Well, the reason I ask this question is because during the last few weeks of the regular season, this became Carolina's thing. They would score first on the road, and it wouldn't take them long. Check it out...
March 22nd at the Penguins - Sebastian Aho scored 47 seconds into the game
March 24th at the Canadiens - Nikolaj Ehlers scored 2:36 into the game
March 31st at the Blue Jackets - Shayne Gostisbehere scored 13:29 into the game
April 5th at the Senators - Logan Stankoven scored 5:22 into the game
April 9th at the Blackhawks - Sean Walker scored 19 seconds into the game
April 11th at the Mammoth - Andrei Svechnikov scored 4:25 into the game
April 13th at the Flyers - Bradly Nadeau scored 8:41 into the game
April 14th at the Islanders - Nikolaj Ehlers scored 3:05 into the game
So do I want to see the Hurricanes again score in the 1st period tonight to grab an early 1-0 lead? NO, no I do not.
From the beginning of the season through January 24th, the Senators experienced nine losing streaks. But since then, only two. They dropped three in a row to the Penguins (in a shootout), Lightning, and Panthers at the end of March, and then they lost Games 1 & 2 in Raleigh, becoming the only 1st round visitors to fail to at least gain a split on the road to start the playoffs. But did you know.....that since their January 24th home loss to these Hurricanes, the Senators are a perfect 6-0 at home following a loss. Check it out...
After losing to the Hurricanes, the Senators hosted the Golden Knights on January 25th and defeated them 7-1.
After losing to the Canadiens, the Senators hosted the Ducks on March 14th and defeated them 2-0.
After losing to the Capitals, the Senators hosted the Islanders on March 19th and defeated them 3-2.
After losing to the Panthers, the Senators hosted the Sabres on April 2nd and defeated them 4-1.
After losing to the Wild, the Senators hosted the Hurricanes on April 5th and defeated them 6-3.
After losing to the Devils, the Senators hosted the Maple Leafs and defeated them 3-1.
All but one of those games they won by more than a goal. The Senators are also 4-1 at home since January 28th when facing a team that defeated them on the road in their most recent meeting, winning those four home games by scores of 5-2 over the Avalanche, 6-3 over the Hurricanes, 6-2 over the Lightning, and 5-1 over the Panthers. The lone defeat was a 2-1 OT loss to the Red Wings.
Over their previous four trips to the playoffs, the Hurricanes succeeded in winning both Games 1 & 2 at home six times (which is an impressive defiance of the Lippsman Split). But, they've gone just 1-5 on the road in Game 3 of those series. Last year they opened the playoffs by defeating the Devils 3-1 and 4-1 in Raleigh before losing 3-2 in double OT in New Jersey. Their other four Game 3 road losses were all by more than one goal, though all of those occurred in 2022 and 2023.
A year ago the Senators returned to the playoffs for the first time in 8 years and dropped Games 1 & 2 in Toronto. Then they returned to Ottawa and lost Game 3 in overtime. Let's hope they learned a lesson about the importance of making sure you win Game 3 if you couldn't win Games 1 or 2 because I went BIG on the Senators -1.5 +210 over the Hurricanes.
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