3 Takeaways Following Hurricanes’ 4-2 Win Over Senators – Hockey Writers – Carolina Hurricanes

For the eighth straight time, the Carolina Hurricanes won at least one round in the playoffs. They are the third team to do so, joining the 1984-93 & 1951-60 Montreal Canadiens and the 1973-81 Philadelphia Flyers. On Saturday, April 25, the Hurricanes swept the Ottawa Senators after winning game 4, 4-2.

Takeaway #1: Series sweep Hurricanes

After a chaotic Game 4, which saw Alexander Nikishin leave early with an upper body injury, the Hurricanes will advance to Round 2. They will await the winner of the series between the Flyers and the Pittsburgh Penguins. This series did not see the Senators leading once, while the Hurricanes were able to rest and prepare for the next round. There were many people who were picking the Senators to win the series as an “upset” pick. In the end, two players scored, their season has come to an end.

The Hurricanes’ power play went 1-for-5 in Game 4, and the penalty kill went 8-for-9 in a game that quickly got away from the officials. As for the second half, it took more than an hour to finish. Tempers flared, and there were screams after every whisper. After four Hurricanes goals, two empty-netters from Sebastian Aho sealed the deal, and they now have four wins close to the last goal.

Takeaway #2: The Penalty Kill Plays Big in Success

Game 4 had so many penalties that the people in the penalty box might have carpal tunnel from writing them all down. There was a point where the Senators had an eight game streak compared to the Hurricanes’ three. Finally, the Hurricanes’ penalty kill went 8-for-9 in the game and 18-for-19 in the series. If there was one aspect of their game that made this streak end faster than people thought, Carolina’s penalty kill was it.

It was another class for Jaccob Slavin showing why he is the best defenseman in the NHL. In addition, it showed that Jordan Staal, Jordan Martinook, and others were absent not only in Game 4 but also in the series. Frederik Andersen was strong in the crease as well, posting a .926 save percentage in Game 4 after saving 25 of 27 shots. He started all four games and won them all. The team effort is complete across the board.

Takeaway #3: Second Row and Sebastian Aho Cash In

The second line, once again, of the Hurricanes made their contribution felt in the series. When Logan Stankoven scored his fourth goal in four games, it was Taylor Hall who scored the first of the game. Hall had a goal and an assist to go along with Stankoven’s goal to give that line three points in Game 4. In total, those three points gave the line of Stankoven, Hall, and Blake a total of 16 through four playoff games.

Aho’s two empty net goals were huge as they shut out the Hurricanes. Those two goals pushed his tally to three in four games. While most important, it was the star of the Hurricanes coming together to play the game and secure the win. The two goals earned Aho a second star after Andersen’s first star performance.

Now the Hurricanes will be waiting to see who they will face in Round 2 between the Flyers and the Penguins. Whether it’s a short break or a long one, the Hurricanes have punched their ticket to advance and advance. When Games 3 and 4 were tight, they found a way to dig deep down the road and get the job done. Four wins down, 12 to go.