notch for the Avs in the Western Conference Final, however, as they face the Vegas Golden Knights. Vegas has closed out each of its first two opponents — the Utah Mammoth and Anaheim Ducks — in six games. In order to beat the Avalanche, the Golden Knights will have to counter their depth as 17 different Colorado players have scored through just nine games.
Eastern Conference Final Schedule
Carolina Hurricanes vs. Montreal Canadiens
Game 1: Canadiens 6, Hurricanes 2
Game 2: Saturday, May 23 | at CAR | 7 p.m. | TNT
Game 3: Monday, May 25 | at MTL | 8 p.m. | TNT
Game 4: Wednesday, May 27 | at MTL | 8 p.m. | TNT
Game 5: Friday, May 29 | at CAR | 8 p.m. | TNT*
Game 6: Sunday, May 31 | at MTL | TBD | TNT*
Game 7: Tuesday, June 2 | at CAR | 8 p.m. | TNT
Western Conference Final Schedule
Colorado Avalanche vs. Vegas Golden Knights
Game 1: Golden Knights 4, Avalanche 2
Game 2: Friday, May 22 | at COL | 8 p.m. | ESPN
Game 3: Sunday, May 24 | at VGK | 8 p.m. | ESPN
Game 4: Tuesday, May 26 | at VGK | 9 p.m. | ESPN*
Game 5: Thursday, May 28 | at COL | 8 p.m. | ESPN*
Game 6: Saturday, May 30 | at VGK | 8 p.m. | ABC*
Game 7: Monday, June 1 | at COL | 8 p.m. | ESPN