You knew heading into Game 4, that the Ottawa Senators would play with some anger against the Carolina Hurricanes in what would eventually be the decider of the two teams’ Eastern Conference Stanley Cup Playoff first-round series. In the end, the Canes were stronger, faster, and had more finish throughout the hard-fought, four-game series. The Canes completed the four-game sweep of their opening-round series. Let’s discuss what happened.

Credit Image: © Daniel Lea/Cal Sport Media

Review of the Carolina Hurricanes Sweep of the Ottawa Senators

The fight between Brady Tkachuk and Jordan Staal would ultimately be a sign of things to come. Yes, the captain wouldn’t back down, but let’s be honest, the Sens needed him scoring. Him sitting in the penalty box prevents him from doing that.

It just seemed as though Sens struggled to show any sense of urgency throughout the series. There may have been an exception in the second period of Game 2, when they found the scoresheet twice. Up until that point in the series, the Canes had shown they were the better team. That had included the 2-0 shutout victory in Game 1 to that point.

Even in the very first shift of Game 4, Brady Tkachuk’s line ended up playing in their own end. There really just wasn’t that sense of urgency for the Sens side.

The Cane Stars Outshone the Sens Best Players

As the first period of Game 4 wore on, the Sens were unable to play like a team on the brink of elimination. Even though shots on goal stayed fairly close, Carolina was directing many more shots towards the Sens net, than did the Sens on the Canes goal. Still, when you look at high-danger shots, not unlike Game 1, both teams were generating their fair share. However for the Sens, they needed to be finishing. It was notable in two of their stars, Brady Tkachuk and Tim Stutzle being shut down throughout the series. Although to be fair, a Cane star in Sebastian Aho was relatively quiet, as well. However, his empty-netter in the decider was fitting. That even though things were close in the series, Carolina always seemed to come out on top.

If anyone couldn’t tell, the Sens success was contingent on Linus Ullmark‘s stellar play. He continued to give the team in front of him a chance to win throughout the series. Unfortunately for Ottawa, the veteran Frederik Andersen was every bit his equal. Head coach Rod Brind’Amour had made the correct choice going with experience. Perhaps that had caught the Sens off guard, with the Canes not going with rookie Brandon Bussi, who had had a terrific regular season. But that is all ancient history now, you can’t make excuses.

Despite being outplayed, the Sens did get close a couple times. We are referring to Game 4, but it was a similar theme through the series. In Game 4, there was a Lars Eller crossbar. To finish the first period, the Sens did have a little fury. That was notable, as Drake Batherson hit the post on a short-side shot. Still, the score had remained 0-0. In a must win game, at home, you really felt like that was a Carolina victory. The Sens had hit a number of posts in the series. It is just a game of inches sometimes.

The Sens Would Not Go Down Quietly

The feistiness wasn’t there all series, but when it did hit us, it was heavy. Then the second period of Game 4 came along, and it became war. Tyler Kleven saw an opportunity to shift the momentum, and absolutely laid Alexander Nikishin out. That would cause quite a dust up afterward. In addition, Brady Tkachuk turned up the temperature. He threw a number of bone-jarring hits throughout the period.

One of the hits was on Taylor Hall. Yes, the very villain who had injured Jake Sanderson from Game 3. Perhaps in a bit of cruel irony, but later in the second, it would be the same Hall who gave the Canes the 1-0 lead. Devastating for Sen fans. The Sens would finally get going on the power play, but going 1/21 on the man advantage throughout the series, did sting.

The Unsung Hero Strikes for the Hurricanes

Then, around the mid-way mark of the third period, the red hot Logan Stankoven gave the Hurricanes the lead. It was a lead they would never relinquish. Moreover, the Sens never led throughout the series. For Carolina, this is eight years in a row with a playoff series victory. They looked every bit the part.

After playing so hard to even get into the playoffs, in the end, injuries caught up to Ottawa. Missing both members of their top pair, they were unable to combat Carolina’s hard-nosed play. Carolina was the better team throughout the series. It is on to the second round, as they await the winner of the Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers. That is certainly another lopsided series. Game 4 of that one comes tonight, with Philly up 3-0.

Main Photo Credit: Marc DesRosiers-Imagn