The 2024 NHL Playoffs are officially underway after the first few games of the first round were played on Saturday, April 20th. In one of those games, the Carolina Hurricanes once again faced the New York Islanders in the opening round. The two teams met in the first round of the 2023 NHL Playoffs, with the Hurricanes defeating the Islanders in six games. A year later, his two teams from the Metro Division would clash again for the Stanley Cup. As always, the atmosphere at PNC Arena was excited as Hurricanes fans were ready to show why Carolina is the loudest house in her NHL. Once the puck dropped, the journey to the Stanley Cup Final began.
Frederik Andersen stands tall
When it came to Game 1 for the Hurricanes, the one that stood out the most was goaltender Frederik Andersen, who played well for Carolina. He played in Game 1 against the Islanders, leading to a 3-1 victory. He saved 34 of 35 shots for a save percentage (SV%) of .971. It's no surprise how good Andersen has been since returning from a blood clotting issue on March 7th. The 34-year-old Danish netminder finished the 2023-24 season with a 13-2-0 record, 1.84 points per game (GAA) and 0.932 SV%. Some analysts around the league wondered how he would fare in the playoffs, despite posting a 1.83 GAA and .927 SV% in nine games during the 2023 postseason with Carolina. . After his performance in Saturday's Game 1, it shouldn't surprise anyone how Andersen will do in the playoffs.
When asked about Andersen's performance in Game 1, Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind'Amour said: He made countless saves tonight that kept us in it. '' Andersen's big third-period stop on Islanders defenseman Noah Dobson showed how effective he was in the first game of the playoffs and how he carried his team on his back in the win.
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Even Andersen, when asked about his play in Game 1, said, “I'm just grateful to be a part of playoff hockey. I think we're a really special team. I'm going to do my job the best I can.'' This is even after a similar performance in last year's postseason that helped Carolina take a 1-0 series lead against the Islanders. , which shows how humble he is. It's unclear whether Andersen will start Game 2 on Monday, April 22nd, but after watching his performance in Game 1, no one would argue with Brind'Amour's choice. .
Kuznetsov brings Eagle Serie to the playoffs
Another big takeaway from the game was forward Evgeny Kuznetsov, who scored for the Hurricanes in the first period. Entering the playoffs, the Hurricanes had the second-best power play in the NHL (26.9%) and forced the Islanders to pay for their first man advantage of the series. Kuznetsov in Carolina's second unit was able to find space after a sharp pass with Martin Necas. The Hurricanes were up 1-0 within seconds of the power play as they couldn't get past Stefan Noesen, who had a great screen that gave Kuznetsov a chance to put the puck in the net.
Noesen's game-winning goal in the third period wasn't the only time Kuznetsov and his lineup scored for the Hurricanes. Kuznetsov's first shot hit defenseman Brady Skrzej and was converted by Noesen, who was in front of the Islanders' goal. For the second time in the game, Norsen's presence in front of the net made the difference in two of the Hurricanes' three goals. He collected the puck and slipped it past Semyon Varlamov, putting the Hurricanes up 2-1 at that point. Carolina won 3-1 thanks to the combined efforts of Noesen and Kuznetsov, demonstrating the team's high scoring ability.
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After the game, Kuznetsov was asked about the Hurricanes game as a whole and how much Andersen meant to the team. He said, “I think the save I made early in the third inning was huge. [The first 40 minutes] It was unacceptable to us. Both of our goalies are playing very good hockey, so we have to make sure we help them. You can't make their job harder. ” Hearing this from a player who was on the team for 20 games gives you a good idea of what kind of person Kuznetsov is as a player. Yes, the Hurricanes won, but there is no need to put any more pressure on the goaltender and force him to bail out his team for two periods. They expect their team to come out even stronger in Game 2 and play 60 minutes of Hurricanes hockey. But no one can overlook the impact that Kuznetsov and his lineup had in Game 1, clinching the series 1-0 in Carolina's favor.
Monday's Important Game 2
All eyes are on Monday night as Game 2 between the Hurricanes and Islanders begins at 7:30 pm ET on Bally Sports South and ESPN2. At this time, there is no word on who will be Carolina's starter. It will be interesting to see if the Hurricanes use Andersen again after his performance in Game 1, or if they use Pyotr Kochetkov, who also had a great season.
The combination of front lines and defense in practice on Sunday, April 21st was the same as in the first game. Additionally, there is no word yet on whether Jesper Fast will be available for Game 2, so it's possible that Jesperi Kotkaniemi will once again play as the team's second-line center. We'll get a clearer answer as we get closer to puck drop in Raleigh.
