It took only three seconds for Jordan Staal, left, and Brady Tkachuk to drop the gloves in Game of Hurricanes-Senators. Josh Lavallee / NHLI via Getty Images
April 18, 2026Updated 6:41 pm EDT
RALEIGH, N.C. — Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk and Carolina Hurricanes captain Jordan Staal did not waste time getting things started in the 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs. The players fought each other off the opening draw to kick off Game 1 of their first-round playoff series, just three seconds in.
After the puck dropped, Staal immediately shed his gloves and confronted Tkachuk near center ice. The men grappled for a few moments before sitting for five-minute majors.
“(Brady’s a) physical guy, plays hard. He wanted to go. It’s part of the gig,” Staal said after the Hurricanes’ 2-0 victory. “Those Tkachuk brothers, they play hard and physical, and they play that style game which is hard to play against. And he’s no different. So, it was an interesting start, for sure.”
This is the third time this year that Tkachuk has fought an opposing captain to start a game. Last Saturday, Tkachuk scrapped with the New York Islanders’ Anders Lee to start their contest in Elmont, N.Y., a rematch of a game-opening bout between the players in March.
“I just wanted to show it’s going to be a long series, and (Staal) wanted to do the same thing,” Tkachuk said postgame. The building loved it. Got the energy going. Got the playoffs started for the whole league.”
Earlier this season, Staal fought Minnesota Wild forward Tyler Pitlick for his lone major penalty of the season.
The Hurricanes and Senators are meeting each other for the first time in the playoffs. Carolina enters the postseason as the Eastern Conference’s top seed, while Ottawa is the second wild card. Tkachuk is skating in the playoffs for the second time in his career, after making it for the first time last spring with the Senators. Staal won the Stanley Cup with the Penguins in 2009 and has reached the playoffs 14 times across his 20-year career, including in eight straight seasons for Carolina.
Apr 19, 2026
Connections: Sports Edition
Spot the pattern. Connect the terms
Find the hidden link between sports terms
Play today’s puzzle