Gold: Hurricanes v Leafs preview.
Posted October 25, 2021 4:27 p.m. EDT
The Carolina Hurricanes are off to a 4-0-0 start and welcome in the 2-3-1 Toronto Maple Leafs at PNC Arena tonight. This marks the start of a 4-game home stand that will see Boston, Chicago and Arizona come to town. It also is the third consecutive reunion game for Carolina.
Last Thursday, Jesperi Kotkaniemi made his return to Montreal where he spent the first three seasons of his career. Then, Saturday night in Columbus, Carolina was reunited with defenseman Jake Bean. Tonight, goaltender Frederik Andersen will see his former team for the first time since signing with the Hurricanes as a free agent.
Andersen spent five seasons in Toronto, mostly as a workhorse in goal. For the first four seasons, Andersen averaged more than 60 starts per year and received Vezina Trophy votes in three of those campaigns. The one thing Andersen failed to do with the Leafs was win a playoff series, but when you consider that Andersen’s statistical performance was virtually identical from regular season to playoffs, it’s hard to really lay the blame at his skates.
On a team that boasts Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner and John Tavares, it might be hard to imagine that the Leafs are led in goals by Jason Spezza (3), William Nylander (2) and Michael Bunting (2). Matthews missed the first three games due to injury, but the trio have combined for just 4 points (1g, 3a) in the first six games. And, with the Leafs coming off a 7-1 pasting by Pittsburgh, it’s created some anxious moments north of the border.
Carolina will roll out the same line up today, and why not. Andersen makes his 5th straight start to open the year. And, as I’ve mentioned before on the Canes Corner Podcast (available wherever you get your podcasts), the surprise isn’t that Freddie is starting so much. The only eyebrow to be raised would be towards the head coach. Rod Brind’Amour has never employed anything other than a goalie tandem, so this is a departure more for him and his philosophy than anything else.
Since Andersen has stopped 92 of the 96 shots (.958 SV%) he’s seen, it’s even more understandable that number 31 is getting a crack at his old teammates.
Speaking of old teammates, guess who’s winding the opening siren tonight at PNC Arena?
Yup, THAT guy! David Ayers in town, because of course. The Hurricanes never miss an opportunity to troll an opponent, so the most famous emergency goalie in history (small list, I know) will get the crowd fired up at the start of the game.
The Maple Leafs have scored 12 goals and allowed 19 in the 6 games so far. Carolina’s splits are 18 for to 7 against. Andersen has allowed just one 5-on-5 goal the last three games, with Montreal and Columbus each scoring while on the power play and one of Nashville’s two goals coming with their net empty.
Toronto’s power play is 3 for 19 (15.8%) so far while the Canes have killed off 15 of 17 (88.2%). The other side has Carolina scoring 6 of 16 times with the man advantage (37.5%) while the Leafs have been stingy, allowing just 3 power play goals in 21 tries (85.7%).
For Carolina, Jordan Staal has fared very well against the Leafs. The Captain has 15 goals and 32 points in 40 career games. Teuvo Teravainen has 12 points (4g, 8a) in 13 appearances. In just two games, Martin Necas has 3 goals and 6 points, and considering Marty is looking for his first goal of the season…
John Tavares hasn’t always been with Toronto, but against Carolina it doesn’t matter. The long time Islanders captain has barbequed the Hurricanes in his career, scoring 27 goals and totaling 48 points in 39 career games.
Puck drop is just after 7:00. Alec Campbell and Storm Watch rolls in at 6:30 followed by Mike Maniscalco and Tripp Tracy with the call of the game. Don’t forget to follow the Canes Corner Podcast wherever you get your podcasts. A new episode drops the morning after every Hurricanes game.
