The Carolina Hurricanes are heading into the Olympic break riding an eight-game point streak, but it hasn’t been without some turbulence. For the second straight game, the Canes saw a multi-goal lead evaporate-this time against the Kings on Sunday.
But unlike the night before, when they let a 3-0 lead slip away in a loss to the Capitals, they managed to stop the bleeding. Sebastian Aho stepped up in overtime to seal a 3-2 win, salvaging a weekend back-to-back with three out of four possible points.
That’s the good news.
The not-so-good? This team is flirting with a dangerous pattern that crept up in late December and early January-blowing leads in the third period.
Sure, they’re still finding ways to grab points, but this kind of slippage can come back to bite you, especially in the postseason when margins tighten and momentum swings are harder to reverse. The Hurricanes have the talent and structure to close games out; now it’s about execution and focus when it matters most.
Still, they sit comfortably atop the Metropolitan Division and have a chance to head into the break on a high note. But first, they’ll have to deal with a surging Ottawa Senators squad.
Last Time They Met
The Hurricanes and Senators last clashed on January 24 in Ottawa, where Carolina came away with a 4-1 win. It wasn’t their cleanest performance, but they made the most of their opportunities.
William Carrier and Seth Jarvis struck early, Taylor Hall added another late in the first, and Andrei Svechnikov cashed in during a 5-on-3. Brandon Bussi was sharp in net, turning away 35 shots to lock things down.
Senators Heating Up
Since that loss to Carolina, Ottawa has flipped the switch. They rattled off three straight wins on home ice, outscoring the Golden Knights, Avalanche, and Devils by a combined 16-4.
That’s not just winning-that’s dominating. Unfortunately for them, the rest of the Atlantic Division has kept pace, so the standings haven’t shifted much.
Still, the Senators are inching closer to the playoff cut line, and they’re playing like a team that believes they belong in the mix.
A big part of that resurgence? The return of goaltender Linus Ullmark.
After stepping away from the team for over a month, Ullmark made his return in style, stopping 26 shots in a 4-1 win over New Jersey and earning a thunderous ovation from the Ottawa faithful. He was back between the pipes again on Monday in Pittsburgh, helping the Sens to a gritty 3-2 win over the Penguins.
Now, they’re in the middle of a brutal travel stretch. After playing in Pittsburgh on Monday, they flew straight to Raleigh for tonight’s game, before heading back northeast to face the Flyers on Thursday.
That’s three games in four nights, all in different cities. The Hurricanes, well-rested and at home, need to take advantage of that.
Senators to Watch
Brady Tkachuk - The heartbeat of this team, Tkachuk was a force during Ottawa’s three-game win streak, racking up seven points. He was kept quiet in the last meeting against Carolina, but don’t expect that to happen again.
Tkachuk thrives in the chaos-he’ll get into scrums, stir the pot, and find the net. He’s producing at over a point-per-game pace this season, despite missing time, and he’s the kind of player who can tilt the ice with his presence alone.
Jake Sanderson - The 21-year-old defenseman continues to grow into a legitimate offensive weapon from the blue line. He’s already sitting at 44 points this season, third on the team and among the top 10 scoring defensemen league-wide.
In their last meeting, it was Sanderson who set up Ottawa’s lone goal with a slick feed. He’s got vision, poise, and isn’t afraid to join the rush-Carolina will need to keep tabs on him.
Hurricanes to Watch
Jordan Martinook - Sunday was a rough outing for Martinook. He took three minor penalties, including a dust-up with Corey Perry that didn’t exactly go his way.
Those kinds of games are the exception, not the rule, for the veteran forward. Look for him to bounce back with a more disciplined, high-energy performance-he’s the type of guy who takes pride in his role and doesn’t let bad nights linger.
Frederik Andersen - With Bussi getting the nod on Sunday, it’s likely Andersen will be between the pipes tonight. This will probably be his final start before heading off to represent Denmark at the Olympics.
He’s been solid lately, picking up points in each of his last five starts (2-0-3) and posting numbers that outpace his season averages. If Denmark’s going to make any noise in Italy, they’ll need Andersen to be sharp-and right now, he’s trending in the right direction.
The Bottom Line
The Hurricanes have the edge heading into this one-home ice, fresher legs, and recent success against Ottawa. But the Senators are playing with urgency and confidence, and they’ve shown they can hang with some of the league’s best when they’re locked in.
If Carolina wants to head into the break on a high note, they’ll need to clean up their third-period play and put together a full 60-minute effort. The pieces are there.
Now it’s about execution.