The Carolina Hurricanes swept the Ottawa Senators 4-0 to advance to the second round, but don't let the clean sweep fool you - this series was a war.
Every game was decided by one or two goals. The Senators never led in any game, but they were competitive throughout, battling the Hurricanes tooth and nail in what became an increasingly physical series. By the end, multiple players were bleeding. Bodies were battered. The ice was painted with effort.
But competitive doesn't win playoff series. Execution does. And the Hurricanes executed when it mattered.
Ottawa had chances. They pushed. They fought. But they couldn't solve their power play woes - just one power play goal in the entire series - and in playoff hockey, you can't leave opportunities on the table like that.
Logan Stankoven became the first player in Hurricanes franchise history to score a goal in each of the first four games of a playoff series. Meanwhile, Carolina's penalty kill was outstanding, killing off nine power plays in Game 4 alone. Jaccob Slavin played over 10 minutes of shorthanded time in that game. That's what championship hockey looks like.
The physicality ramped up as the series went on. Big hits. Scrums after whistles. Blood. By Game 4, it felt more like a heavyweight fight than a hockey game. Ottawa threw everything they had at Carolina, trying to intimidate, trying to break through.
It didn't work.
The sweep doesn't tell the whole story. This wasn't the Hurricanes dominating an overmatched opponent. This was a tight, hard-fought series where Carolina was simply better in the key moments.
Now the Senators head home, eliminated in the first round for the second straight year. They showed grit. They showed fight. But they couldn't finish.
The Hurricanes advance, battered and bruised but moving on. They took a beating getting here, but that's playoff hockey. You don't win on style points. You win by surviving.
