Montreal Canadiens winger Cole Caufield scored a third-period power-play goal in Friday's 6-1 defeat to the Carolina Hurricanes. It was too little, too late, as the Canadiens were once again overwhelmed and eliminated in five games. Caufield had a disappointing postseason. He managed only 13 points (six goals, seven assists) in 19 games and was limited to three even-strength points. During the regular season, Caufield averaged at least a point per game for the first time in his career, with 51 goals and 37 assists in 81 contests. He became the first Canadiens player in 36 years to score at least 50 regular-season goals, setting a high bar for himself in the next campaign.

Carolina Hurricanes forward Seth Jarvis notched a goal and an assist as the team moved into the 2026 Stanley Cup Finals with a 6-1 win over the Montreal Canadiens on Friday night. He assisted Shayne Gostisbehere on the power play late in the second period and scored the final goal of the Eastern Conference Finals in an empty-net situation in the third. Jarvis has been quiet in the postseason, but he gained some momentum against Montreal with four points in five games. Overall, the 24-year-old has posted eight points (three goals, five assists) in 13 playoff games.

Carolina Hurricanes forward Logan Stankoven finished Friday's 6-1 Game 5 victory over the Montreal Canadiens with one goal and two assists. His ninth goal of the postseason was the series-clinching marker. Stankoven assisted both of his linemates, Taylor Hall and Jackson Blake, in the game. The trio has seen a lot of success in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs, combining for 43 points. Stankoven has 12 points (nine goals, three assists) in 13 contests. After kicking off the postseason with a five-game goal streak, the 23-year-old has begun building another ahead of the Finals, lighting the lamp in back-to-back games.

Carolina Hurricanes left wing Taylor Hall was one of the protagonists in a series-clinching 6-1 win over the Montreal Canadiens on Friday night, scoring the opening goal and dishing out two assists. The former MVP recorded his second three-point night of the 2026 playoffs. Hall is having the best postseason of his 16-year career, and no player can match his even-strength points tally. 14 of his 16 points have come at even strength. Hall has tallied five goals and 11 assists in 13 contests. Taming Hall in the 2026 Stanley Cup Finals should be the Vegas Golden Knights' No. 1 priority.