3 Takeaways From Hurricanes’ 4-1 Win to Take 3-0 Stranglehold Lead

For the fourth time in playoff history, a team has won seven straight games and held teams to 10 or fewer goals. The fourth team is the 2026 Carolina Hurricanes, which defeated the Philadelphia Flyers 4-1 in Game 3 to take a 3-0 series lead. They have their second 3-0 stranglehold on a series this postseason.

Takeaway #1: Special Teams Leads the Way

Heading into Game 3, the Hurricanes had three power-play goals through six games. While that does not sound terrible, they’ve had a vast number of chances on the man-advantage but have not been capitalizing. However, the first three goals of the game were all on special teams. Two came on the power play, and one was shorthanded, the first for the Hurricanes in the playoffs.

Furthermore, those three special teams goals came from three players who scored their first goals of the postseason. Jordan Staal scored the first goal of the game on the power play to put the Hurricanes out front first once again. He ended up with a multi-point night after setting up Jalen Chatfield for his first of the playoffs, while shorthanded. The third special teams goal came on the power play via Andrei Svehchnikov, who was snakebitten through six games.

The power play went 2-for-9, while the penalty kill went 5-for-5, and scored a goal for a bonus. The question mark for Game 3 was the power play getting jump-started after their slow start to the playoffs. Safe to say the power play, and special teams as a whole, were the main reason the Hurricanes got up 3-1 before Nikolaj Ehlers finished it with the dagger to make it 4-1 in the third period.

Takeaway #2: The Great Dane Does It Again

At this point, it’s a foregone conclusion that Frederik Andersen will be a brick wall for the Hurricanes. Going into Game 3, Andersen had a 6-0 record with a 1.02 goals-against average (GAA), and a .958 save percentage (SV%). After the game on Thursday night, he allowed only one goal and had a .947 SV%. This is by far the best playoff start for Andersen ever in his career. He is now 7-0 with a 1.02 GAA and a .957 SV%.

He was one of three goalies to have the best record, GAA, and SV% after six games in the playoffs. He joined Ilya Bryzgalov (2006 Anaheim Ducks) and Nikolai Khabibulin (2004 Tampa Bay Lightning). All three of these goalies were 6-0 when having those distinctions.

Andersen has been otherworldly in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs and is showing no signs of slowing down. The fact that he is playing like this after his most down regular season is mind-blowing. That said, it shows how confident he is to step up when needed and how much faith the coaching staff, along with his teammates, have in Andersen. After seven straight wins, the Hurricanes look for another sweep on Saturday (May 9) in Game 4.

Takeaway #3: Another 3-0 Series Stranglehold

Just like the series against the Ottawa Senators, the Hurricanes have a 3-0 stranglehold after their Game 3 win. After securing their seventh straight win, this feels like the best Hurricanes playoff team under Rod Brind’Amour. The 2025-26 Hurricanes set the franchise record for most goals in a regular season (291), and are now sixth in the playoffs in goals for.

They also have the fewest goals allowed (eight) and the only one in single digits. The Senators gave up 11, and the Colorado Avalanche have given up 13. The former played only four games, while the latter has played six. Regarding the Hurricanes, they’re playing the most complete hockey in the Brind’Amour era, and could probably be the best playoff team since the 2006 Stanley Cup-winning team. Now they’re one win away from another series sweep, which is still not easy to do in the NHL Playoffs.

The Hurricanes will be looking to sweep their second straight series on Saturday, May 9, at 6 p.m. Eastern. It’s always been said that winning the fourth game is the hardest. They’ve done it already this postseason. Could they do it again? It’ll come down to holding the Flyers at bay like they have been all series, and getting another full team effort once again. With how they’re playing, there is a good chance the Hurricanes can do it again. Only time will tell on Saturday night in Game 4.