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The playoffs are underway and most series are still up for grabs. However, two of the eight first round matchups have been completed already, both conferences respective number one seeds taking care of business and sweeping their first round opponent.

Hurricane Warning

The Carolina Hurricanes were dealt a tough hand in round one with the Ottawa Senators, a team supposedly made for playoff hockey and getting hot at the right time. Game one kicked off the entire playoffs and delivered right away with a fight off the opening draw between team captains Brady Tkachuk and Jordan Staal. The Canes came away with a 2-0 win, with the game winner scored by Logan Stankoven and a shutout by Frederik Andersen, stopping 22 shots. 

Game two was looking exactly the same halfway through the second period. Stankoven had a goal, and it was 2-0 with Andersen looking unbeatable. Ottawa finally found the back of the net, as Drake Batherson scored the Sens first goal of the series. Not long after, Dylan Cozens tied the game up and made it a brand new game.

The score would remain 2-2 for the next two periods, and double overtime was needed, even after some fans had left the building thinking an overturned goal was the winner. For the fans still in attendance, they were treated to a Jordan Martinook overtime winner and a 2-0 series lead.

Even though the Senators were heading home down two games to none, they remained confident. After all, they say it’s not a series until a team wins on the road.

For the third straight game, Stankoven opened the scoring, and Ottawa was once again playing from behind. But they avoided a 2-0 deficit, with Batherson scoring in his second straight game to tie the score. Unfortunately for them, the tie would only last about a minute and a half, as Jackson Blake restored the Canes lead. 2-1 would prove to be the final score, and for the second straight season, the Senators were down 3-0 in the first round.

Last year against the Maple Leafs, they clawed back to force a game six where they ultimately saw their season come to an end.

Game four saw the score tied at one a piece through 40 minutes, and the Senators knew the next goal could decide the game. A familiar face, who else but Stankoven potted the 2-1 goal, and despite a Cozens goal, Aho had two in the final three minutes of the game, including an empty netter to put away the Sens. 4-2 final. 4-0 series.

While I picked the Hurricanes to win this series, I am shocked by it being a sweep. Both Logan Stankoven and Frederik Andersen were incredible in the series. Stankoven scored four goals, one in each game, and Freddy only allowed five goals all series, with a .955 SV%. Ottawa never led the entire series, and their captain was nowhere to be seen on the scoresheet, failing to record a single point. 

No Presidents’ Trophy Curse… so far

Unlike the previous series, this one was expected to be a quick one. The Avalanche lived up to their expectations and took out the Kings in four. Twelve years ago, the Kings took out the Presidents’ Trophy winning Vancouver Canucks en route to winning the Stanley Cup, but in 2026 they didn’t have the same success.

The first two games were closer than expected. Los Angeles was able to keep the scoring low, giving themselves a punchers chance to win either game. Especially in game two when they had Colorado on the ropes, taking a 1-0 lead with just under seven minutes to go in the third. But the Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog scored the equalizer, sending the game to overtime, where deadline acquisition Nic Roy scored to give the Avs a 2-0 series lead.

Shifting the series to Los Angeles, the Kings were desperate, as even though they had done a good job keeping the Avalanche to four goals in two games, they only had two to show for themselves. 

A tough reality for the Kings was that it was only a matter of time before the regular season’s highest scoring team (3.63 goals per game) found their scoring touch. Even though LA was able to double their goal total from the previous two games, so did Colorado, 4-2 final.

In what was potentially Anze Kopitar’s final game in the NHL, pressure was on the Kings to extend the series and give him a win in front of a home crowd. Instead of the magical win, they had their worst result of the series, losing 5-1, having the greatest Slovenian hockey player of all time say goodbye following the loss.

MacKinnon had four points in four games, while Makar was held to just two goals. Scott Wedgewood continues to be one of the best goalies this season, posting a .950 SV% and 1.21 GAA.

Should We Just Cancel The Rest of the Playoffs?

I’m obviously kidding, but seriously, these two teams dominated their first round matchups, and no one would be surprised if we saw an Avalanche vs Hurricanes Stanley Cup Final.

Although the Hurricanes haven’t lost in the first round of the playoffs since 2020, something about this year’s team feels different. The way they handled a red hot Senators team shows they are not messing around. This might be a little disrespectful to the state of Pennsylvania, but Carolina’s second round opponent might be weaker than the team they just swept. I would be surprised to see anyone but the Canes come out of the Metro to make yet another Conference Final.

As for the Avalanche, it’s starting to feel like 2022 again. Kadri is back on the team, they swept their way through round one (beat Nashville in 2022), and they get extra rest as they await their round two opponent. Round two will be the real test for Colorado, as whoever makes it out of the Stars/Wild series will be battle tested and have just beaten a tougher opponent than the Avs. Whichever team they face will set up an amazing series, but for now they can use the rest to prepare.