What's at stake

A best-of-seven series decides which team advances to the next playoff round.

Winning extends a club's championship window, affects player confidence and coaching security, and influences short-term roster moves and playoff revenue.

Who's in play

Carolina Hurricanes and Philadelphia Flyers supply the players and coaches whose choices determine the result.

Starting goaltenders, top-line scorers, depth contributors, and each club’s power play and penalty kill units will swing individual games; coaching matchups and adjustments matter too.

What drives it

Goaltending performance and special-teams efficiency are the clearest immediate levers for shifting game outcomes.

Injuries, turnovers, face-off wins, and in-game tactical adjustments move probabilities from night to night. Home-ice momentum and recovery between games amplify those effects.

What to watch

Schedule and venue order for the opening games shape early leverage and pressure on the home side.

Monitor morning injury updates, announced starting goalies, power-play percentages across games, any lineup or tactical changes after losses, and overtime results that quickly reshape expectations.