Hurricanes push Senators to the brink after gritty Game 3 win at Ottawa

Chip Alexander, The News & Observer (Raleigh) on Apr 23, 2026

Published in Hockey

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The Carolina Hurricanes have put a stranglehold on the Ottawa Senators in their Stanley Cup playoff series.

The Canes went into the Sens’ Canadian Tire Centre on Thursday and took a gritty 2-1 road win, claiming a 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference series.

Logan Stankoven scored his third goal of the series, Jackson Blake had the go-ahead goal in the second period and goaltender Frederik Andersen made it stand up for his third straight win with 21 saves.

“We played hard and everyone contributed, which is the way we have to get it done,” Canes coach Rod Brind’Amour said.

The Hurricanes, the top seed in the East, will look to close it out Saturday in Game 4.

The Canes’ penalty killing was flawless and needed to be. The Senators had five power plays, including a lengthy 5-on-3 in the second period, but came away empty-handed.

“The PK was incredible,” Canes forward Taylor Hall said. “Our PK is so experienced and has seen so many things over the years. We have a ton of confidence in them.”

Drake Batherson had the Ottawa goal in the second period as the Sens looked to get back into the series at home. Ottawa was shut out, 2-0, in the series opener in Raleigh and then dropped a double-overtime thriller to the Canes on Monday at Lenovo Center.

Stankoven, Hurricanes score early

For the third straight game, the Canes scored first.

For the third straight game, Stankoven had the goal.

Denied by Linus Ullmark on a good shot earlier in the first, Stankoven set up low in the left circle and motioned to Hall to pass him the puck. Hall did, and Stankoven blasted a one-timer into the net.

Blake’s goal, at 17:29 of the second, came soon after Batherson had tied the score. It came when defenseman K’Andre Miller faked a shot from the top of the left circle and found Blake open on the back door for his first goal of the series as Hall again assisted.

“The momentum was going the other way and that settled it down a little bit,” Brind’Amour said.

Senators’ injuries mount

Defensive injuries continued to take a toll on the Senators.

Jake Sanderson, who played 43 minutes in Game 2, left Thursday’s game midway through the second period with an injury and did not return. Sanderson took an elbow to the head from Hall in the first period and later blocked a shot with a hand.

The Sens lost defenseman Artem Zub in the opening game of the series after a collision with Seth Jarvis. Zub has not been able to return.

Sens coach Travis Green said that it was the hit to the head that eventually forced Sanderson to leave the game.

“It was pretty obvious why he left the game,” Green said. “I just don’t understand why there’s not a 5-minute major (penalty) called on a blatant hit to the head, a hit you don’t want to see.”

Special teams make the difference

The Canes could have added to their 1-0 lead in the first. They had three power plays, but managed just three shots and hurt themselves with some slow-motion puck movement and too much time spent looking for the perfect shot.

Late in the period, the Canes’ Andrei Svechnikov was looking at an open net with Ullmark out of position but was denied a goal on a sliding block by the Sens’ Jordan Spence — that after Canes defenseman Sean Walker hit the post.

The Senators, outhit in the first two games, ramped up the physicality and were credited with 46 hits to Carolina’s 30. It did not throw the Canes off their game as they managed the puck effectively in all three zones.

The Canes couldn’t stay out of the penalty box in the second period, though, taking five penalties. Carolina was called for too many men on the ice, then had Jalen Chatfield take a hooking penalty to give the Senators the 5-on-3 advantage midway through the period.

The Sens did not have a 5-on-3 shot and did not score on their string of power plays as the Canes consistently made clears. The Canes are 12 for 12 on the kill in the series.

“I thought their penalty kill, our power play, changed the momentum of the game a little bit and stalled our game,” Green said. “It really took a lot of energy out of our game. If we get a goal or two on the power play, it’s a little bit of a different game.”

The Sens broke through against Andersen at even strength when Batherson scored his second of the series for the 1-1 tie, flipping a backhander in the net. But Anderson, Brind’Amour said, was a calming presence in net.

“Super calm,” Hall said of Andersen. “Last year in the playoffs he seemed to get to another level.. I’m not saying he wasn’t locked in for the regular season, but I think he has a level that he gets to in the playoffs with focus and determination. He’s our rock back there.”