- Carolina beat the Canadiens 6-1 in Game 5 to win the Eastern Conference
- Captain Jordan Staal followed Rod Brind’Amour’s 2006 lead and didn’t touch the Prince of Wales Trophy
- Read below for the full trophy moment, the 2002 Ron Francis cautionary tale, and how Vegas handled their hardware
The Carolina Hurricanes are back in the Stanley Cup Final, and captain Jordan Staal kept his hands to himself.
After Friday night’s 6-1 demolition of the Montreal Canadiens in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Final, NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly presented the Prince of Wales Trophy at center ice in Raleigh. Staal posed for the photo with his teammates but did not touch the hardware.
That’s the Rod Brind’Amour blueprint. When Brind’Amour wore the C for Carolina in 2006, he refused to touch the same trophy. The Hurricanes then beat the Edmonton Oilers in seven games for the only Stanley Cup in franchise history.
The one time a Carolina captain did touch it, things went sideways. Ron Francis picked it up in 2002 and the Hurricanes lost the Final to the Detroit Red Wings in five games.
Game 5 itself was a clinic. Taylor Hall went for three points with a goal and two helpers, Logan Stankoven kept his line dangerous, and Frederik Andersen held the Habs off the scoresheet until the third period. Carolina is 12-1 in the postseason.
The Vegas Golden Knights, who visit Lenovo Center on Tuesday, did the same thing earlier this week with the Clarence S. Campbell Bowl after sweeping the Colorado Avalanche. Neither team headed to the 2026 Stanley Cup Final wanted to be the one that broke the superstition.
This is Carolina’s third Eastern Conference title and first Cup Final appearance since 2006. Game 1 goes Tuesday, June 2 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and Sportsnet, with the Hurricanes holding home-ice advantage after finishing the regular season at 113 points to Vegas’ 95.
Watch the full Game 5 highlights:
