Hurricanes beat Flyers 4-1 in Game 3; Carolina leads series 3-0, starts playoffs 7-0

Thursday, May 7, 2026Confirmed

Sports Desk

What we know

Jordan Staal and Andrei Svechnikov scored power-play goals, Jalen Chatfield added a short-handed marker, and Nikolaj Ehlers finished a breakaway as the Carolina Hurricanes beat the Philadelphia Flyers 4-1 in Game 3 on Thursday night to take a 3-0 series lead, AP, ESPN and NHL.com reported.

Carolina improved to 7-0 in the Stanley Cup Playoffs and can finish a second straight series sweep in Game 4 on Saturday in Philadelphia. Trevor Zegras scored Philadelphia's only goal. Frederik Andersen made 18 saves; Shayne Gostisbehere and Jordan Martinook each had two assists. Special teams decided the night: Carolina went 2-for-9 on the power play while killing all five Flyer advantages, including Chatfield's short-handed go-ahead goal 11 seconds into a Flyers power play.

What's confirmed

AP/ESPN: Final 4-1; Hurricanes lead series 3-0 and are 7-0 in the playoffs; outshot Flyers 30-19 (AP, ESPN).
NHL.com: Staal and Svechnikov each had a goal and an assist; Chatfield scored short-handed; Ehlers made it 4-1 in the third (NHL.com).
AP: Staal opened scoring on a power-play rebound; Zegras tied it early in the second before Chatfield restored the lead short-handed (AP).
NHL.com: Svechnikov one-timed an Aho feed on a 4-on-3 power play for 3-1; Game 4 is Saturday in Philadelphia (NHL.com).
Hurricanes.com: Special teams — two PPGs and a short-handed goal — propelled the Game 3 win (Carolina Hurricanes).

What's still developing

Whether Carolina closes the series Saturday or Philadelphia forces a Game 5.
Eastern Conference final opponent once the Canadiens-Sabres series finishes.
Flyers' penalty discipline after nine minors in Game 3.

Sources

AP — Hurricanes beat the Flyers 4-1 in Game 3, take a 3-0 series lead link
ESPN — Hurricanes 4-1 Flyers Game Recap link
NHL.com — Hurricanes defeat Flyers in Game 3, on verge of Eastern Conference Final link
Carolina Hurricanes — Recap: Special Teams Propels Canes To Game 3 Victory link
NHL.com — Staal 'does everything' in Game 3 win to put Hurricanes on verge of Eastern Final link
Hockey-Reference — Box Score: Hurricanes at Flyers, May 7, 2026 link