Welcome to the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs with the Ottawa Senators at home against the Carolina Hurricanes for Game 3 of their Eastern Conference first-round series. This is NHL Predictions with us here at Last Word On Hockey. This is where we break down key storylines, statistics, and analysis to try to decipher how the games will play out. With Carolina up two-games-to-none, this is almost as much of a must-win as you can have, without physically having one. Going down 3-0, would be a near death scenario, especially to the dynamic Hurricanes. Let’s find out if we think the Sens can do it.
NHL Predictions with Senators and Hurricanes
Season Series: In the regular season, Carolina won the season series 2-1-0, but only outscored Ottawa 11-10 in those three meetings of strong teams. Now, in this postseason, it is 2-0 Carolina, with the total score at 5-2.
Puck Drop: 7:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) || 4:30 p.m. Pacific
How to Watch: TBS, HBO MAX, CBC, Sportsnet, TVAS, FDSNSO
Location: From the cozy confines of the Canadian Tire Centre, live from Kanata, Ontario.
Alex Cave/ZUMA Press Wire
Carolina being up 2-0 is bleak, but as they say, you’re not in trouble until you lose on home ice. So for the Sen fans, let’s say that. Furthermore, Carolina remains very healthy throughout their lineup. It is one way they can win the matchup game, and keep great rhythm throughout the lineup.
Tyler Kleven is getting so close he can probably taste it. Yesterday at Sens practice, he was seen sporting a full-visor on his lid. Head coach Travis Green and company know the urgency of this series right now, and want as full of a lineup as we could have. Our update from today is that both Cameron Crotty and Kleven draw in. That means Lassi Thomson and Dennis Gilbert won’t be a part of the lineup this evening. Artem Zub remains out.
Tyler Kleven is playing tonight.
Also, Cameron Crotty draws in the lineup.
— Alex Adams (@alexadamsBTP_) April 23, 2026
The Matchup
It seems by adding Warren Foegele, over Fabian Zetterlund say, the line with Pinto and Amadio has turned the corner. The idea is that Nick Cousins wasn’t getting the job done up on the third line.
In the regular season, the Pinto and Amadio combos was one of the most effective third lines in all of hockey. However, head coach Rod Brind’Amour has done masterfully to combat that attack.
The line of Logan Stankoven, Taylor Hall, and Jackson Blake have been the ultimate three-headed monster. In almost 29 minutes on ice together this series, their expected goal percentage is 73. Even though Foegele, Amadio, and Pinto is 80%, they haven’t been together for 11 minutes through two games. In a couple very tight, low scoring games, that differential in possession will wear you down.
Ottawa needs to find its efficiency from its scoring lines. They need Tim Stutzle chipping in offensively. Moreover, the number of posts and in tight scoring chances are notable, but they need closers.
Meanwhile, it seems all Carolina needs to do is maintain status quo. They have a lot of high-end depth, and the Sens need to game-plan to counter Sebastian Aho or Andrei Svechnikov.
The Goalies
The goaltending matchup has actually been a dandy. Through two games, Frederik Andersen has a .967 save percentage, and Linus Ullmark is .936. The goals-against average are super low, too. Ullmark’s GAA is below two, at 1.99, and he’s lost two. Meanwhile, Andersen has been superhero-like, with a 0.78 GAA. Simply Sensation. If the Sens want this series to go long, they’ll need to figure out Freddie. Their depth guys, like Michael Amadio or Shane Pinto, need to go to the net, get in Freddie’s kitchen, and start finishing. That would be an easy recipe for a Game 3 victory. One game at a time, as they say.
NHL Predictions
Ottawa had the ninth best point percentage on home ice (.634). Meanwhile, Carolina show again why they’re a powerhouse, with a .646 P% (or fourth best) on the road. As we suggested at the beginning of series, we expect a long one. Therefore, it is Ottawa’s job to make the series 2-1. We think they can, and they will.
Prediction: Carolina 1 – Ottawa 3
Prop Bets
For our classic anytime goal scorers, we again like Seth Jarvis for the Canes. He hasn’t scored yet in the series, but being Carolina’s leading goal-scorer from the regular season, we say take him. For Ottawa, we think Brady Tkachuk breaks out in this one. Take him (along with the Sens to win, of course).
Main Photo Credit: Marc DesRosiers-IMAGN Images
Please play responsibly, check for your local rules and age restrictions; some jurisdictions require ages 21+. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.
