Jackson Blake scored the go-ahead goal in the second period Thursday as the Carolina Hurricanes beat the Senators 2-1 to take Game 3 and a commanding 3-0 series lead.
The Senators will head back to the Canadian Tire Centre on Saturday afternoon with one last chance to extend their season.
Logan Stankoven, with his third goal of the series, opened the scoring five minutes into the first period.
The Hurricanes then stifled the Senators to the point of frustration, until Drake Batherson broke through goaltender Frederik Andersen to even up the score.
Not for long, though, as Blake re-took the lead for the Hurricanes just over a minute later.
Alongside the hole in which the Senators put themselves, they also might be staring down an absence to their best defenceman after Jake Sanderson exited the game in the second period. Ottawa is already without stalwart defender Artem Zub, who exited Game 1 with an undisclosed injury.