Hurricanes sweep Senators, advance to second round of playoffs

The Carolina Hurricanes turned a bruising first-round matchup into an early spring lift for Raleigh, sweeping the Ottawa Senators 4-0 and becoming the first team in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs to reach Round 2. The payoff is immediate around Wake County: more home playoff dates, more ticket demand and another wave of postseason energy building around Lenovo Center and downtown.

Carolina closed out the series with a 4-2 win in Ottawa on April 25, finishing off a matchup that never once saw the Senators lead. The game got physical in the third period, and defenseman Alexander Nikishin left dazed after a heavy hit before later being diagnosed with a concussion. Even in a series-ending game, the intensity never let up.

The Hurricanes did their damage late. Taylor Hall scored and added an assist, Logan Stankoven delivered the go-ahead goal, and Sebastian Aho finished with two empty-net goals. Frederik Andersen made 25 saves, and Seth Jarvis added two assists as Carolina scored three times in the final period to seal the sweep. Ottawa managed only five goals in the four games, a blunt measure of how thoroughly Carolina controlled the series.

The result carries more than a playoff banner for the Triangle. Individual home-game tickets for Round 2 were set to go on sale Monday at 3 p.m., with a Season Ticket Member presale at noon. The team also directed fans to a text alert option by sending TICKETS26 to 919-705-0896, a sign of how quickly demand is expected to move as Raleigh prepares for another round of home ice hockey.

The sweep also added to the franchise record book. Carolina became only the 20th team in NHL history to never trail in a best-of-seven series, and it was the Hurricanes’ second four-game sweep in franchise history. Aho’s two-goal finish gave him his third career series-clinching goal, the most in Hurricanes/Whalers history, while Stankoven became the first player in franchise history to open a postseason with a four-game goal streak.

For Wake County, the meaning goes beyond the rink. The Hurricanes remain one of the region’s most visible teams, and a long playoff run keeps watch parties, bars and restaurants busy while tying the city’s spring mood to each home date at Lenovo Center. Raleigh now moves into Round 2 with momentum, and a playoff market that is only getting hotter.