For the first time in 20 years, the Carolina Hurricanes established themselves as the best Eastern Conference team throughout the regular season. It didn't come with any dramatic impact, nor did it come with any spectacular victory – but it came nonetheless.
Starting the night with some of their six best players out of the starting lineup, they faced a hungry Philadelphia Flyers team that was fighting for a postseason opportunity.
The first period was all Carolina, taking a two-goal lead by the end of the frame. The first goal came off the stick of Bradley Nadeau, with an assist from Nikolaj Ehlers, who sent a no-look pass to the rookie who had positioned himself in the slot.
A few minutes later, the Hurricanes got the man advantage due to a holding penalty, which Ehlers managed to capitalize on. In doing so, he achieved the first 70-point season of his 11-season career.
However, the second period belonged to the Flyers – scoring two to tie the game. The first goal came from Matvei Michkov, thanks to a Hurricanes concession as the game began. His second goal, meanwhile, was during the power play – a snapshot of penalty-drawer Trevor Zegras who was left completely alone by Brandon Bussey's net.
During halftime, Ehlers talked about the two goals he allowed, recognizing that they were the result of puck mismanagement and that it was something he would need to tighten up in the following frames.
In fact, they worked together defensively in the final period, giving up only four possessions compared to nine in the second period. But ultimately, Philadelphia wasn't giving up that much. The game remained deadlocked through regulation, and then as has happened every time they faced each other this season, they went into overtime.
As the extra frames opened, the Hurricanes had scored the points needed to win the Eastern Conference. Additionally, the Flyers' overtime points eliminated the Columbus Blue Jackets from the playoffs.
However, nothing was achieved in five minutes of three-on-three and they were locked in a shootout for the third time in four matches played together.
The decider came in the fourth round of the shootout, as Tyson Foster managed to defeat Brandon Bussey, becoming the third skater to do so in the 14 rounds played by the goaltender this season.
With their win, the Flyers clinched third place in the Metropolitan Division – the only remaining playoff spot in the Eastern Conference – and clinched a spot in the postseason for the first time since 2020. Interestingly, the only Eastern playoff matchup confirmed for the postseason is now the Flyers against the Pittsburgh Penguins, who are in second place in the Metro Division.
(PSST, Philly Hockey Now's William James wrote a great article on the Flyers' playoff clinch - be sure to check it out if you want to see the Flyers' perspective!)
storm notes
Nicolas Deslauriers' return to Philadelphia, where he will be playing through the 2022-23 season, has been more difficult than usual. Literally. He had 11 hits on his former teammates (notably Rasmus Ristolainen and Emil Andre, who had three hits each). This tied his career high for most hits in a single game, which he set in a game against the Dallas Stars on March 13, 2018, when he was a member of the Montreal Canadiens.
During the second period, Jalen Chatfield took a heavy hit from Owen Tippett. He was slow to get up and proceeded to walk down the tunnel, but returned to the game shortly afterwards. It was his first game since suffering a lower-body injury against the Boston Bruins last Tuesday.
The loss was the Hurricanes' first in Philadelphia since March 5, 2020.
The last time the Hurricanes finished first in the Eastern Conference was in the 2005–06 season.
