Rachel Barkley
Saturday, the Carolina Hurricanes will be back at it again in the Canadian Capital as they face the Ottawa Senators in Game 4, as they hope to close out their first-round series.
The game is scheduled for 3:00 PM EDT.
Thursday, the Hurricanes achieved a 2-1 win over the Senators in their first game in Ottawa, Ontario, of the postseason, but it didn’t come without some form of mayhem.
In the second period, Taylor Hall assessed a two-minute minor penalty after an illegal check to the head of the Senators’ top-pairing defenseman, Jake Sanderson. After playing two more shifts following the incident, Sanderson left the game.
The hit prompted a response from the Senators’ head coach Travis Green, who aired his frustration over the lack of a major penalty.
Friday, it was announced that Sanderson would miss Game 4 due to concussion protocol, and that Hall would not receive disciplinary action from the NHL’s Department of Player Safety.
Nonetheless, the game was a showcase for both teams’ penalty kills, which were perfect throughout the several power plays faced.
You can read all about the game here!
In the Crease
For the Hurricanes, there is a possibility that Brandon Bussi will start, but most likely Frederik Andersen will take the crease again. Andersen has been incredible throughout the series, and as the Hurricanes are up 3-0, it would be as good a time as any for the next guy up to get some play in. However, during Friday afternoon’s press conference, head coach Rod Brind’Amour said that he has been given no reason to believe that Andersen needs the break, and that the decision to rest or play would be primarily Andersen’s, depending on how he feels.
Meanwhile, it is all but certain that the Senators will once again play Linus Ullmark. He has arguably been their best player throughout the series, and with their backs against the wall, they will need him if they want to keep their playoff dream alive this postseason.
Expected Carolina Hurricanes Lines
Andrei Svechnikov – Sebastian Aho – Seth Jarvis
Taylor Hall – Logan Stankoven – Jackson Blake
Nikolaj Ehlers – Jordan Staal – Jordan Martinook
William Carrier – Mark Jankowski – Eric Robinson
Defense
Jaccob Slavin – Jalen Chatfield
K’Andre Miller – Sean Walker
Shayne Gostisbehere – Alexander Nikishin
Goaltenders
Frederik Andersen / Brandon Bussi
Expected Ottawa Senators Lines
Brady Tkachuk – Tim Stützle – Drake Batherson
Ridly Greig – Dylan Cozens – Claude Giroux
Warren Foegele – Shane Pinto – Michael Amadio
Nick Cousins – Lars Eller – Fabian Zetterlund
Defense
Thomas Chabot – Nikolas Matinpalo
Dennis Gilbert – Jordan Spence
Tyler Kleven – Cameron Crotty
Goaltenders
Linus Ullmark / James Reimer
Hurricanes Game Notes
This is the first time that the Hurricanes have had the 3-0 advantage going into a Game 4 since the first-round series against the New York Islanders in the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
In each of the three games played thus far in the postseason, the opening goal has been scored by Logan Stankoven with an assist from Taylor Hall. Stankoven is just the second player in NHL history to score the first goal in each of his team’s first three games of the postseason.
The Hurricanes are one of just three teams that remain perfect on the penalty kill this postseason.
How To Watch
TV: TBS, TruTV, HBO MAX, FDSNSO, SN, TVAS, OMNI
Radio: 99.9 The Fan
