Senators beat the Hurricanes 7-5 in the regular-season finale for the playoff-bound teams

OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — Drake Batherson scored the tying and go-ahead goals in the third period and the Ottawa Senators tuned up for the playoffs with a 7-5 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday night in the regular-season finale for both teams.

Brady Tkachuk returned to Ottawa's lineup after missing eight games because of an upper-body injury, then took a stick to the face with about five minutes left in the second period and didn’t return.

Adam Gaudette also scored twice for Ottawa (45-30-7). Dylan Cousins, Shane Pinto and Tim Stutzle added goals, and Linus Ullmark made 28 saves. Ottawa will open playoffs at Toronto on Sunday.

Skyler Brind’Amour, the son of Carolina coach Rod Brind’Amour scored his first NHL goal, and Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Andrei Svechnikov, Jack Roslovic and Tyson Jost also scored for the Hurricanes (47-30-5). Carolina will open the postseason Sunday at home against New Jersey.

Hurricanes: Carolina was coming off a 4-2 loss in Montreal on Wednesday night that wrapped up a playoff spot for the Canadiens.

Senators: Thomas Chabot and Artem Zub were given the night off in advance of the playoffs.

Batherson gave Ottawa the lead on a power play with 6:22 to go, just 3:37 after he tied it.

Ottawa defenseman Travis Hamonic played his 900th NHL career game.

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Ottawa Senators goaltender Linus Ullmark, second from right, stretches for a pad-save on a shot by Carolina Hurricanes center Jesperi Kotkaniemi (82) during first-period NHL hockey game action in Ottawa, Ontario, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (Spencer Colby/The Canadian Press via AP)

Carolina Hurricanes center Logan Stankoven, second from left, is stopped by Ottawa Senators goaltender Linus Ullmark (35) during first-period NHL hockey game action in Ottawa, Ontario, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (Spencer Colby/The Canadian Press via AP)

Carolina Hurricanes center Skyler Brind'Amour (76) scores against Ottawa Senators goaltender Linus Ullmark, second from left, during first-period NHL hockey game action in Ottawa, Ontario, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (Spencer Colby/The Canadian Press via AP)

Ottawa Senators goaltender Linus Ullmark (35) blocks a shot by Carolina Hurricanes' Bradly Nadeau (29) during first-period NHL hockey game action in Ottawa, Ontario, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (Spencer Colby/The Canadian Press via AP)

Ottawa Senators right wing Drake Batherson (19) misses the puck as Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen (31) leaps into position during third-period NHL hockey game action in Ottawa, Ontario, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (Spencer Colby/The Canadian Press via AP)

Carolina Hurricanes defenceman Scott Morrow (56) works under pressure from Ottawa Senators centre Ridly Greig (71) during second period NHL hockey action in Ottawa, on Thursday, April 17, 2025. (Spencer Colby/The Canadian Press via AP)

Ottawa Senators right wing Drake Batherson (19) celebrates after his goal against the Carolina Hurricanes during third-period NHL hockey game action in Ottawa, Ontario, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (Spencer Colby/The Canadian Press via AP)

Carolina Hurricanes left wing William Carrier (28) tries to score against Ottawa Senators goaltender Linus Ullmark (35) during third-period NHL hockey game action in Ottawa, Ontario, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (Spencer Colby/The Canadian Press via AP)

Ottawa Senators center Tim Stutzle (18) celebrates after his goal during third-period NHL hockey game action against the Carolina Hurricanes in Ottawa, Ontario, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (Spencer Colby/The Canadian Press via AP)

Ottawa Senators right wing Drake Batherson (19) scores against Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen (31) during third-period NHL hockey game action in Ottawa, Ontario, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (Spencer Colby/The Canadian Press via AP)

DEIR AL BALAH (AP) — Israeli strikes across Gaza have killed at least 13 people, according to health officials, as U.S. President Donald Trump was expected to announce his Board of Peace to oversee the fragile ceasefire.

Health officials and family members said at least one child was among the dead in northern Gaza following several strikes there as well as east of Gaza City.

Israel's army said Friday that it struck Hamas infrastructure and fighters in southern and northern Gaza in response to a failed projectile launched by militants from the Gaza City area.

The phased ceasefire between Israel and Hamas remains in its initial stage as efforts continue to recover the remains of the final Israeli hostage in Gaza.

Officials say that Trump is expected to announce next week his appointments to his Board of Peace, which he has said he will head, marking an important step forward for his Middle East peace plan. The process has moved slowly since a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas took effect nearly three months ago.

The U.S. official and another official spoke on condition of anonymity pending a formal announcement.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that Bulgarian diplomat Nickolay Mladenov would be the board's “designated” director-general. Mladenov is a former Bulgarian defense and foreign minister who served as the U.N. envoy to Iraq before being appointed as the U.N. Mideast peace envoy from 2015-2020. During that time, he had good working relations with Israel and frequently worked to ease Israel-Hamas tensions.

Under Trump’s plan, the board would supervise a new technocratic Palestinian government, the disarmament of Hamas, the deployment of an international security force, additional pullbacks of Israeli troops and reconstruction. The U.S. has reported little progress on any of these fronts so far.

On Thursday, Egyptian and European Union leaders met in Cairo and urged the deployment of the international stabilization force. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said that Hamas still refused to disarm and called the situation “extremely severe."

Israel and Hamas have accused each other of violating the ceasefire, which took effect on Oct. 10. Continued Israeli strikes in Gaza have killed more than 400 Palestinians, according to local health officials.

The Israeli military says any actions since the ceasefire began have been in response to violations of the agreement.

The strikes Thursday killed an 11-year-old girl who dreamed of becoming a doctor, a teenage girl and two boys in a tent camp, according to relatives and health officials. At least a dozen others were injured, hospital officials said.

Israel’s military said on Thursday that it wasn't aware of any strike-related casualties in northern Gaza’s Jabaliya area, where 11-year-old Hamsa Housou was killed, and didn't immediately comment on the other deaths that were reported that day.

Palestinians inspect the damage at a displacement camp following an Israeli strike in Gaza City, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)

Palestinians inspect the damage at a displacement camp following an Israeli strike in Gaza City, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)

Palestinians inspect damaged tents at a displacement camp following an Israeli strike in Gaza City, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)

Palestinians inspect the damage at a displacement camp following an Israeli strike in Gaza City, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)

Palestinians inspect the damage at a displacement camp following an Israeli strike in Gaza City, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)

The bodies of Palestinians killed in an Israeli army strike are brought to the morgue at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, in the Gaza Strip, Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)

The bodies of Palestinians killed in an Israeli army strike are brought to the morgue at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, in the Gaza Strip, Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)

Hamas militants search for the remains of Israeli hostage in Zeitoun neighborhood of Gaza City, Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)

The body of 11-year-old Palestinian girl Hamsa Hosou, killed by Israeli fire in Jabalia, is brought to Shifa Hospital in Gaza City Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)

The body of 11-year-old Palestinian girl Hamsa Hosou, killed by Israeli fire in Jabalia, is brought to Shifa Hospital in Gaza City Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)