Hurricanes overcome Geekie's hat trick, top Bruins in OT to claim the Metropolitan Division title

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Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Brandon Bussi (32) eyes the puck against the Boston Bruins during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Raleigh, N.C., Tuesday, April 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Karl DeBlaker)

Boston Bruins' David Pastrnak (88) congratulates teammate Morgan Geekie (39) on his goal during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Carolina Hurricanes in Raleigh, N.C., Tuesday, April 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Karl DeBlaker) — Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Brandon Bussi (32) eyes the puck against the Boston Bruins during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Raleigh, N.C., Tuesday, April 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Karl DeBlaker)

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9:22 PM on Tuesday, April 7

The Associated Press

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Jaccob Slavin scored at 1:13 of overtime as the Carolina Hurricanes beat the Boston Bruins 6-5 on Tuesday night and claimed their fourth Metropolitan Division title in six years.

Slavin's first goal of the season helped offset a hat trick by Boston’s Morgan Geekie. Andrei Svechnikov, K’Andre Miller, Logan Stankoven, William Carrier and Taylor Hall also scored for Carolina. Brandon Bussi overcame a shakey start and finished with 16 saves.

Hampus Lindholm and Pavel Zacha also scored for Boston, with Zacha's goal at 12:33 in the third period tying the game at 5. Boston's Jeremy Swayman made 18 saves before being pulled after allowing five goals, including three in the first nine minutes of the second period. Joonas Korpisalo stopped the 16 shots he faced in regulation, but Slavin beat him in OT by tapping in a pass from Sebastian Aho.

The Hurricanes will be home for the Stanley Cup playoffs as the Metropolitan champions for the third time under coach Rod Brind’Amour. They also won the Central Division in the shortened, reconfigured 2020-21 season.

Geekie, a third-round pick of the Hurricanes in 2017, claimed his second career hat trick with his third goal of the game with 1:10 left in the second period, cutting Carolina’s advantage to 5-4. Geekie had only one goal in the previous 20 games, but his scoring outburst on Tuesday pushed his season total to a career-best 37. Geekie had six goals in 38 career games with Carolina.

Stankoven scored on the power play to tie the game at 3 at 5:17 in the second period. The Hurricanes have scored 14 power-play goals in the past 11 games.

Carrier made it 4-3 at 7:20 in the second and Hall scored 73 seconds later, chasing Swayman. Jackson Blake and Sean Walker assisted on Hall’s goal and each finished with two assists.

Up next

Bruins: Host Tampa Bay on Saturday.

Hurricanes: Begin a four-game trip at Chicago on Thursday.

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