The Carolina Hurricanes are twenty minutes away from the Stanley Cup Final.
Through the second period of Friday’s Eastern Conference Final Game 5, Carolina holds a 5-0 lead over the Montreal Canadiens.
Carolina leads the series 3-1, with the winner advancing to play the Vegas Golden Knights next week.
The second period began with each team taking and killing off a penalty, but it wouldn’t be long before the Hurricanes found the back of the net, as they often have.
Coming into the second with a 3-0 lead, the Hurricanes continued to get chances. After Taylor Hall was stopped on a breakaway seven minutes into the frame, Jackson Blake cleaned up the garbage in front to extend Carolina’s lead to 4-0.
That score stood till less than two minutes were remaining in the second, as Carolina added to their lead on the man advantage, thanks to defenceman Shayne Gostisbehere. With their fifth unanswered, the Hurricanes took the 5-0 lead heading into the second intermission.
The Hurricanes continued to lead in shots through forty minutes, 24-15, after dominating 15-4 through the first period.
To start the game, Montreal got an early chance on the power play, as Game 3 hero Andrei Svechnikov took a tripping penalty just over two minutes into the game, though the Canadiens couldn’t capitalize.
It would be the Hurricanes striking first, as Taylor Hall found the back of the net to open the scoring midway through the frame.
After a failed Canadiens challenge attempt, it would be Carolina’s turn to head to the power play, though they couldn’t cash in on the advantage either.
Nearly six minutes later, however, the Hurricanes did capitalize. After snagging an assist on the game’s opening goal, it would be Logan Stankoven’s turn to light the lamp, doubling the team’s lead.
Carolina wouldn’t be done there, however, as just two minutes later, Eric Robinson’s third of the playoffs gave the team a 3-0 lead heading into the first intermission.
