In the previous two contests between the Hurricanes and Senators, one of the two teams were shutout in a loss. On Thursday night, neither team could stop scoring in what would end up a 7-5 win for Ottawa over Carolina.
The goals came in bunches for both sides. The Senators (45-30-7) scored the opening three goals before the Hurricanes (47-30-5) answered back with five unanswered goals in 8:59 of game time in the first and second periods. Taking a 5-3 lead into the third period, the Canes could only watch as the Senators scored four unanswered to seal the game.
A normally stout penalty killing unit — the number one unit in the league — gave up three goals to the Senators on the power play. The Hurricanes shot themselves in the foot repeatedly, going on the penalty kill nine times. Not only did the goals hurt, but a constant reset of 5-on-5 play made it difficult for the Canes to establish a rhythm.
Ottawa right wing Adam Gaudette started the scoring 11:55 into the first period when he beat Canes goaltender Frederik Andersen to the far post. Forcing a turnover in the neutral zone, Gaudette got the puck back and skated down the slot to score.
Then at the end of the period, the Senators scored two goals within a minute of each other when centers Dylan Cozens and Shane Pinto scored to extend the Senators’ lead to 3-0. Instead of a three-goal deficit heading into the break, the Hurricanes got within one, including 11 seconds after the Senators’ third goal.
Left wing Taylor Hall, right wing Andrei Svechnikov and center Jesperi Kotkaniemi combined for a quick passing play off the faceoff to get the Canes on the board. Then, with under a minute left, center Skyler Brind’Amour — the son of head coach Rod Brind’Amour — netted his first NHL goal.
Called up from the Hurricanes’ AHL affiliate, the Chicago Wolves, Brind’Amour made his first appearance on Wednesday night’s 4-2 loss against the Montreal Canadiens. He didn’t net a point then but got on the board for his likely final appearance with the team, a moment he and his dad will never forget.
After a strong end to the first, the Hurricanes continued it right into the second. Svechnikov scored 50 seconds into the power play and then centers Jack Roslovic and Tyson Jost added on to make it three goals scored in the first seven minutes of the period.
The Hurricanes held the Senators scoreless in the second frame, before the third period saw Ottowa flip the script when they scored the only goals of the period. Gaudette got his second goal and right wing Drake Batherson scored two in a row to make it 6-5.
With 1:22 left in the period, center Tim Stützle dealt the killing blow when he blew past Canes defenseman Scott Morrow on the power play and scored on Andersen to make it 7-5.
With Game 82 done, the Hurricanes can look ahead to the postseason and put their poor performances behind them. To close the season, the Canes finished 3-6-1 — losing their last six road games.
There is a saying that a playoff series doesn’t start until someone wins on the road and this 2024-2025 Hurricanes team hasn’t proved they are quite capable of doing so. Since Brind’Amour took over as head coach, Carolina has not had a season where it has had more road losses than wins, until this year.
The good thing for the Canes is that they have home-ice advantage, at least through the first round. The Hurricanes will open the postseason against the New Jersey Devils on Easter Sunday at 3 p.m.
