How the Hurricanes, goalie Antti Raanta kept their focus amid frenzied Game 1 finish
Imagine being Carolina Hurricanes goalie Antti Raanta on Monday.
First, Canes coach Rod Brind’Amour picks you to be the starter in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup playoff series against the New York Islanders.
Next, your teammates stake you to a 2-0 lead on power-play goals from Sebastian Aho and Stefan Noesen.
The Islanders score in the second period, but with five minutes left in regulation it’s still 2-1.
Then, a slashing penalty against the Canes’ Brent Burns with 4:59 left in the third period.
That penalty is killed, but the Islanders later pull goalie Ilya Sorokin for an extra attacker, making the final 95 seconds of regulation as tense and frenzied as they come, the noise level in PNC Arena at full pitch as the Islanders push hard for a tying goal and the Canes hustling to prevent it.
“You’re just trying to keep your focus on the puck and what’s going on around you,” Raanta said of the finish. “I think everybody feels it, on the ice and on the bench. The building is rocking and your ears are ringing a little bit.”
For Raanta and the Canes, it all worked out in the end. The Canes won, 2-1, to grab a quick lead in the best-of-seven series, and Raanta was named the game’s first star.
“It’s a pretty awesome feeling to be in these situations and get that chance to get that one-goal lead and go to the last minute and defend that,” Raanta said. “We put our bodies on the line in those last 90 seconds and that was the big reason we got the win.”
On the penalty kill, the Canes’ Brady Skjei was high-sticked and bloodied — but no call. Teuvo Teravainen cleared the puck, denied an entry and then had a takeaway. He knocked the puck down the ice to Aho, who chased after it in the New York zone, encountered Islanders defenseman Sebastian Aho and knocked him to the ice — officially, Aho with the hit on Aho.
The Canes finished 4-for-4 on the penalty kill in the game, but that easily was the biggest as the Hurricanes had a distinct edge in special teams play.
“That won us the game tonight,” the Canes’ Aho said. “Tonight the power play got us both goals and the PK was good. That’s all that matters. Special teams gave us a chance to win tonight.”
In the final seconds of regulation, Canes defensemen Jaccob Slavin blocked a shot. Raanta made a stop on a Brock Nelson shot. The Isles’ Bo Horvat got off a last-gasp shot from a tight angle that Raanta also stopped, sitting in the crease as the game finally ended.
Raanta, 6-0 in PNC Arena in the playoffs last season, finished with 25 saves. In his seven home playoff wins, he now has a 1.16 goals-against average and .958 save percentage.
“He was awesome,” Canes defenseman Brent Burns said. “That’s what you need at this time of the year, for your goalie to be your best player. He was.”
Will Raanta get a chance to be the Canes’ best player again in Game 2, on Wednesday at PNC Arena? He was not asked that question Monday night. Then again, his reaction surely would be the same as when asked about Game 1 after Sunday’s practice.
“Roddy can tell you that,” he said, smiling.
This story was originally published April 18, 2023 at 8:48 AM.
