Hurricanes edge Senators 2-1, take commanding 3-0 series lead

Carolina did not need fireworks to reach the brink of the second round. It needed structure, patience and a goalie who kept Ottawa from turning pressure into momentum, and the Hurricanes got all three in a 2-1 win that pushed them to a 3-0 series lead.

Jackson Blake broke a second-period tie with 1:31 left in the frame, Frederik Andersen stopped 21 shots and Logan Stankoven scored for the third straight game, giving Carolina another example of the kind of low-scoring, detail-heavy playoff road win that can carry a team deep into May and June. Taylor Hall assisted on both Carolina goals, a reminder that the Hurricanes are not leaning on one line or one scorer to survive the postseason grind.

The game turned in a short, sharp burst after Ottawa had drawn level. Drake Batherson tied it with 3:54 left in the second period, slipping a backhand past Andersen after a setup from Nick Cousins. Carolina answered 1:23 later when K’Andre Miller set up Blake for the winner, a response that immediately shifted the burden back onto the Senators and underscored the Hurricanes’ ability to recover without losing shape.

That discipline mattered even more on special teams. Ottawa went 0 for 5 on the power play and managed only four shots on target during one extended 5-on-3 chance, a stretch that summed up Carolina’s defensive edge better than any highlight could. The Hurricanes did not just survive those situations; they smothered them, forcing Ottawa into perimeter looks and leaving Linus Ullmark to absorb 25 shots without enough support in front of him.

The loss also came with another blow for Ottawa when defenseman Jake Sanderson left after taking an illegal check to the head from Hall. The Senators were already staring at a steep historical climb, since only four NHL teams have ever come back from a 3-0 deficit, and the latest setback left them with almost no margin for error before Game 4 in Ottawa on Saturday.

Carolina has now taken the opener, outlasted Ottawa in double overtime in Game 2 and followed with this tighter, cleaner road performance. That range matters. The Hurricanes entered the playoffs as the top team in the Eastern Conference, and through three games they have shown they can win by scoring late, by winning overtime and by choking off an opponent’s special teams. That is the profile of a team that is starting to look less like a tough matchup and more like a legitimate Cup contender.