Staal the overtime hero as Canes top Islanders 1-0 in playoff series opener
Not overtime again.
Yes, overtime. Again.
Not that the Carolina Hurricanes mind. They’re quickly warming up to playing extra hockey, if that’s what it takes to win in the Stanley Cup playoffs.
Two days removed from going double overtime to beat the Washington Capitals in a memorable Game 7, the Canes needed another overtime Friday to edge the New York Islanders 1-0 in Game 1 of their second-round series at the Barclays Center.
While goaiie Petr Mrazek was near-flawless in net, and had to be, Jordan Staal was the Canes’ offensive hero this night. Nino Niederreiter was wide of the net with a shot from the left circle, the puck bouncing hard off the end boards and directly to Staal, whose tight-angle shot beat goalie Robin Lehner at 4:04 of OT.
“We wanted to roll into this game on a high and keep riding that wave,” Staal said. “It was a good start.”
Staal’s score finally ended a masterful goaltending showdown between Mrazek and Lehner, both unyielding for so long in the series opener.
Canes coach Rod Brind’Amour had said to beat the Islanders, who swept the Pittsburgh Penguins in their first series, the Canes would have to match their patience, their willingness to wait on a mistake and capitalize. It’s the trademark of a Barry Trotz-coached team.
“That’s what playoff hockey is,” Brind’Amour said. “It’s hard. You’ve got to earn every chance.”
Canes defenseman Calvin de Haan said it’s an annoying system to play against -- using the word “annoying” as praise.
“It’s how they’re coached and why they’re successful,” Brind’Amour said. “We’ve got to buckle down and make us annoying to play against.”
The Islanders might have been annoyed facing Mrazek, who turned back all 31 shots in his second shutout of the playoffs and the fifth of his career. Josh Bailey had an chance to give the Isles the lead in the first period, skating in alone after a Canes turnover but Mrazek snatched Bailey’s backhander with his glove.
There would be other testy moments for Mrazek -- tips, deflections, plays around the crease. The Islanders did get the puck in the net in the second period but the goal was waved off when Anders Lee crashed into Mrazek and was called for goaltender interference.
“It wasn’t pretty,” Canes captain Justin Williams said. “I think both teams will say they didn’t play very well. It wasn’t pretty but it was pretty in the end.”
Early in the third, the Canes’ Trevor van Riemsdyk was high-sticked by Cal Clutterbuck. The Canes had four minutes of power-play time, only to have Lucas Wallmark high-stick Valtteri Filppula.
The Canes had another power play in the third after Lee was called for interference, but the Islanders again killed it off. The Canes then needed to kill off a Brock McGinn high-sticking penalty.
It was Staal’s third-period goal that gave the Canes a 3-3 tie in Game 7 against the Caps, and the Canes emerged a 4-3 winner on a McGinn goal. Now, Staal has a playoff game-winner.
“I’m happy for him,” Brind’Amour said . “He deserves this. He deserves to get some breaks. He works so hard.”
The Canes were again without injured forwards Andrei Svechnikov and Micheal Ferland. Also missing in Game 1 was Jordan Martinook, who has been fighting an injury, as Clark Bishop was in the lineup.
Brind’Amour said he believed Svechnikov had completed the concussion protocol. The rookie forward might be able to play Game 2 on Sunday.
There’s a feeling-out period in every playoff series and Friday’s game had much of that. But the Canes, in their first postseason play since 2009, again appeared comfortable in a tight, tense game.
“You have to believe in your group and I think the group believes in each other,” Brind’Amour said. “When we get in this situation there’s certainly no panic. We expect to win. That’s a big part of the success we’re having.”
This story was originally published April 26, 2019 at 10:06 PM.
