Preview: Round 1, Game 1 vs. Ottawa

RALEIGH, N.C. - The Carolina Hurricanes begin their postseason journey on home ice, as they start their series against the Ottawa Senators at Lenovo Center.

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When: Saturday, April 18

Puck Drop: 3:00 p.m. ET

Watch: ESPN, FanDuel Sports Network South, FanDuel Sports Network App | **Learn More**

Listen: 99.9 The Fan, Hurricanes App

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Canes Regular-Season Record: 53-22-7 (113 Points, 1st - Metropolitan Division; 1st - Eastern Conference)

Canes Last Game: 2-1 Win over the New York Islanders on Tuesday, April 14

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Senators Regular-Season Record: 44-27-11 (99 Points, 5th - Atlantic Division; WC2 - Eastern Conference)

Senators Last Game: 3-1 Win over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday, April 15

Last Time Out...

• Long Island native Brandon Bussi turned in a fantastic performance on Tuesday, turning away 27 out of 28 shots faced to backstop the Canes to a 2-1 win over the Islanders.
• Nikolaj Ehlers, the lone member of the team to play in all 82 games, opened the scoring, and Mark Jankowski won it for the team late in the third.
• The Canes had six players from the Chicago Wolves (AHL) in the lineup, including Ronan Seeley and Felix Unger Sorum making their NHL debuts.

Revisiting The Regular Season Meetings...

• January 24: Nine Hurricanes registered a point as a hot start helped Carolina top the Sens 4-2 in Ottawa.
• February 3: Sebastian Aho had three points and Seth Jarvis notched two goals as the Canes took a 4-3 victory at Lenovo Center.
• April 5: Carolina struck first, but three consecutive goals in the final 40 minutes lifted the Senators to a 6-3 win at Canadian Tire Centre.

From A Marathon To A Sprint...

• With 82 games in the rearview, the Canes will hit the ice for their franchise-record eighth consecutive trip to the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
• In another franchise first, they'll do so as the Eastern Conference's top seed after recording 53 wins in a season for just the second time

In Net...

• Rod Brind'Amour was noncommittal when asked about his Game 1 starter on Friday, but noted on Thursday that it's likely both Frederik Andersen and Brandon Bussi will see time between the pipes in Round 1.
• Andersen operated in the typical starter's crease at Friday's practice, indicating a strong probability that the veteran will get the first bite of the apple in the postseason. Steadying the ship after a bumpy start to the season, the Dane went 9-4-0 on this side of the Olympic break and finished the season with wins in three of his last four starts, including a pair of gems in Chicago and Utah.
• Bussi, meanwhile, also wrapped up the regular season on a heater, following up his first set of consecutive losses (0-3-0) with a 6-0-1 run and allowing two or fewer goals in four of those wins.
• Pyotr Kochetkov's surprising return could add a new dimension to the Canes' crease as the playoffs roll on, but Brind'Amour indicated that, while he is healthy, the Russian backstop was not yet a viable starting option as he works his way back from lower-body surgery.

On The Other Side...

• Despite their WC2 ranking, the Senators are a "tough matchup" for Rod Brind'Amour's crew, having put their potential on display in a 6-3 win over the Canes two weeks ago.
• One of the best teams in the NHL since the calendar flipped to 2026, the Sens went 26-12-6 post Jan. 1, accumulating 58 points in the standings (T-3rd, NHL).
• One area of weakness? Ottawa's penalty kill. Surviving just 75.7% of infractions this season, the Senators finished 29th in the NHL. That's music to the ears of a Canes team that finished with the league's fourth-best power play (24.9%).
• Linus Ullmark has been Ottawa's go-to in net when available. However, his .891 save percentage this year is the lowest in his 11-year career. He played in just one of three regular-season meetings against Carolina but came out on top, picking up the aforementioned win earlier this month.

Injury Updates...

• The Canes currently do not have any injuries to report.

What Are We Wearing?

• The Canes will wear their BLACK uniforms for the contest. They will wear black for every home game in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

What's Next After This Game?

• The Canes are scheduled to practice on Sunday and will return to action for Game 2 of the series on Monday.
• Next Game: Monday, April 20 | Round 1, Game 2 vs. Ottawa | 7:30 p.m. | FDSN, ESPN2 | Tickets | Parking