NHL Games Today: Hurricanes vs. Senators – Game 1 Preview

RALEIGH, N.C. – The Carolina Hurricanes enter their best-of-7 Eastern Conference series against the Ottawa Senators as the favorites, with Game 1 set to begin at Lenovo Center on Saturday. However, as any seasoned hockey fan knows, the playoffs are a clean slate. The team that best embodies its identity will dictate the series’ narrative.

“It’s going to take a lot, I mean, it’s the best team in the East,” Ottawa defenseman Thomas Chabot stated. “We know we’re in the underdog position; we know where we’re at, but I have a lot of belief in our group. This is going to be a hard-fought series; it’s going to be tight every night, I expect. And you know what, (Carolina is) a tough building to play in. That building brings a lot of energy even in the season.”

A Battle of Possession

Both Ottawa and Carolina share a similar playing style, prioritizing puck possession, generating high shot volumes, and wearing down opponents through relentless cycling. This makes for a fascinating matchup where control of the ice will be paramount.

“It comes down to us,” Hurricanes defenseman Jalen Chatfield explained. “I think it is the way we want to play and executing our game style and playing for each other and playing a full 60 because we know how these games are. These are tight games, checking games and it is just executing what we have to do out there.”

Goaltending Matchup: Andersen vs. Ullmark

A key storyline revolves around the goaltending situation. Carolina coach Rod Brind’Amour has been tight-lipped, but all signs point to veteran Frederik Andersen getting the start. Andersen boasts a .914 save percentage in 85 NHL playoff games, including a strong performance in last season’s run to the Eastern Conference Final. He’s been practicing as the starter for the past two days.

Ottawa will counter with Linus Ullmark, who has been impressive in his recent starts, posting a .927 save percentage and one shutout in his last six games. Coach Travis Green expressed strong confidence in his netminder: “I’ve said it countless times in this room, got a lot of belief in our goaltending.”

Special Teams and Discipline

With the teams closely matched at even strength, special teams could prove decisive. The Hurricanes have been particularly potent on the power play recently, converting at a 33.9% rate since May 1st. Ottawa has been solid on the penalty kill, boasting an 82.8% rate since March 1st.

“I think for us this year, we have to be disciplined, stay out of the box,” Carolina defenseman Jaccob Slavin emphasized. “I think that has hurt us in years past. Making sure special teams are dialed in all aspects.”

Face-offs and Puck Possession

Face-offs will be a critical battleground, with Ottawa holding a slight edge in face-off percentage (53.7%) compared to Carolina (48.9%). As Brind’Amour noted, “Starting with the puck is a big deal and it is a big part of the game.”

Lineups

Ottawa Senators

• Drake Batherson — Tim Stutzle — Claude Giroux
• Brady Tkachuk — Dylan Cozens — Ridley Greig
• Nick Cousins — Shane Pinto — Mike Amadio
• Warren Foegele — Lars Eller — Fabian Zetterlund
• Jake Sanderson — Artem Zub
• Thomas Chabot — Jordan Spence
• Dennis Gilbert — Nikolas Matinpalo
• Linus Ullmark
• James Reimer

Carolina Hurricanes

• Andrei Svechnikov — Sebastian Aho — Seth Jarvis
• Taylor Hall — Logan Stankoven — Jackson Blake
• Nikolaj Ehlers — Jordan Staal — Jordan Martinook
• William Carrier — Mark Jankowski — Eric Robinson
• Jaccob Slavin — Jalen Chatfield
• K’Andre Miller — Sean Walker
• Shayne Gostisbehere — Alexander Nikishin
• Frederik Andersen
• Brandon Bussi

The hunt for the Stanley Cup begins today! Expect a tightly contested, physically demanding series between these two well-matched teams.

Source: NHL.com