The Carolina Hurricanes clinched their spot in the 2026 Stanley Cup Finals on Friday night, finishing off the Montreal Canadiens in five games.
The Hurricanes also clinched the most dominant start to a playoff run since the NHL expanded to four best-of-seven series'.
Carolina enters the final with a record of 12-1, with the only loss coming after a near two-week layoff between games.
The Boston Bruins bowed out in the first round, but prior to that, took on the Hurricanes three times this past season.
Boston picked up 3 out of a possible 6 points, posting a 1-1-1 record.
The first two matchups came all the way back in November 2025.
The first of which came in TD Garden, on November 1.
Jeremy Swayman excelled in the first matchup of the season, making 28 saves and not allowing a goal until the final three minutes of the game.
After two scoreless periods, Casey Mittelstadt and Viktor Arvidsson scored within four minutes of each other, giving the Bruins a 2-0 lead, one they wouldn't surrender.
The game finished a 2-1 win for Boston.
16 days later, the Bruins hosted the Hurricanes once again, but this time Carolina got to their game.
Following a quiet first period, the Hurricanes took a 2-0 lead in the second period, then promptly shut down the Bruins for the remainder of the game.
Ex-Bruin Taylor Hall made it 3-0 with 2:33 to go.
Riley Tufte snapped Pyotr Kochetkov's shutout bid with 10 seconds left in the game.
The final meeting came on April 7 in Raleigh, North Carolina.
This game came completely off the chain, with both nets filled with goals in a wild contest.
The Bruins jumped out to a 1-0 lead courtesy of Hampus Lindholm just 4:40 into the game.
Carolina retook a 2-1 lead midway through the first period, but Morgan Geekie struck twice before the frame ended, giving Boston a 3-2 lead at intermission.
The Hurricanes surged for three goals in a little over three minutes, flipping a 3-2 deficit into a 5-3 lead for Carolina.
Once again, the Bruins fought back. Geekie scored his hat-trick goal to make it 5-4 with 1:10 to go in the second period, a massive goal for Boston's confidence.
With 7:27 to go, Pavel Zacha tied things up for Boston.
Jaccob Slavin ultimately won it for Carolina in overtime, who clinched the Metropolitan Division crowd with the victory.