The senators vs hurricanes matchup begins this afternoon in Raleigh, N. C., with Ottawa and Carolina opening the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs just after 3 p. m. ET. For the Senators, the focus is on Game 1, a cleaner start, and carrying last year’s postseason lessons into a new series. Brady Tkachuk said the team has one goal already completed and is now looking to set the stage for the next one.
Ottawa arrives with a sharper sense of what to expect
Last spring, Ottawa dropped the first three games of Round 1 before pushing the series to six games, and several players said that experience is shaping their approach this time. Thomas Chabot said the group knows more about what to expect after going through a first-round series against a major rival last year.
Tim Stützle pointed to discipline as a major factor, saying Ottawa gave up four power-play goals in the opener of last year’s series and took too many penalties. He said Carolina has a strong power play as well, making it important for Ottawa to play hard while staying out of the box. The senators vs hurricanes series now puts that message to an immediate test.
Health, rest, and a reset all matter in Game 1
Stützle, Tkachuk, Chabot, and Jake Sanderson were held out of Ottawa’s final two regular-season games, giving each of them more time to get closer to full health. Stützle said the break helped after a long season and added that he feels excited to return after time away from game action.
He also described the playoffs as something separate from the regular season, calling them “kind of like a new season. ” In his view, every opponent at this stage is a strong one, and Ottawa’s momentum will depend on playing the style it wants and staying committed to that identity. That remains central to how the Senators want to handle the senators vs hurricanes matchup.
Immediate reactions inside the Senators room
Tkachuk said Ottawa has already achieved one goal and now has the chance to set up another, adding that his attention is on Game 1 and the first TV timeout. Chabot said the experience from last year should help the group understand the moment better. Stützle said the team’s penalty kill has improved significantly, but he also stressed that Carolina will present a major challenge.
The Hurricanes enter the series with the third-longest active playoff streak in the NHL. That backdrop adds weight to the opening game, with both sides stepping into the kind of test that can quickly set the tone for the rest of a series.
What comes next in the series
The next step is simple: the puck drops, the preview ends, and the first true playoff answers arrive on the ice. Ottawa believes last year’s experience, better health, and a tighter approach to discipline can change the early script. If the Senators can impose their game quickly, the senators vs hurricanes series could start with exactly the kind of momentum shift Ottawa wants.
