Logan Stankoven and Taylor Hall each scored, goaltender Frederik Andersen recorded a shutout and the Hurricanes beat the Ottawa Senators 2-0 on Saturday to take Game 1.
Stankoven opened the scoring early in the second period after he was left open in the slot and slid a puck through the five-hole of Senators goalie Linus Ullmark.
Senators forward Drake Batherson thought he had tied the game up early in the third period, but a video review determined the puck had not crossed the Hurricanes goal line, wiping their tally off the board.
The Hurricanes then dealt the death blow shortly thereafter, when Hall snuck the puck into the net amid a netfront scramble.
The Senators have the chance to rebound on Monday, when they return to Lenovo Center for Game 2.