Carolina Hurricanes’ 3 Stars of the Eastern Conference Final

For the first time in this series, this won’t be the last edition of the 3 Stars for the playoffs, as the Carolina Hurricanes are off to the Stanley Cup Final. On Friday, May 29, the Hurricanes defeated the Montreal Canadiens 6-1 in Game 5 to advance to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 2006. Before we shift over to that series against the Vegas Golden Knights, who stood out in the Eastern Conference Final?

Third Star: Frederik Andersen

Much like we’ve seen so far in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs, Frederik Andersen has been on every one of these lists, and that won’t stop now. Andersen was the third star of Round 2 following the sweep of the Philadelphia Flyers, and here he is once again in this spot. While it was not the usual dominance by Andersen as we’ve seen over the previous two rounds, he was still excellent in the crease.

Over the course of the Eastern Conference Final, Andersen finished with a 4-1 record, a .886 save percentage (SV%), 1.91 goals-against average (GAA), and a shutout. Outside of Game 1, where he gave up five goals, he finished the last four games of the series allowing two goals or fewer in each contest. He only allowed five goals in the last four games and was a Cole Caufield goal in Game 5 away from two consecutive shutouts.

Overall, Andersen played spectacularly in the crease to put the Hurricanes in a position to advance past the Eastern Conference Final for the first time in 20 years. While managing all of that, he had to cope with the loss of his agent and close friend, Claude Lemeiux, whom he considered family. It was told after Game 5 that the guys wanted to win for Andersen, and they did just that. Despite all of that, Andersen dug deep and helped the Hurricanes win the series on Friday night.

Through the playoffs, Andersen has a 12-1 record with a 1.41 GAA and a .931 SV%, along with three shutouts. If he keeps playing the way he has been in the Stanley Cup Final, the Hurricanes could be in a really good spot to win their second-ever Stanley Cup in franchise history.

Second Star: Eric Robinson

If there was someone due for a great series, it was Eric Robinson. He was close to scoring a couple of goals in the Flyers, but nothing seemed to go his way. However, he was rewarded in the Eastern Conference Final with three goals over the five games. He tallied three goals and four points over the span of the series, with goals coming in Games 1 and 2. His third goal of the series came in Game 5, putting the Hurricanes up 3-0 at the time in the first period.

His lone assist in the series came in Game 3, giving him a three-game point streak at the time. He did all of this while averaging only 11:21 of ice time and had a total of seven shots on goal. His shooting percentage in the series was an astounding 42.9%. Talk about being effective when needed. Robinson brings the size, physicality, speed, and when it cashes in, the scoring touch. He, along with Mark Jankowski and William Carrier on the fourth line, have been the quiet, unsung heroes of the playoffs.

The Hurricanes will need their depth more than ever in the Stanley Cup Final against the Golden Knights. Expect that trio to make an impact when called upon, especially if the scoring touch stays hot going into the final round of the playoffs.

Honorable Mentions: K’Andre Miller, Jackson Blake, & Taylor Hall

We’re going to do something different for this edition of 3 Stars since there were so many guys who could have made this list. Let’s look at some honorable mentions who could have made a case to be on here.

The first player is K’Andre Miller, who is playing his best hockey at the right time. While he isn’t putting up the goals, he did have two assists in the series, while being a shutdown force for Tim Gleason on the blue line.

Miller tallied eight blocks, 13 hits, and was a plus-5 in the five games against the Canadiens. He won’t get mentioned much for the Conn Smythe Trophy. But he cannot be overlooked for what he’s done in all facets of the game with his two-way game. His speed, size, reach, etc. have been huge for the Hurricanes in the playoffs, and he’s been huge in key moments that won’t show up on a scoresheet.

Two guys who have been mainstays on the 3 Stars playoff editions of these were prominent once again. Taylor Hall and Jackson Blake each tallied four points in the series. Hall had two goals and two assists, while Blake had one goal and three assists. They both had a goal in Game 5, alongside the first star of the series, giving the “Junkyard Dog line” 12 points combined.

First Star: Logan Stankoven

Speaking of the Junkyard Dog line, the first star of the series is Logan Stankoven, who cannot stop scoring in the playoffs. Like Hall, Stankoven tallied two goals and two assists, giving him nine goals through 13 games. While he is third on the team in points (12), he leads in goals and has been red-hot in every series.

While he did not tally any points in the first three games of the series, he ended it in style with four points in the last two games. His performance alone saw Stankoven have one goal and two assists in the 6-1 rout of the Canadiens. If Stankoven and the Junkyard Dog line can stay hot, they could be a real problem for the Golden Knights because no one’s had a true answer to slow them down.

All in all, the Hurricanes bounced back in a big way after their 6-2 loss in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Final. They won four straight games, the gentleman’s sweep, and now see themselves in the Stanley Cup Final for the first time in 20 years. While the job is not done, it’s good to look back at a great series by these guys as they look to lead the way against the Golden Knights. Is it Tuesday yet?