Logan Stankoven kept his scoring streak alive when it mattered most, ripping home a third-period power-play goal that broke a tie and sent the Carolina Hurricanes to a 4-2 win in Ottawa on Saturday. The victory completed a four-game sweep of the Senators, punched the top-seeded Canes’ ticket to the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and slammed the door on Ottawa’s postseason. Back in Raleigh, attention is already shifting from broom jokes to bracket talk.
Stankoven scored in all four games of the series and struck again at 9:10 of the third period, pouncing on a rebound off the end boards after K'Andre Miller’s shot caromed out to him on the left side. Sebastian Aho then tacked on two late empty-netters to lock in the 4-2 final. Taylor Hall posted a goal and an assist, and Seth Jarvis chipped in two helpers. Those moments are broken down in the recap at NHL.com.
In net, Frederik Andersen turned away 25 shots and earned a glowing review from coach Rod Brind'Amour, who said Andersen was playing “probably the best hockey he's played for us since being a Hurricane.” On the other side, Drake Batherson had a goal and an assist for Ottawa, Dylan Cozens scored, and rookie defenseman Carter Yakemchuk logged two assists in his playoff debut. The game recap and Brind'Amour’s postgame comments were highlighted by ABC11 Raleigh-Durham.
Special teams and the margin
Special teams turned the series into a mismatch. Ottawa managed just one power-play goal in the entire four-game set, finishing 1-for-21 overall and 1-for-9 in Game 4 despite earning three separate 5-on-3 advantages. Carolina’s knack for striking first in every game, paired with an aggressive penalty kill, kept the Senators chasing and short-circuited any serious comeback bids. The NHL’s official recap lays out those stats at NHL.com.
Rough moments and lineup notes
The sweep was not without some rough edges. Ottawa’s Tyler Kleven delivered a heavy hit that left Hurricanes defenseman Alexander Nikishin dazed and needing help to the bench in the second period. Carolina also skated without forward Nikolaj Ehlers in Game 4 because of a lower-body issue. After the loss, Senators coach Travis Green stressed that his group had “taken a lot of steps” this season and said the organization remains encouraged by the team’s direction. Those developments and Green’s comments were reported by The Washington Post.
What's next for the Canes
With the Senators out of the way, Carolina now waits on the winner of the Flyers-Penguins series. Philadelphia holds a 3-0 lead heading into Game 4, which means the Canes could be back in Raleigh quickly, resting up and scheming for Round 2. Local fans who have already brushed up on travel plans and ticket basics can revisit our earlier playoff preview and gameday notes. For those tracking the bigger picture, national brackets and schedules are being updated by outlets such as Bleacher Report.
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