The Ottawa Senators suffered a major setback in their playoff campaign after defenseman Jake Sanderson was forced to leave Game 3 following a controversial hit. 

On April 23, 2026, the Ottawa Senators played the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 3 of the first round in the playoffs. In that game, the Senators’ key defenseman, Jake Sanderson, got hit by the Hurricanes' forward Taylor Hall. 

The moment happened in the second period, when Hall hit Jake Sanderson on the head with his shoulder.

Sanderson’s helmet also came out with that hit. He played for a while even after the hit, but left the game later due to injury. 

After that, the Hurricanes forward received a 2-minute minor penalty. The incident did not sit well with the Senators' head coach, Travis Green, who feels that Hall should have received a 5-minute major. 

Coach Travis Green criticized officials after Taylor Hall hit Jake Sanderson, arguing that referees failed to review and issue a major penalty.

“I just don’t understand how there’s not a five-minute major called on the hit to the head,” Green said. “It’s a blatant hit to the head. It’s the kind of hit you don’t want to see. I think it’s ridiculous that there wasn’t a review. They call a review on Brady on a penalty that… I don’t even know what the penalty was.”

While Travis Green saw it differently, Rod Brind'Amour had a different stance on the matter. The Carolina Hurricanes coach pointed to the review, calling it a standard hockey play.

But that is not all for the Ottawa Senators, as they have an upcoming absence to deal with.

Jake Sanderson will miss Game 4, as per Senators HC

On Friday morning, Travis Green, head coach of the Ottawa Senators, confirmed that Jake Sanderson has a concussion and will miss Game 4 against the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday afternoon.

"He's not doing very well. Won't play tomorrow," Green said on Friday morning.

Jake Sanderson is a key defenseman for the team, and his absence will force them to make changes to their lineup. They will now have to rely more on their depth players without him.

The team is already trailing 3–0 in the series and is now facing the threat of elimination.

In Game 3, the Senators lost 2–1. Logan Stankoven got the Carolina Hurricanes rolling early with the opener, before the game tightened up in the second as Drake Batherson and Jackson Blake went goal for goal in a quick exchange.

Before this, the Senators had also lost Game 1 and Game 2 by scores of 2–0 and 3–2, respectively.

Now, if they fail to win Game 4, their series will come to an end.

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Written by

Kapil Manghnani

Edited by

Aadesh Dhote