Ottawa Begins the Playoffs: Series Against Carolina Starts Saturday Afternoon

The NHL has finally confirmed the schedule for the first-round playoff series between the Ottawa Senators and the Carolina Hurricanes. For fans in Ottawa, it means one thing: the team will begin its fight for the Stanley Cup on Saturday afternoon in Raleigh at the Lenovo Center.

Although the team had long assumed that Game 1 would be played on Saturday, official confirmation came only at the last minute. The league released the full first-round schedule only after the Western Conference wrapped up on Thursday evening. According to sources, the playoff calendar was the subject of difficult negotiations involving Sportsnet, ESPN and TNT. American broadcasters reportedly even considered moving the start of the series to Sunday.

Another complication came from Canadian TV scheduling. Sportsnet, according to sources, asked the NHL to avoid putting the Senators and the Montreal Canadiens on the same day so as not to split the national audience. The league gave no firm guarantees, and a compromise was reached only shortly before the announcement.

Because of that uncertainty, Ottawa had difficulty planning its travel. Had the start date been confirmed earlier, the Senators might have flown to Carolina on Thursday. Instead, the team will practice at home on Friday and then travel south later that day.

Ottawa Senators vs. Carolina Hurricanes Series Schedule

For the Senators, the most important stretch of the season is about to begin — and it starts with a true Hockey Afternoon in Canada.