Hurricanes vs. Senators preview
Carolina’s puck‑control game meets Ottawa’s test — analysts are asking whether the Senators have the offensive and tactical firepower to upset the Eastern Conference leaders. (The Athletic: Carolina‑Ottawa series preview) (nytimes.com).
Carolina enters the playoffs as the East’s No. 1 seed, and Ottawa opens against a team that finished 14 points ahead of it in the standings. (nhl.com) (espn.com) The Hurricanes finished 53-22-7 and locked up first place in both the Metropolitan Division and the Eastern Conference. Ottawa finished 43-27-11 and landed the second wild card. (nhl.com) (espn.com) This is the first playoff meeting between the franchises. Carolina went 2-1-0 against Ottawa in the regular season, winning 4-2 on January 24 and 4-3 on February 3 before Ottawa answered with a 6-3 win on April 5. (nhl.com 1) (nhl.com 2) Carolina’s scoring came from several lines. Sebastian Aho had 80 points in 79 games, Nikolaj Ehlers posted a career-high 71 points in 82 games, Andrei Svechnikov set a career high with 70 points in 79 games, and Seth Jarvis led the club with 32 goals. (nhl.com) Ottawa’s top-end attack starts with Tim Stutzle, who led the Senators with 83 points in 80 games. Drake Batherson added a career-high 70 points in 78 games, Brady Tkachuk had 59 points in 60 games, and Jake Sanderson led Ottawa defensemen with 54 points in 67 games. (nhl.com) The goaltending numbers are less clear-cut than the seeding. Carolina’s Brandon Bussi went 31-6-2 with a 2.47 goals-against average in 39 starts, while Frederik Andersen posted a 3.05 goals-against average in 35 starts and Pyotr Kochetkov is available again after missing time with a lower-body injury. (nhl.com) Ottawa leaned most heavily on Linus Ullmark, who went 28-12-8 with a 2.73 goals-against average in 49 starts. James Reimer, who signed on January 12, went 6-4-2 with a 2.53 goals-against average in 13 games. (nhl.com) Carolina also brings a recent first-round track record Ottawa does not. The Hurricanes have won five straight opening-round series, according to The Athletic’s April 16 preview. (nytimes.com) Ottawa’s case rests on the version of the matchup it showed on April 5, when it scored six goals at home after losing the first two meetings. Carolina’s case is the larger sample: the East’s best record, home ice, and two regular-season wins in three tries. (nhl.com 1) (nhl.com 2)
