Marc Dumont
The Montreal Canadiens (9-9) will face the Carolina Hurricanes (11-1) in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Final on Friday, with the puck drop scheduled for 8:00 pm ET.
Seeing as the Hurricanes hold a 3-1 advantage in the series, Game 5 will serve as a great barometer for the Canadiens. As it stands, Carolina has dominated the shots, goals, scoring chances, and expected goals, though it’s not particularly surprising.
It took the Hurricanes several years to become a dominant team, a favourite to capture the Stanley Cup.
Whereas the Canadiens were dead last in the standings just a few years ago. The mere fact that they’re among the final three teams in the 2026 NHL Playoffs is quite encouraging.
The lack of results now that the Habs are facing the Hurricanes is concerning, but when we consider they’re the youngest team in the league, the series should be interpreted as a learning experience.
It may not feel like it, but key players are absorbing crucial lessons, a situation that should serve the Canadiens well moving forward.
Eventually, the Canadiens want to reach the Hurricanes’ level, but it will take time, and, of course, a lot of effort. As a reminder, it took the Hurricanes almost a decade to overcome their Eastern Conference Final curse, and they’re not quite done, at least not yet.
Potential Changes
With the Hurricanes dominating almost every aspect of the on-ice action, many have pushed head coach Martin St-Louis to reinsert Brendan Gallagher or Arber Xhekaj into the lineup. They both help when it comes to providing energy, shots, and physicality, three things the Canadiens lack.
However, we should not expect any wholesale changes. There’s a possibility Xhekaj may be called upon, but Gallagher, Oliver Kapanne, and Patrik Laine were all skating at practice, indicating they will not participate in Game 5.
Neither Xhekaj nor Jayden Struble skated, and Kaiden Guhle took a few knocks in Game 4, indicating there’s a possibility of significant movement among the defensive pairings.
Just touching base with @FriedgeHNIC, who's still at the rink while I'm waiting for Habs avail to start at the hotel. Gallagher, Kapanen, Laine all skating, which would indicate they'll be scratched from Game 5. Arber Xhekaj might be coming in, but we'll see. Neither him nor…
— Eric Engels (@EricEngels) May 29, 2026
Montreal Canadiens Projected Lineup
Cole Caufield – Nick Suzuki – Juraj Slafkovsky
Alex Newhook – Jake Evans – Ivan Demidov
Alexandre Texier – Phillip Danault – Josh Anderson
Zachary Bolduc – Joe Veleno – Kirby Dach
Mike Matheson – Noah Dobson
Jayden Struble*/Arber Xhekaj* – Lane Hutson
Kaiden Guhle – Alexandre Carrier
Jakub Dobes
Jacob Fowler
Carolina Hurricanes Projected Lineup
Andrei Svechnikov – Sebastian Aho – Seth Jarvis
Taylor Hall – Logan Stankoven – Jackson Blake
Nikolaj Ehlers – Jordan Staal – Jordan Martinook
William Carrier – Mark Jankowski – Eric Robinson
Jacob Slavin – Jalen Chatfield
K’Andre Miller – Sean Walker
Shayne Gostisbehere – Alexander Nikishin
Frederik Andersen
Brandon Bussi
How To Watch The Habs Vs. The Hurricanes, Game 5 Of The Eastern Conference Final
The Montreal Canadiens versus the Carolina Hurricanes, Friday, May 29, 2026, will be aired on CBC, Sportsnet, and TVA Sports. An instant recap complete with highlights will be available on Sportsnaut as soon as the final whistle blows.
