The Carolina HurricanesThey will now be going to the Stanley Cup Playoffs’ second round after they defeat the Boston Bruins, 3-2 in Game 7 on Saturday of their first-round series.
Max DomiAn in-season acquisition, he scored twice and had three points to lead Hurricanes. Jake DeBrusk David PastrnakBoston had the goals.
Carolina’s next opponent is the winner of Game 7 between the Pittsburgh PenguinsAnd the New York Rangers.
The series was dominated by home ice. The host team won every game for the ninth time in NHL playoff history. Boston had not lost in the first round in 2016-17. They reached the semifinals in each of the previous four seasons, and made the Stanley Cup final in 2018-19.
Boston and Carolina had previously faced off in the two previous postseasons. The Bruins eliminated both times, in the Eastern Conference Final of 2018-19 and the second round in the NHL’s COVID-19 tournament in 2020-21. The third attempt by the Hurricanes proved to be the charm and they were able to send Boston to an earlier offseason.
But it was not an easy road. Carolina played the whole series without having to start goaltender Frederik Andersen(lower-body injury) in Game 2 when Boston forward David Pastrnak collided with Andersen’s backup Antti RaantaHe was sent out with an upper body ailment. Rookie Pyotr KochetkovHe stepped in to make the NHL playoff debut and to help the Hurricanes win.
Boston made a critical goaltending shift in Game 3. Linus Ullmark(.860 SV% and 4.16 GAA in Game 1, Game 2, to rookie Jeremy SwaymanHe won the next two games with a score of 9-4.
The Hurricanes stormed back to win Game 5 (when Boston was without its top defenseman). Charlie McAvoyDue to a COVID-19 diagnosis), only for it to be stopped by the Bruins attack in Game 6, where McAvoy returned.
Raanta and Swayman hadn’t played in Game 7 before. Both netminders were going to be tested in the first period.
There were chances that the Hurricanes and Bruins traded places until they lost. Teuvo TeravainenIn the final 90 seconds, Swayman was finally hit with a puck.
Boston was trailing 1-0 and couldn’t make it out of the frame before Taylor HallA double-minor penalty was assessed for high-sticking. Swayman made several important stops to keep Hall out of the box. However, the Bruins penalty kill was successful. Domi managed to slip behind Carolina’s coverage to extend Carolina’s lead at 2-0.
It was Domi’s first goal in the playoffs, but it wouldn’t be his last.
DeBrusk’s goal to reduce the Bruins’ deficit to one was enough for Domi to call again, making it a 3-1 match midway through second.
Boston’s record was 1-13-0 when Boston was beaten by multiple goals over two periods. Even though Pastrnak scored another goal with 20 seconds remaining in regulation, the record would not change.
It was too late and too little for the Bruins, who were unable to extend their season.