Frederik Andersen made 22 saves and Logan Stankoven had a goal and an assist as the Carolina Hurricanes overcame a slow start to defeat the visiting Ottawa Senators 2-0 in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals Saturday afternoon in Raleigh, N.C.
Taylor Hall also scored and Jackson Blake was credited with two assists for the Hurricanes, who are the top-seeded team in the conference.
Linus Ullmark made 27 saves for the Senators, who met the Hurricanes for the first time in the postseason.
The Hurricanes chose to go with the 36-year-old Andersen instead of record-setting rookie Brandon Bussi in nets. Andersen was up to the task.
The 13-year veteran registered his sixth career playoff shutout, though he didn’t record a shutout during 35 regular-season outings this season. His playoff career record improved to 47-35, which includes a shutout last May versus the Florida Panthers.
The game began with captains Brady Tkachuk of Ottawa and Jordan Staal of Carolina drawing fighting majors off the opening faceoff.
The Hurricanes, normally a team with a high volume of shots, didn’t put a shot on goal for the game’s first 12 minutes. Then they fired the next eight shots.
By the end of the scoreless first period, Carolina held an 8-5 edge in shots despite Ottawa going on the lone power play.
Though the Hurricanes finished 0-for-5 on power plays, they scored in the second and third periods at even strength.
Stankoven’s goal came 2:11 into the second period, with assists going to Blake and Hall. Hall scored in a scramble in front of the net 7:15 into the third period.
The Senators posted seven shots in the first nine minutes of the third period, exceeding their shot numbers from each of the first two periods. They had nine total shots entering the third period.
Yet Carolina had three power plays across a third-period stretch, including some time on a 5-on-3 advantage, and didn’t score.
The Senators pulled Ullmark late in the third period, then went on a power play with 2:35 remaining. But Andersen saved three shots and his teammates blocked five others to preserve the shutout.
Game 2 is Monday night in Raleigh.
