"The Perfect Start": 2025-26 Postseason Round 1, Game 1: Carolina Hurricanes vs. Ottawa Senators

Every record is wiped clean, and teams are all back at the starting line as the 2026 postseason gets underway today. The Carolina Hurricanes hope that this is their year, while the Ottawa Senators, a popular upset pick among many experts, try to spoil one of the best seasons in Hurricanes history. While the series couldn't be won or lost today, the result of Game 1 could go a long way in setting the tone for how the rest of the series would play out. The Canes won the season series during the regular season, but the Senators won the most recent meeting in Ottawa a few weeks ago. Frederik Andersen got the opener for the Canes, while Linus Ullmark was on the other side. With a lot on the line over the next few weeks, each side tried to get out in front of it.

Scoring Summary

1st Period

None

2nd Period

CAR (2:11)- Logan Stankoven (1) (Jackson Blake (1) & Taylor Hall (1))

3rd Period

CAR (7:15)- Taylor Hall (1) (Logan Stankoven (1) & Jackson Blake (2))

My Thoughts

If there was ever a way to set the tone, the Carolina Hurricanes found it on Saturday afternoon. This was every bit of the game I expected it to be. Both teams were physical. Neither team gave up much space on the ice. Both teams were willing to put it all on the line to get off to a good start. The Canes were just a little better on all fronts in that regard. The opening fight might've been a perfect allegory for the way this game went. Jordan Staal and Brady Tkachuk dropped the gloves when the puck dropped to start the game, and I give the decision to Staal. He landed one solid right to stun Tkachuk, and that's all she wrote. Both men went to the ice, and while Tkachuk was celebrating like he had done something good, Staal skated to the box as if it were business as usual. The Canes followed their captain's leadership and did the same in Game 1.

Statistically, the Aho line provided more points than any other line for the Canes after the Olympics. However, most will agree that the Stankoven line was the team's best. In all fairness, the trio of Jackson Blake, Logan Stankoven, and Taylor Hall combined for 60 points, compared to the Aho line's 67, and almost a third of their points came on the power play. Today, the Stankoven line did all of the scoring. They combined for both goals and all six points, with each forward getting a pair. It was all about hard work from the line and the decision-making of Alexander Nikishin. On the first goal, Nikishin flipped the puck into space, allowing the line to come together and get the series-opening goal. On the second goal, Nikishin's shot gave Linus Ullmark trouble, leaking through before Stankoven put it off Hall's skate to double the lead. It was a statement start to the series for the line, which will be the Canes' X-Factor line.

If there was a universal concern for the Canes heading into the series, it was their goaltending. After Game 1, Frederik Andersen looks pretty good. Frankly, he was perfect. He only faced nine shots over the first two periods, and there wasn't much for him to worry about. In the third, the Senators made their push, and Andersen had to be at his sharpest. His best sequence of the game came during an early penalty kill. Still a 1-0 game, Andersen stuck his glove out to rob Drake Batherson. They initially called it a goal before the replay determined it hadn't crossed the line. Shortly after, he lost an edge but had enough wherewithal to locate Tkachuk and rob him, too. He finished the game with 22 stops, 13 of which came in the final 20 minutes, to post the shutout. It's safe to say that the coaching staff made the right decision.

So, the Canes have the lead in the series. Now, they have to do it again three more times. They can't sit back and be satisfied with one win, and I don't get the sense that they will be. However, they should expect to see Ottawa's best on Monday night. This Senators team is a nasty bunch. They're going to be motivated to get back out there and put the puck in the back of the net. Andersen is going to be tested even more in Game 2. The Canes' offense should remain hungry. The Stankoven line did all of the scoring, which will motivate the other three to get rolling. So long as the Canes stay within themselves and don't try to become a team they aren't, they should be solid.

First Star of the Game: Frederik Andersen

There are a handful of players who might threaten for this spot, but Frederik Andersen was the difference in the third period to keep the group in front without giving in to Ottawa's pressure. He made two jaw-dropping stops to keep the Canes up by a goal before they added another. Andersen was incredible. I'd like to see him do that again.

Next Game: Game 2 will be played at the Lenovo Center on Monday night. The series shifts to Ottawa for the next two games after that, beginning on Thursday.