Stankoven, Blake Push Carolina to 3-0 Series Lead

Logan Stankoven scored the opening goal for the third straight playoff game, Jackson Blake netted the late go-ahead 83 seconds after Ottawa tied it, and Frederik Andersen made 21 saves as the Carolina Hurricanes beat the Ottawa Senators 2-1 at Canadian Tire Centre on Thursday to take a 3-0 series lead.

Ottawa Senators 1 - 2 Carolina Hurricanes (periods 0-1, 1-1, 0-0)

Goals: 36:06 Batherson (Cousins) — 5:13 Stankoven (Hall), 37:29 Blake (Miller, Hall).

Goalies: Ullmark (25 saves) — Andersen (21 saves).

Power play: OTT 0-for-5 (incl. 5-on-3); CAR 0-for-4. Series: Carolina lead 3-0.

Stankoven again — first goal, three games running

Stankoven made it 1-0 at 5:13 of the first when he beat Linus Ullmark off a feed from Taylor Hall, becoming the first player in Hurricanes history to score the opening goal in three consecutive playoff games. Carolina killed off two Ottawa power plays, including a 5-on-3, to keep the lead through 40 minutes despite the home side's pressure.

Batherson ties it, Blake answers immediately

Drake Batherson finally found a way past Andersen at 16:06 of the second period after a Nick Cousins assist — but the equalizer was short-lived. Just 83 seconds later, at 17:29, Jackson Blake converted off a K'Andre Miller and Taylor Hall set-up to restore Carolina's lead. The Senators couldn't manufacture a clean look in the third, and Andersen calmly closed it out.

Andersen, the difference

Andersen finished with 21 saves, including a stretch in the third where Ottawa pushed for the equalizer. Ottawa was 0-for-5 on the power play, including a failed 5-on-3 in the second period — the type of opportunity a team trailing in a series cannot squander. The defensive lapse was compounded when Jake Sanderson left in the second period after a head-contact penalty against Hall.

What it means

Carolina sit one win from a sweep, with Game 4 on Saturday afternoon at Canadian Tire Centre. Ottawa, who have not led at any point in the series, will need to win four straight to extend their season — and they will likely have to do it without Sanderson.