Who will the Philadelphia Flyers play in the second round of the 2026 NHL playoffs?

Series Details

The Carolina Hurricanes, the No. 1 seed from the Metropolitan Division, will face the Philadelphia Flyers, the No. 3 seed in the division, in the Eastern Conference Second Round. The Hurricanes secured home-ice advantage with their first-round sweep of the Ottawa Senators, winning 4-0. The Flyers advanced by defeating the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-2, clinching the series with a 1-0 overtime victory in Game 6 on Wednesday.

First Round Performance

The Hurricanes swept the Senators in four games, with Frederik Andersen posting a 4-0 record, 1.10 goals-against average, .955 save percentage and one shutout. Forward Taylor Hall led the Hurricanes with seven points (two goals, five assists) in the series. The Flyers eliminated the Penguins after a tightly contested series, with Cam York scoring the series-clinching goal almost 18 minutes into overtime in Game 6 at home.

Regular Season Context

The Hurricanes dominated the Flyers in the regular season, going 3-0-1 with each game decided after regulation. Hall and Nikolaj Ehlers each had two goals and an assist against Philadelphia during the season. The two teams have never faced each other in the Stanley Cup Playoffs prior to this matchup.

Series Format

With Hurricanes holding the No. 1 seed, they will host Games 1, 2, 5, and 7 in Raleigh. The Flyers will host Games 3, 4, and 6 in Philadelphia. Games 5, 6, and 7 will only be played if necessary.