What’s next for Hurricanes after edging Boston, clinching Metro Division title
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Hurricanes clinch Metropolitan Division with 6-5 OT win over Bruins.
- Jaccob Slavin nets first goal of season at 1:13 of overtime to decide game.
- Canes enter 2026 playoffs hosting first two opening-round games at home.
The next time the Carolina Hurricanes play at the Lenovo Center, the stakes will be a lot higher.
The Hurricanes will host the first two games of the opening round of the 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs, with the opponent still to be determined. The building will really be rocking then.
But things were pretty loud Tuesday. The Canes, in their last home regular-season game, earned a 6-5 overtime win over the Boston Bruins and clinched the Metropolitan Division title on Jaccob Slavin’s goal.
Yes, Slavin. It was his first of the season, coming in the defenseman’s 38th game.
Coming off the bench, Slavin streaked to the far post past Bruins forward Pavel Zacha and redirected a perfect pass from Sebastian Aho past goalie Joonas Korpisalo for the winner at 1:13 of overtime.
“I just jumped on and saw the play developing on the other side and decided, ‘I’ll go there,’ and ‘Fish’ made an unbelievable pass,” Slavin said. “It was good to get that first one.”
As for winning the Metro, Slavin said, “I mean, it’s good. We put in a lot of work this season and to do that is still a big accomplishment. But that’s just one step along the way.
“Does it feel good? Yeah. But at the same time that’s not the goal that we want.”
Former Canes forward Morgan Geekie had a hat trick for the Bruins, ending a 17-game goalless streak and giving him 37 for the season. He also took a hard spill late in regulation after a big hit from Jordan Martinook.
Canes forward Andrei Svechnikov scored his 30th of the season and added an assist, and Taylor Hall also had a goal and assist as Carolina (50-22-6) used a three-goal second period to take a lead into the third.
The Bruins tied it 5-5 with 7:25 left in regulation on Zacha’s 30th goal. That came not long after Canes center Logan Stankoven took a stick in the face with no call and no Bruins penalty, leaving Canes fans howling mad.
In a game that had some playoff-like animosity attached to it, the lead bounced back and forth and bodies bounced off the boards.
“It was physical. It was like a playoff game right now,” Svechnikov said.
Canes winger Seth Jarvis went down late in the second period after a jarring hit from defenseman Nikita Zadorov. As Zadorov skated back to his bench, he had a few words with the Canes bench, including forward Nicolas Deslauriers, who was in no mood for it.
Until allowing a late goal, the second period was all about the Canes, who have struggled in the middle frame in several games this season.
Stankoven tied the score 3-3 with a power-play goal — Carolina’s 11th in the past 14 games — and Will Carrier pushed the Canes ahead with his seventh of the season. When Taylor Hall scored off the rush, after a sharp setup pass from Jackson Blake, the Canes had a 5-3 lead as the Stankoven line again drove play and produced.
That was it for Boston goalie Jeremy Swayman. Korpisalo played well in relief.
Geekie completed his hat trick with 1:10 left in the second after the Canes failed to clear their zone. Zadorov had the primary assist and soon had Canes fans loudly booing after his hit on Jarvis.
Canes goalie Brandon Bussi picked up his 30th win of the season but had some shaky moments, allowing five goals on 21 shots. The Canes had 40 shots — five each from Svechnikov and defenseman K’Andre Miller, who scored in the first.
“I thought we played really well,” Canes coach Rod Brind’Amour said. “We had some breakdowns, and we had a couple where they made us pay. But I liked the way our group responded on everything. Overall, it was real positive.”
One downside for the Canes: defenseman Jalen Chatfield left the game with an injury; Brind’Amour had no update after the game.
The Canes now end the regular season with four road games. Then, it’s on. The playoffs.
This story was originally published April 8, 2026 at 5:30 AM.
