The Carolina Hurricanes are clinging to a 2-1 lead after two periods over the Ottawa Senators as they look to claim a 3-0 series lead in Game 3.
Carolina opened the period with a 1-0 lead thanks to forward Logan Stankoven, who has opened the scoring in all three games of the series.
Carolina has yet to trail in the series.
Ottawa had a golden opportunity to tie the game halfway through the period when they had a two-man advantage for 1:28, but were unable to score.
Senators captain Brady Tkachuk then walked in alone on Hurricanes netminder Frederik Andersen but was denied with just over six and a half minutes remaining in the frame.
Drake Batherson was finally able to break through for the Senators, dekeing out Andersen to tie the game with 3:54 remaining in the period.
However, Hurricanes forward Jackson Blake scored 1:23 later to return the lead to Carolina.
Senators defenceman Jake Sanderson left the game in the second period after taking a hit to the head from Hurricanes forward Taylor Hall and then taking a puck off the hand minutes later.
Ottawa will begin the third period on the power play for 42 seconds with Hurricanes forward Jordan Martinook in the box for tripping.
The Hurricanes are 0-for-3 on the power play while the Senators are 0-for-3 on the man advantage.
Carolina holds a 20-15 shot advantage in the game.
Carolina finished with the best record in the Eastern Conference with a 53-22-7 record and won the Metropolitan Division.
They are looking to return to the Eastern Conference Final for the fourth time in eight years and make the next step to get to the Stanley Cup Final.
The Senators have made the playoffs for the second straight season and are looking for their first series victory since the 2016-17 campaign.
Game 4 is set to take place on Saturday from the Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa.
