Eastern Conference Final
Montreal Canadiens at Carolina Hurricanes
Game 1 – 8:00 PM ET

REFEREES

  Jean Hebert #15
Garrett Rank #7
Games ’25-26 (RS/PO) 63 / 8 76 / 8
Career Games (RS/PO) 887 / 123 749 / 43
First NHL Game 3/30/11 1/15/15
First Playoff Game 4/16/15 5/17/21
Birthplace Bouctouche, NB Elmira, ON
Goals/Gm 6.6 (4) | 6.0 (23) 6.4 (7) | 5.7 (39)
PP Opp/Gm 5.9 (14) | 5.5 (14) 6.1 (10) | 5.3 (25)
PPG/Gm 1.4 (6) | 1.2 (13) 1.3 (9) | 1.0 (38)
Penl/Gm 8.0 (4) | 7.6 (6) 8.4 (2) | 7.0 (18)
PIM/Gm 19.3 (8) | 7.6 (5) 21.3 (1) | 16.2 (21)
% of Penl on Home 50.1% (11) | 50.0% (4) 48.2% (18) | 50.0% (36)
% PP Opp for Home 52.3% (17) | 50.0% (39) 51.2% (26) | 60.0% (5)
Penl Diff.* 1.3 (21) | 1.2 (34) 1.5 (2) | 1.3 (18)
Home Win % 58% (23) | 67% (7) 47% (38) | 60% (30)
Home Rec. 39-27-9 | 46-21-7 32-37-7 | 40-26-8
OT/SO Games 15.9% (37) | 20.0% (29) 26.7% (12) | 20.0% (12)
Team Records 25-26 24-25 23-24 25-26 24-25 23-24
MTL 3-1-0 1-2-0 2-1-1 2-3-1 3-2-2 4-2-1
CAR 3-3-0 1-3-0 3-1-0 2-2-0 2-1-0 3-3-0
 

 
LINESPERSONS

  Scott Cherrey #50
Jesse Marquis #86
Games ’25-26 (RS/PO) 42 / 10 76 / 8
Career Games (RS/PO) 1275 / 181 476 / 27
First NHL Game 10/6/07 10/11/18
First Playoff Game 4/15/11 4/18/23
Birthplace Drayton, ON Bouctouche, NB

  

Refs Jean Hebert and Garrett Rank are paired up for the first time this postseason. Montreal is 4-0 during the playoffs under tonight’s refs, while Carolina is 2-0.

Hebert’s working back-to-back Canadiens games, having just handled MTL/BUF Game 7 (MTL W 3-2 OT) with Wes McCauley. He previously worked alongside Furman South in the opening round, handling MIN/DAL Game 1, OTT/CAR Game 2 (CAR W 3-2 2OT), PHI/PIT Game 4, and MTL/TBL Game 5 (MTL W 3-2).  Hebert was partnered with Trevor Hanson for the second round, working ANA/VGK Game 1, MTL/BUF Game 2 (MTL W 5-1), and MIN/COL Game 4.

Referee Garrett Rank skated alongside Kyle Rehman together throughout the postseason.  In Round 1, they officiated PHI/PIT Game 2, BUF/BOS Game 3, DAL/MIN Game 4, and VGK/UTA Game 4.  Round 2 saw them in stripes for MIN/COL Game 1, PHI/CAR Game 3 (CAR W 4-1), MTL/BUF Game 3 (MTL W 6-2), and VGK/ANA Game 6.

Linespersons Scott Cherrey and Jesse Marquis worked together during the second round, including MTL/BUF Games 1 and 6. Cherrey also handled MTL/BUF Game 7 with liney Devin Berg.   For the opening round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, Cherrey skated with Kilian McNamara while Marquis was paired with Andrew Smith.  

 

Standby Official: Gord Dwyer (#19) Bevan Mills (#53)
Series Officiating Supervisor: Rob Shick
 


 

Games: PS (Preseason); RS (Regular Season); PO (Playoffs) 

Stats/Numbers: ’25-26 avg. (’25-26 rank) | ’24-25 avg. (’24-25 rank)

Number in orange/parentheses indicated referee’s rank among active officials.

* Penalty Differential represents the absolute value of the variance of penalty calls by team per game. If Team A takes two more penalties (or two fewer) than Team B, this is a 2.  Lower numbers indicate less variance between total penalties in a game – that is, a closer number of calls for both teams. 

We’ve also got new rules, new refs, promoted officials, and an updated pronunciation guide for 2025-26.

 


 

The NHL officials working the second round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs:

NHL Officials Advancing to Round 2 of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs