RALEIGH - The Montreal Canadiens saw their Stanley Cup hopes end with a 6-1 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes, concluding the Eastern Conference final in five games on Friday night.
Head coach Martin St. Louis said the defeat should fuel the team's hunger for future success. The Canadiens, who had upset the Tampa Bay Lightning and Buffalo Sabres in Game 7s, ran out of steam against a veteran Carolina roster that has reached the conference final four times since 2019.
Captain Nick Suzuki acknowledged the learning curve, noting Carolina's pressure stifled Montreal's offense. The Canadiens managed just 43 shots combined in Games 2, 3, and 4 before Friday's blowout.
With an average age of 25.9 years, this is the youngest team to reach the third round since Montreal in 1993. St. Louis hopes the experience will accelerate the team's progression.