The Ottawa Senators look to leverage their strong defensive unit and home-ice advantage as they host the Carolina Hurricanes in a potential playoff preview at Canadian Tire Centre.
Both teams have secured their postseason positions with the Hurricanes locked in as the Metropolitan Division's second seed while the Senators have clinched their first playoff appearance since 2017 as the Eastern Conference's top wild card.
With outstanding goaltending on both sides and defenses allowing fewer than 3 goals per game, fans should expect a tight, tactical battle that could foreshadow a deeper playoff matchup.
Ottawa Senators vs. Carolina Hurricanes prediction: who will win?
For tonight's Ottawa Senators vs Carolina Hurricanes matchup, our predictive model gives the Hurricanes a 52.5% chance of defeating the Sens.
Pre-game probabilities
Carolina Hurricanes
Moneyline
Win %
52.5%
47.5%
Ottawa Senators
Carolina Hurricanes: 52.5% win probability
- Strong defensive structure (215 goals against, 5th best in Eastern Conference)
- Higher league position (4th in Eastern Conference with 99 points)
- Superior goal differential (+35 compared to Senators' +7)
Ottawa Senators: 47.5% win probability
- Inconsistent recent form (LWWLW in last five games)
- Defensive vulnerability (229 goals allowed, middle of the pack in East)
- Lower points total despite similar games played (95 points vs Hurricanes' 99)
At Sporting Post, our unique prediction model combines insights from top NHL experts. Instead of sifting through hundreds of expert analyses across the web, you can rely on our predictions to understand the market's overall sentiment. We scan trusted sources, analyzing predictions, data, and opinions, and our AI assigns a confidence level to each prediction. We then average these levels to produce an 'expert opinion' win probability—reflecting the collective intelligence of the industry's leading NHL experts..
| Ottawa Senators | Carolina Hurricanes | |
|---|---|---|
| Moneyline |
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Ottawa Senators vs. Carolina Hurricanes preview
The Carolina Hurricanes and Ottawa Senators clash Thursday at Canadian Tire Centre with both playoff-bound teams looking to build momentum for the postseason push ahead.
The Hurricanes have secured the second seed in the Metropolitan Division behind a balanced attack scoring 3.28 goals per game, led by Sebastian Aho and Seth Jarvis who've combined for an impressive 61 goals and 80 assists this season.
Ottawa, making their first playoff appearance since 2017, leans heavily on their defensive prowess, allowing just 2.87 goals per game with Thomas Chabot and Nick Jensen anchoring the blueline.
The goaltending matchup features Frederik Andersen (.907 save percentage) against Anton Forsberg, whose steady play between the pipes has been crucial to the Senators' success.
Carolina enters slightly favored but is coming off a disappointing 4-1 loss to Toronto, while the Senators will look to leverage home ice advantage despite dropping their previous contest 4-3 to Chicago.
With both teams boasting top-10 defensive units, expect a tight-checking affair where special teams could make the difference – Ottawa's power play has been particularly lethal, converting at a 22.83% clip this season.
Ottawa Senators vs. Carolina Hurricanes form
Ottawa Senators vs. Carolina Hurricanes head to head
Ottawa Senators
33%
Carolina Hurricanes
67%
Dec 14, 2024
Carolina Hurricanes
0 : 3
Ottawa Senators
Nov 17, 2024
Carolina Hurricanes
4 : 0
Ottawa Senators
Mar 17, 2024
Ottawa Senators
2 : 7
Carolina Hurricanes
Dec 13, 2023
Ottawa Senators
1 : 4
Carolina Hurricanes
Oct 11, 2023
Carolina Hurricanes
5 : 3
Ottawa Senators
Apr 10, 2023
Ottawa Senators
3 : 2
Carolina Hurricanes
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