The Carolina Hurricanes are on the brink of history. With a win in Saturday's Game 4 against the Philadelphia Flyers, they'd punch their ticket to the Eastern Conference Final for the third time in four years—and become the first team in NHL history to open a postseason with two straight sweeps since the league switched to all best-of-seven series.

Game 3 was a nail-biter until Carolina's special teams took over. A shorthanded goal from Jalen Chatfield gave the Hurricanes a 2-1 lead they never surrendered, and Andrei Svechnikov buried his first goal of the playoffs on a power-play one-timer to make it 3-1. Now, a battered Flyers squad—missing key defensive forward Noah Cates and potentially still without speedy winger Owen Tippett—will take its best shot at forcing the series back to Raleigh.

Philadelphia's backs are against the wall, and they're expected to shake things up. After a chippy Game 3, the Flyers may dress enforcer Nic Deslauriers to serve as a deterrent against his former teammates. Deslauriers played a similar role for Carolina in Game 4 of the last round against Ottawa, stepping in for a banged-up Nikolaj Ehlers, and his physical presence was a difference-maker.

Between the pipes, Frederik Andersen remains the anchor. The Great Dane leads all NHL playoff goalies with a .957 save percentage and a microscopic 1.02 goals-against average. He'll get the start again Saturday, looking to seal the series and secure a lengthy rest before the conference final.

Puck drop is set for Saturday afternoon, with the Hurricanes skipping their usual morning skate—though head coach Rod Brind'Amour will address the media a few hours before game time. For Carolina, it's about closing the door. For Philadelphia, it's about survival.