With a decisive win over the Ottawa Senators on Saturday, the Carolina Hurricanes punched their ticket to the second round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs – becoming the first team to do so this postseason, although they were followed by the Colorado Avalanche the very next day.
There was a lot to like in their first-round series, but of course, there were also some things they will have to contend with in the second round against the Pittsburgh Penguins or Philadelphia Flyers – two teams with whom the Hurricanes certainly spent time in their respective season series.
A round of three storms is a positive one
Goaltending has become specialized
Throughout the regular season, the goaltending performance in the playoffs was the biggest question due to Pyotr Kochetkov's injury, Frederik Andersen's cold streak, and newcomer Brandon Bussey playing in only his first NHL season. However, those concerns have been allayed – at least in the first round. Over the course of four games, Andersson allowed only five goals on 110 shots, giving him a 1.10 goals-against average. Additionally, he also recorded a satisfactory save percentage of .955.
In round one, Anderson was everything the Hurricanes needed, and more.
"This can't be underestimated," head coach Rod Brind'Amour said at the end of the series. "Especially when you consider how well the other guy (Linus Ullmark) was playing out there. Like, it was a goalie matchup. They were going to make saves for saves. And we needed that, right? Otherwise, this thing could have looked a lot different.
“This is probably the best hockey he’s played for us since he was a Hurricane.”
Logan Stankoven's line has been incredible
Anyone who watched even a single game of the Hurricanes' first-round series will tell you that the Hurricanes' second line has been spectacular - after all, they scored the first goal in every single game, and then some. However, it was more than the goals scored in the net that made the line great.
During the entire first period, the assembled second line was not on the ice for a single goal. They were defensively strong and responsible in their play, taking only three penalties combined.
Taylor Hall said of Logan Stankoven, who leads the team in postseason goals after four seasons, "We weren't for a goal against all series, and he's our centerman." "He's a low-level guy that's putting in the work. So, it's not just the goals. You know, it's a 200-foot game that he and our line have done very well."
The defense has been phenomenal
Storm protection cannot be underestimated. Throughout the series, Carolina led the league in time on the penalty kill with 35:53. In Game 3, he allowed no shots during a five-on-three loss, and in Game 4, he held the Senators scoreless during a three-and-five loss. Despite giving up so many power play opportunities, the Hurricanes only allowed one power play goal, leading to a penalty kill percentage of 95.2 – second best leaguewide behind only the Boston Bruins, who remain immaculately shorthanded.
This was particularly impressive due to the Senators' effectiveness on the power play throughout the season, where they ranked eighth in power play percentage with a 24.0% success rate.
Overall, the Hurricanes' six defensemen combined for a total plus/minus of +11, as the offense outscored the Senators 11–5.
three storms round one negative
an unholy amount of gifts
While the Hurricanes' overall defense was very good, the team struggled mightily to retain the puck – though this was less noticeable due to the Senators' sloppiness in terms of possession. After this season, both teams are tied for the most gifts in the entire league with 75.
For context, the Bruins are second with only 68, and the Avalanche are third with only 61.
too much punishment
During their first-round series, the Hurricanes took 26 penalties, 10 of which were due to lack of discipline with their forwards; Always annoying stick violations (including tripping).
Additionally, 16 of their penalties were in their last two games, while four of those opportunities gave the Senators the aforementioned five-on-three advantage.
If not for the efficiency of the Hurricanes' penalty killers, their time in the box could have been costly.
There's a lot left in the power play
To be fair, when it comes to the playoffs, the importance of the power play takes a back seat in favor of the penalty kill. However, this does not make it unimportant.
In their four matches against the Senators, the Hurricanes only managed to score two goals with the man advantage. What was particularly worrisome about this was that the Senators' regular-season record ranked 29th leaguewide on the penalty kill, with an atrocious penalty kill percentage of 75.7.
While it can't be denied that the Senators' defense played very well, the power play remains a concern in the second period.
In conclusion, the next series will definitely bring more elements. Whether or not the Hurricanes can overcome that mountain probably lies most in their ability to adapt while still playing their brand of hockey.
