Andersen, Hurricanes Blank Senators in Game 1

Carolina goalie makes 22 saves for playoff shutout victory

Apr. 18, 2026 at 9:57pm

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a hockey game in motion, with overlapping planes of color and shape representing the players, puck, and arena.The Hurricanes' defensive lockdown and Andersen's stellar goaltending stifled the Senators' offense in Game 1.Today in Raleigh

Frederik Andersen made 22 saves to record his sixth career postseason shutout as the Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Ottawa Senators 2-0 in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference First Round series. Logan Stankoven and Taylor Hall each had a goal and an assist for the Hurricanes, the top seed in the East.

Why it matters

The Hurricanes and Senators are meeting in the playoffs for the first time since 2006, with Carolina looking to advance past the first round for the third straight year. Ottawa is making its first postseason appearance since 2017 and will need to rebound quickly to avoid falling into an early series hole.

The details

Stankoven gave Carolina a 1-0 lead in the second period with a snap shot that slipped under Senators goalie Linus Ullmark's pad. The Senators appeared to tie the game in the third period, but video review determined the puck did not fully cross the goal line. Hall then extended the Hurricanes' lead to 2-0 midway through the final frame, poking home the rebound of a shot by Alexander Nikishin.

  • The game was played on Saturday, April 18, 2026.
  • Game 2 of the series is scheduled for Monday, April 20, 2026 at 7:30 p.m. ET.

The players

Frederik Andersen

The Carolina Hurricanes' starting goaltender, who recorded his sixth career postseason shutout with 22 saves.

Logan Stankoven

A forward for the Carolina Hurricanes who scored the opening goal in the second period.

Taylor Hall

A forward for the Carolina Hurricanes who scored the insurance goal in the third period and also had an assist.

Linus Ullmark

The starting goaltender for the Ottawa Senators, who made 27 saves in the loss.

Artem Zub

A defenseman for the Ottawa Senators who left the game early in the second period and did not return.

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What they’re saying

“We played a solid game from start to finish. Freddie was great in net and the guys in front of him did a great job limiting their chances.”

— Rod Brind'Amour, Carolina Hurricanes Head Coach

“We had our chances, but Andersen was really sharp tonight. We'll need to find a way to get more traffic in front of him and create more chaos in their end.”

— DJ Smith, Ottawa Senators Head Coach

What’s next

The Senators will look to even the series when the teams meet again for Game 2 on Monday night at Lenovo Center.

The takeaway

The Hurricanes' stifling defensive effort and timely scoring proved too much for the Senators in Game 1, as Carolina's veteran goaltender Andersen recorded his sixth career playoff shutout. Ottawa will need to make adjustments to generate more quality scoring chances if they hope to bounce back and even the series.