Carolina Hurricanes Defeat Washington Capitals Advance Eastern Conference Finals

The Carolina Hurricanes advanced to the Eastern Conference finals by defeating the top-seeded Washington Capitals in five games, clinching the series with a late goal by Andrei Svechnikov in Game 5. Following their victory, the Hurricanes' social media team taunted the Capitals with playful jabs, including mocking their mascot and suggesting a vacation to Cancun for the Capitals. Despite the loss, Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery praised his team for their resilience and highlighted Hurricanes defender Jaccob Slavin as an underrated player. Washington struggled offensively throughout the series, failing to convert high-danger scoring chances, which contributed to their elimination. Carbery remained focused on taking the series one game at a time and expressed confidence in his team's potential to fight back. The Hurricanes will face the winner of the Florida Panthers-Toronto Maple Leafs series in the Eastern Conference finals.