Hurricanes complete four‑game sweep

The Carolina Hurricanes closed out Ottawa with a 4-2 win in Game 4 on Saturday, finishing a four-game first-round sweep. (nhl.com) Logan Stankoven scored the go-ahead power-play goal at 9:10 of the third period, breaking a 1-1 tie at Canadian Tire Centre. Taylor Hall had a goal and an assist. (espn.com) (nhl.com) Sebastian Aho scored twice into an empty net in the final 2:22, and Frederik Andersen made 25 saves as Carolina became the first team into Round 2. (espn.com) (nhl.com) Carolina never trailed at any point in the series, according to the team, and finished the closeout game after Ottawa had tied it on Drake Batherson’s second-period power-play goal. (nhl.com) (espn.com) The Hurricanes leaned on the same formula they have used in repeated playoff runs under coach Rod Brind’Amour: structure in front of Andersen, special-teams pressure, and late-game control. Brind’Amour said, “Whatever way the game goes, our group can handle it.” (usnews.com) For Ottawa, the exit was abrupt after a 44-27-11 regular season and 99 points, enough for the Eastern Conference’s second wild card. The Senators scored two goals or fewer in every game of the series. (nhl.com) (espn.com) Stankoven gave Carolina another jolt beyond the clincher. The Hurricanes said he opened the postseason with goals in all four games, the first such streak in franchise history. (nhl.com) Ottawa was back in the playoffs for a second straight year, but this series showed the gap between a team getting there and a team built to move through the bracket. Carolina is still playing, and Ottawa is left with another short spring. (nhl.com 1) (nhl.com 2)