Andersen Steals Game 1 as Hurricanes Blank Senators 2-0
Frederik Andersen came to play for the Carolina Hurricanes and turned the game into a bit of a snoozer for the Ottawa Senators. The 36-year-old veteran stonewalled the Senators for a 2-0 shutout. He made the big saves when Ottawa was buzzing late, including a couple of back-to-back stops on that third-period power play that could’ve changed everything. There was even that moment where Drake Batherson looked like he jammed one in — the ref signalled a goal, and then the replay showed Andersen had it clean. No goal.
Two goals were enough for the Hurricanes.
Carolina didn’t need to blow the doors off or put up a seven-goal clinic. Their scoring came in those little, gritty moments. Logan Stankoven got the first one early in the second when he slipped a snap shot under Linus Ullmark. Totally the kind of goal that isn’t flashy but matters in the playoffs. Taylor Hall then added the second goal in the third period after a scramble.
Neither were highlight-reel finishes, but they were the kind of greasy goals that count just as much. Blake Jackson had two assists, showing the kind of playmaking and depth scoring that keep Carolina in the postseason mix year after year.
For Ottawa, this was frustrating but not catastrophic. Ullmark did his part with 27 saves, and the Senators did generate pressure. They pulled the goalie late and had that 6-on-4 look that made the final minutes tense. The problem? Small mistakes hurt them. The overturned goal was a dagger — momentum swings matter in tight games, and getting that call could’ve changed everything. There was also the sloppy sequence that led to Stankoven’s goal; holding onto puck-clearing chances and avoiding those small defensive errors is playoff gold. Plus, Artem Zub's leaving early and not returning didn’t help their defensive depth.
The game was physical from the opening faceoff.
Brady Tkachuk and Jordan Staal went at it right off the draw, and both were sent off three seconds in. That set the tone: chippy, hard hits, no easy shifts. Ottawa showed they can hang with the top seed, but they didn’t finish enough chances, and Andersen was simply too good.
The bottom line for Carolina was their veteran goalie’s play and tidy depth scoring to take Game 1. Ottawa had plenty of looks and pushed late, but the little mistakes and the overturned call cost them. Game 2 in Raleigh on Monday feels huge. The Senators need better execution — and someone to solve Andersen — if they want to swing this series back home.