Senators getting 2nd-round pick back in lineup for Game 3 vs. Hurricanes

The Stanley Cup Playoffs series between the Senators and Hurricanes heads to Ottawa for Game 3. The Senators are down 0-2 after a double overtime loss in Game 2.

Now, the team is getting some positive news, getting a blueliner and former second-round pick back in the lineup for Game 3, according to Joshua Clipperton of The Canadian Press.

Tyler Kleven will be making his debut in the series in Game 3. He has been out since blocking a shot on April 2 against the Buffalo Sabres. This led to an upper-body injury, and now he returns to a lineup that was already depleted. Nick Jensen has been out due to meniscus surgery, while Artem Zub left with a lower-body injury in Game 1.

Meanwhile, Jake Sanderson is likely needing to cut back on minutes some in Game 3, after Sanderson played 43 minutes in Game 2 of the series. Still, with the series being on the verge of moving to 3-0, it will be all-hands-on-deck for the Senators.

Kleven was solid this year from the blueline for the Senators. He played in 70 games, primarily on the third rotation of defensemen. He scored three times while adding 15 assists and coming away with a plus-two plus/minus rating. He comes in with playoff experience. In the 2025 playoffs, Kleven had two assists in six games while playing 15:46 per game and having six penalty minutes.

The Sens fell down 3-0 in the 2025 playoffs to the Toronto Maple Leafs. They lost the first two games on the road before falling in overtime in Game 3. While the Sens were able to win Game 4 and Game 5, their season would end at home with a loss in Game 6. Now, the team looks to avoid a second straight year in a three-game hole.

Game 3 is set for Thursday night in Ottawa, with puck drop at 7:30 p.m. ET.

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