The 'Eastern Conference Final Curse' is over for the Carolina Hurricanes , as they advance to the Stanley Cup Final after defeating the Montreal Canadiens 6-1 in Game 5.
However, the game came with another type of determination. The captain, Jordan Staal , shared that on the morning of Game 5, the team expressed how much they wanted to get the win for their goaltender, Frederik Andersen , who mourned the passing of his friend and agent, Claude Lemieux, who passed away Wednesday.
"We're a family, can't really say much more," Andersen said after the game. "The whole team supported me."
They certainly put in the effort for their goalie, being relentless in their game as they blocked 12 shots in front of him and never stepped off the gas throughout the full sixty minutes. Andersen was outstanding throughout the game, stopping 23 of 24 shots faced and continuously making smart decisions with the puck.
For the Hurricanes, they had a different player score each goal. Taylor Hall , Logan Stankoven , and Jackson Blake – the 'Junkyard Dawg Line' – all found the back of the net during Thursday's game. Additionally, Eric Robinson and Shayne Gostisbehere scored, while Seth Jarvis got the empty net goal.
After the game, Sebastian Aho gave Andersen the team's rope – a tradition they began at the beginning of this season to recognize the player who pulled the team hardest each game. His response was gratitude to the team for their support, and five bold words.
"Let's go get four more."
The Hurricanes will face the Vegas Golden Knights Tuesday in Lenovo Center for Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final.
(Psst! You can sneak behind enemy lines and read Marc Dumont's analysis of Game 5 from the Canadiens' perspective!)
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