Gold: The Antti Raanta Show has been a hit
Posted May 20, 2022 10:28 a.m. EDT
Updated May 21, 2022 8:01 a.m. EDT
The Carolina Hurricanes stole Game 1 from the New York Rangers. The Canes were slow out of the gates, fell behind 1-0 early in the first period, and were fortunate that the deficit wasn’t bigger. Were it not for goaltender Antti Raanta’s stellar play any potential comeback would have been a pipe dream. “Without [Raanta]”, according to center Vincent Trocheck, “we might have been down four after two periods.”
I’d like to report a Raabery. Get it? Raabery. Would the joke have worked better if I said Carolina’s goalie was Antti-giving up goals to the Rangers? Nevermind.
While Jaccob Slavin has undoubtedly been Carolina’s best player, Raanta has been the playoffs’ best story. A career backup, Raanta had never started a postseason game in his career before Game 1 of the opening round series against the Bruins.
Even then, the durability problems that have dotted Raanta’s career resurfaced when David Pastrnak’s drive by contact knocked him out about 8 minutes into his Game 2 start. But, from Game 5 of that series on, Raanta has been outstanding.
Actually, he’s been great throughout. Raanta is sporting a .933 save percentage and a 4-2 record through 7 playoff appearances. That’s the best of any remaining goalie that has appeared in at least five games. Only Jordan Binnington’s .944 (entering Thursday’s action) in 4 appearances was better.
Frederik Andersen, Carolina’s primary starter this year, has been sidelined since April 16 with a lower body injury and has yet to practice. Will Freddie assume the starting job when he returns to health?
“It’s a pointless conversation”, head coach Rod Brind’Amour said on Wednesday. “Right now it’s not even an option.” Andersen did skate on Thursday, but not part of an official practice. And, according to Brind’Amour, that doesn’t count. Considering how little practice time there actually is during the postseason, we’re all probably safer just assuming that this series belongs to the former Rangers backup.
Did I not mention that Raanta spent two seasons in New York behind future Hall of Fame netminder Henrik Lundqvist? Well, consider yourself informed. What we’re seeing with Raanta is surprising from the standpoint of this being hs first crack at the responsibility of starting in the postseason. But, with a career save percentage of .919, his performance hasn’t been completely out of left field.
Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes….
Trailing 1-0 entering the third period Rod Brind’Amour flipped some of the lines around in search of a spark. And sparks definitely flew. The most notable of those changes was putting Teuvo Teravainen on the line with his fellow Finn Sebastian Aho and Seth Jarvis (honorary Finn having lived in Aho’s house for half the season). They created a great scoring chance right away with an Aho feed to Teravainen in front of the net that was ultimately stopped by New York’s Igor Shesterkin.
It was that trio that combined on the tying goal. Teravainen’s cross ice pass to Jarvis was slid forward to Aho who beat Shesterkin with 2:23 left in regulation. Aho scored 37 regular season goals, 20 of them were assisted by Teravainen. Plus, two of Sebastian’s three playoff goals had “Turbo” figuring in on the scoring as well.
Line ‘em up…
Teravainen-Aho-Jarvis
Svechnikov-Trocheck-Necas
Niederreiter-Staal-Fast
Domi-Kotkaniemi-Lorentz
Slavin-DeAngelo
Skjei-Pesce
Smith-Cole
Raanta
Unlikely hero…
Ian Cole has now played in 104 career Stanley Cup Playoff games. 54 of them came while winning back-to-back championships with Pittsburgh in 2016 and 2017. Before Wednesday night, Cole had 1 postseason goal.
ONE!
Cole’s OT-winner was his first goal in 50 playoff games, having last hit the back of the net in Game 4 of the 2016 Stanley Cup Finals. He scored the first goal of the Penguins 3-1 win over San Jose. Pittsburgh went on to win that series in 6 games.
Cole scored twice during the season for the Hurricanes. His last coming on January 22 in a loss at New Jersey.
Even Steven…
Apart from a 2:54 stretch of the first period, when Nino Niederreiter and New York’s Ryan Strome were called for minor penalties, this game was played at 5-on-5. Niederreiter went off early for high sticking. Then, 27 seconds into the Rangers’ power play, Strome was whistled for tripping. Neither team did much with their abbreviated man advantage situations and that was it for the rest of the game.
It was the third time this season that Carolina played a game in which there was only one power play each way.
Wanna bet…?
ML: Carolina -175/New York +150. O/U: 5.5 goals.
Coverage begins at 7:00 on 99.9 the Fan with Storm Watch starring Dennis Cox. Opening face off set for just after 8:00. Don’t forget to follow the Canes Corner Podcast as a new episode drops the #MorningAfter every Hurricanes game.
