The Carolina Hurricanes earned their way to the Eastern Conference Finals with their Game 5 victory over the Washington Capitals on Thursday night. It marks their sixth appearance in franchise history, their third under Rod Brind'Amour, and the second in three seasons for the Hurricanes. Getting there has been a journey.
Their second-round series with the Capitals was a fight, though the final count won't tell the entire story. The conference's top team during the regular season showed why they were so successful. They just ran into a Hurricanes team that could do little wrong. Here's how the Hurricanes bested the Capitals, emerging as the top team in the Metropolitan Division this postseason.