For the third time in the Rod Brind’Amour era, the Carolina Hurricanes are going to the Eastern Conference Final. They are back in Round 3 again after defeating the Washington Capitals in Round 2, 4-1, after winning Game 5 3-1 to continue their playoff journey. In a game where the Hurricanes knew that the Capitals were going to throw everything at them, they held their own and won their eighth playoff game in the 2025 Postseason. Before everyone turns their eyes to the Eastern Conference Final, what were the three takeaways in the Game 5 win?
Takeaway #1: Never Say Quit
If anyone says Hurricanes hockey is boring, show them the last two Game 5s of the playoffs, because there has been tons of tense drama from this group. They came back from 3-0 down in Round 1 against the New Jersey Devils to win 5-4 in double overtime. Then in Round 2, they had to score with 1:59 left in Game 5 to make it 2-1 before eventually winning 3-1. Nothing is boring about this team from Raleigh, North Carolina. The Hurricanes were able to hold off the Capitals after their 2-1 goal was called back for offside. Thankfully, their hard work, following a barrage of shots from the Capitals, was rewarded by an Andrei Svechnikov goal with less than two minutes left in the game.
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The Hurricanes in Game 5 had 46 hits and 24 blocked shots. That’s more than what the Capitals had in the game (40 hits and 16 blocked shots). Right from the jump, it was clear that the Hurricanes were going to play a solid defensive game, to sell out their bodies to block shots, and hit anything that moved. There were no arguments to be had, the Hurricanes were going to bend but not break because they were ready for the Capitals to throw everything at them. While it did take a bit to score their last two goals, they did all they could to survive and capitalize when they had the chance. They outshot the home side 21-19 and beat them in faceoffs 64.2% to 35.8%. In every aspect of the game, the Hurricanes were going to do all they could to control the tempo and play their game. In the end, they did just that and won the series in five games.
Takeaway #2: Frederik Andersen Is a Danish Brick Wall
Another game, another series, another Frederik Andersen masterclass. Andersen in Game 5 stopped 18 of 19 shots on his way to his seventh win of the postseason. His .947 save percentage (SV%) gave him five consecutive games with a plus-.900 SV% in the series. In his nine starts in the 2025 NHL Playoffs, Andersen is 7-2 with a 1.36 goals-against average (GAA) and a .937 SV%. Throughout Game 5, Andersen was making 10-bell after 10-bell saves to keep the Hurricanes in the game, even after the Matt Roy goal was called back for offside. All series, more so the playoffs, Andersen has kept the Hurricanes in every game until the offense got going and took over the games. If not for Andersen giving up two or fewer goals all series, who knows how Round 2 goes for the Hurricanes? Carolina held the Capitals to seven goals in the five-game series, with Andersen being credited for allowing six of those.
Andersen is the best goaltender in the playoffs right now, and is someone who should be in Conn Smythe conversations for the Playoff MVP. If he is not, this series should prove more than ever that he belongs there. “The Great Dane” has been otherworldly for the Hurricanes, and he has been the most productive player for Brind’Amour’s team. If not for him, this playoff run could be drastically different from the one where it sees them having only played 10 games in two rounds. The number one star of the series has to be Andersen. What a run he’s on right now.
Takeaway #3: Penalty Kill Stays Power Killing
There are three sure things in life: Death, taxes, and the Hurricanes’ penalty kill being more of a power kill, especially in the playoffs. In Game 5, they went 3-for-3 to allow only two power-play goals all series against the Capitals. Game 2 and Game 4 were the only times the Hurricanes’ penalty kill had given up a goal. Other than that, they are 28-for-30 in the postseason after 10 games. That gives them a 93.3% penalty kill, first in the playoffs. Furthermore, their net penalty kill is 96.7% thanks to Jordan Martinook’s Game 2 shorthanded goal in Round 1.
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Assistant coach Tim Gleason has those units firing on all cylinders, and it shows with how they’ve been the best penalty killing team once again in the regular season and the playoffs. If there is one thing for sure, it’s that the Hurricanes’ penalty kill will play like their head coach and assistant coach, who both played for the Hurricanes during the 2006 Stanley Cup season and know what it takes to win it all. As long as these units keep locking teams down for the rest of the postseason, watch out for this journey to not stop rolling for the Hurricanes. They just shut down the second-most scoring team in the NHL and the number one seed in the Eastern Conference coming into the playoffs.
Panthers or Maple Leafs? That’s the Question
While the Hurricanes punched their ticket to the Eastern Conference Final, they still have to wait for their opponent. They will face the winner of the Florida Panthers and the Toronto Maple Leafs, as that series is going to Game 6 on Friday night (May 16). Either way, the Hurricanes have been rolling as of late, and they will have some rest before their playoff journey continues.
