Home HOCKEY NHL NHL Playoffs: Hurricanes Beat Senators, Sweep Series

NHL Playoffs: Hurricanes Beat Senators, Sweep Series

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Hurricanes Vs Senators
Hurricanes sweep Senators, advance to second round  

Frederik Andersen makes 25 saves, Aho scores two empty-netters as Hurricanes sweep Senators. Ottawa’s power play struggles continue in Game 4 loss.


Stankoven becomes first Hurricane with goals in 4 straight to start playoffs. Carolina beats Ottawa 4-2 in physical Game 4 to sweep first-round series...

  
The Carolina Hurricanes swept the Ottawa Senators in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs with a 4-2 win in Game 4 on Saturday.

 
Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen made 25 saves and shut down eight of Ottawa’s nine power-play chances. It’s the franchise’s second sweep in playoff history.


The Senators exited in the first round in four games. They went 1-for-21 on the power play in the series and failed to score more than two goals in any game.



Tight Start Sees Goalies Stand Tall

The first period was an even battle as neither goalie budged. Ottawa outshot Carolina 8-7 and blocked 18 shots to Carolina’s five.


They came close in the opening three minutes, but the puck hit the post.


Both teams finished the first period 0-for-2 on the power play, leaving the Senators 0-for-14 in the series.


Carolina wasn’t much better, entering the second period of Game 4 just 1-for-10 on the power play in the series.



Tempers Flare in Scoreless Second

Alexander Nikishin left the game with 15:25 left in the second after a heavy hit from Tyler Kleven, who wasn’t penalized. Andrei Svechnikov picked up a double-minor for roughing after going after Kleven following the hit.




Ottawa’s Ridly Greig was called for goalie interference after being pushed into Carolina’s Frederik Andersen. The call negated Ottawa’s power play and made it 4-on-4 for the next 23 seconds.


Neither side capitalized once Carolina moved to the power play. Ottawa dropped to 0-for-15 on the power play in the series, Carolina to 1-for-11.


But the physical play only intensified after that.




Carolina’s Nicolas Deslauriers and Eric Robinson each received two-minute minors, while Ottawa’s Brady Tkachuk got the same after a scrum at center ice with 10:11 left in the second. That gave Ottawa another power play.


Jordan Staal was then called for tripping, giving Ottawa a 5-on-3 chance to finally end their power-play drought. They still failed, falling to 0-for-17 in the series.




Then Carolina broke the deadlock with a Taylor Hall goal to make it 1-0 with under five minutes left in the second.

 
Ottawa finally got on the scoreboard to end their power-play drought.


After a Sean Walker boarding penalty, Drake Batherson scored his third goal of the series to make it 1-1, less than two minutes after Hall’s goal.


Tim Stutzle picked up his first point of the series with the assist. Walker then went straight back to the box for another boarding penalty, followed by a Carolina penalty on Eric Robinson.  




Both Walker’s second boarding call and Robinson’s high-sticking were on Ottawa’s Greig, who had sucker-punched Walker earlier in the big scrum at center ice.



Stankoven Stays Hot as Canes Cash In

Ottawa started the third period on a 5-on-3 with 21 seconds left, but couldn’t convert the opportunity.




Carolina had similar chances, getting two power plays in the first ten minutes of the third. This time it paid off.


Logan Stankoven scored his fourth goal of the series in his fourth straight game to put the Canes up 2-1. That tied him with Tampa Bay’s Brandon Hagel for the most goals of any player in the playoffs.


Stankoven now has a goal in six of his last seven playoff games dating back to last year. He also became the first player in franchise history to open the playoffs with a four-game goal streak.




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