The Carolina Hurricanes completed a dominant series sweep of the Ottawa Senators with a 4- 2 victory in Game 4. The Canes advanced to the second round while never trailing in the series. In a physical and penalty-filled contest, Taylor Hall emerged as a difference maker. His goal opened the scoring in the second period, and his third period assist led to the go-ahead power play tally. And Hall did so while being Ottawa’s public enemy no. 1 after his big hit on Senators’ defenseman Jake Sanderson in Game 3.

Hall finished with a goal and an assist, giving him points in all four games of the series. With seven points, Hall is tied with Dallas’s Matt Duchene for the playoff league lead.  Hall and Logan Stankoven became just the second and third players in franchise history to record a point streak of four or more games to open a single postseason, joining Sebastian Aho on that list.

Once again, Frederik Andersen and the Carolina defense led the way. A physical and tight-checking game escalated after the hit on Alexander Nikishin that sent him to the locker room and into the concussion protocol. The rest of the second period was a bloodbath, and it seemed as though whoever scored the first goal would win the game.

With just five minutes left in the second, Eric Robinson gathered the puck after a blocked shot by Mark Jankowski in the defensive end. Robinson started the rush and flipped it to Jankowski at the blue line. Jankowski stretched the defense, and his cross-ice feed hit an isolated Hall in stride. Hall took advantage of a moving Linus Ullmark to open the scoring. Even though the 1-0 lead did not last, it was good for the Hurricanes to break the ice.

Carolina was on the power play about halfway through the third, and Stankoven gave the Canes the eventual game-winner. The Hurricanes had great puck movement, and a K’Andre Miller shot found its way to Stankoven’s stick. Hall earned the secondary assist on the goal.

Throughout this series, Hall, Stankoven, and Jackson Blake’s line dominated. Led by Hall, this line had three of the four highest expected goals percentages in yesterday’s game. Adding to his advanced stat dominance, Hall had the highest Fenwick, a player’s share of unblocked shot attempts, on the team, and the highest Corsi, shot attempt differential while at even strength, among all forwards.

After the game, Hall gave credit to Stankoven for the success of the line:

He’s been awesome. If you look back at how he played the last 10-15 games of the regular season, our line was clicking pretty well. He had so many chances all year long. When you start to see some pucks go in, it makes you feel better, you know? I think that’s probably how he’s going. But it’s the other stuff too. We weren’t on for a goal against all series, and he’s our center. He’s the guy down low doing the work. It’s not just the goals, it’s the 200-foot game that he and our line have done pretty well.

But make no mistake, the skilled veteran on the wing is doing his part on each end of the ice.