Senators and Hurricanes Meet in Game 1 of Playoff Series

Carolina looks to continue playoff success as Ottawa returns to postseason

Apr. 18, 2026 at 6:56am

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A fractured, geometric painting in bold blue, red, and white colors, depicting an abstract hockey game between the Ottawa Senators and Carolina Hurricanes, with sharp, overlapping planes representing the players and action on the ice.A cubist interpretation of the intense playoff matchup between the Senators and Hurricanes, capturing the dynamic energy and physical nature of their first-round series.Today in Raleigh

The Ottawa Senators and the Carolina Hurricanes will face off in Game 1 of their best-of-7 Eastern Conference first-round playoff series on Saturday at Lenovo Center in Raleigh, North Carolina. The Hurricanes secured the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference with 113 points, while the Senators grabbed the second wild-card playoff position with 99 points.

Why it matters

This will be the first-ever playoff meeting between the Senators and Hurricanes. Carolina has made the playoffs in 7 consecutive seasons and reached the Eastern Conference Finals last year, while Ottawa is returning to the postseason for the first time since 2017. The outcome of this series could set the tone for the rest of the Hurricanes' and Senators' playoff runs.

The details

The Hurricanes were dominant at home this season, posting a 29-10-2 record and a plus-56 goal differential, second best in the Eastern Conference. The Senators finished 21-15-5 on the road. In the regular-season meeting between the teams, Carolina won 4-3 as a moderate favorite. Goaltenders Linus Ullmark of the Senators and Frederik Andersen of the Hurricanes are expected to start Game 1.

  • The game is scheduled for Saturday, April 18, 2026 at 3 p.m. ET.
  • The Hurricanes won the regular-season series 2-1, with their lone win coming on February 3 in Raleigh.

The players

Linus Ullmark

The Senators' starting goaltender, who has appeared in the postseason in each of the past 4 seasons.

Frederik Andersen

The Hurricanes' starting goaltender, who has an extensive postseason record with a 8-5-0 record, 2.02 GAA and .907 SV% last season.

Ottawa Senators

The Senators finished the regular season with 99 points and grabbed the second wild-card playoff position in the Eastern Conference.

Carolina Hurricanes

The Hurricanes notched 113 points, securing the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference for the first time in franchise history.

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What’s next

The winner of this series will advance to the Eastern Conference Semifinals to face the winner of the series between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Florida Panthers.

The takeaway

This first-round playoff matchup between the Senators and Hurricanes features two teams heading in different directions. Carolina has been a consistent playoff contender, while Ottawa is looking to build on its return to the postseason. The outcome of this series could set the tone for the rest of the Hurricanes' and Senators' playoff runs.