Who will be the Carolina Hurricanes’ No. 1 goalie in the playoffs? Don’t ask just yet
For those looking ahead to the Stanley Cup playoffs and wondering if the Carolina Hurricanes might rotate their goaltenders, here’s some advice: Don’t ask.
As Canes coach Rod Brind’Amour said Tuesday, “I don’t know, Maybe. Let’s get there first.”
The Hurricanes have qualified for the playoffs for a fifth consecutive season, so that part’s done. They will go into Thursday’s road game against the Nashville Predators in first place in the Metropolitan Division, three points ahead of the New Jersey Devils with five games remaining in the regular season.
Frederik Andersen should be the starting goalie against the Predators. It could be Antti Raanta back in net Saturday against the Buffalo Sabres. So it goes.
Raanta has not lost a game in regulation since mid-November. The veteran Finn missed 11 games in March with a lower-body injury but has won twice since returning and has an 18-2-3 record this season.
Raanta is 15-0-2 in his last 17 decisions. He has won eight straight after beating the Ottawa Senators 3-2 in overtime Tuesday as winger Martin Necas — “Mr. OT” — won another one.
Raanta faced just 14 shots in shutting out the Montreal Canadiens 3-0 last weekend at the Bell Centre. He was considerably busier Tuesday against the Sens, stopping 26 of 28 shots, and had Ottawa forward Ridly Greig crash down on him in net in the second period. That gave Canes fans at PNC Arena some uneasy moments.
“What I like about ‘Rants’ game is that he has been solid and has come up with the save at the right times,” Brind’Amour said. “Timing is big with goaltending,”
Raanta, who has a 2.20 goals-against average and .911 save percentage, appeared a bit uncomfortable after the game when reminded about his 17-game point streak, a franchise record.
“I kinda know that, but obviously I try not to think about it,” Raanta said. “The main goal is to help the team. I’ve had a couple of games where I felt I didn’t play that well where the guys got the two points or got us to the OT. You just try to do your job and get the two points.”
A year ago, Andersen was injured and out when the playoffs began with a first-round series against the Boston Bruins. Raanta was the No. 1 guy in net, winning a memorable Game 7 against the Bruins at PNC Arena that had him blinking back tears after the game when his young daughter hopped into his lap during the postgame interview.
The Canes, unable to win a road game in the playoffs, lost Game 7 to the New York Rangers at PNC Arena in the second round. Andersen, who had a knee injury, could only watch as Raanta and rookie Pyotr Kochetkov handled the goaltending in the two seven-game series.
How disappointing was it not to be able to play?
“Huge,” Andersen said in an interview last week. ”It’s been before the pandemic I’ve played a real playoff. It’s something that’s been sitting with me for a while. I obviously want to get back into it and live that adrenaline and all the emotions and the energy (of the crowd).
“Obviously I want to be back out there pretty badly.”
Andersen has had more injury issues this season, missing 29 games after abruptly leaving a practice session in early November. He has gone 15-6-1 since returning Jan. 12 against Columbus, and was the starter and winner in the much-anticipated Stadium Series outdoor game at Carter-Finley Stadium against the Washington Capitals.
Andersen is 20-9-1 overall with a 2.42 GAA and .904 save percentage this season, rebounding from a gut-wrenching loss at Detroit last week — the Red Wings scoring the winning goal in the final seconds – for a solid 2-1 win over the New York Islanders on Sunday.
“Since coming back I think overall I’ve been feeling really, really good,” Andersen said in the interview. “There’s been some really good games, especially just the good foundational stuff I want to see in my game. For what I look for, I think I’m right there.
“I’m where I want to be. I’m doing good things and I want to trust it and stay with it.”
And the starting goalie in Game 1 of the playoffs? Brind’Amour has a decision to make, but best to wait another week to ask that one.
This story was originally published April 6, 2023 at 11:57 AM.
