Head coach Rod Brind’Amour said before and after yesterday’s game that the team and coaching staff are confident in both goalies, and either could have started. Brind’Amour cited playoff experience as the factor in his decision, and that was the right call.
The Lenovo Center was buzzing, and the captain-on-captain fight off the opening puck drop took the energy to another level.
The Carolina Hurricanes needed a steady presence in net, and that is exactly what the team got in Frederik Andersen. And then
some.
Ottawa had just 22 shots, well below their regular season average of 29. Andersen stopped high-quality scoring chances and delivered in the clutch when the game was on the line.
There is no easy shutout in the NHL, and this was no cakewalk for Andersen. Data from Natural Stat Trick paint a picture of elite goaltending under pressure:
- xGoals Against: 1.508
- Goals Saved Above Expected (GSAx): +1.517
Andersen saved 1.52 goals more than an average goaltender would have allowed based on shot quality and location. That is an outstanding single-game mark.
Below is the danger-zone breakdown via MoneyPuck:
- Low-Danger Shot Attempts: 30 (0.739 xG)
- Medium-Danger Shot Attempts: 5 (0.564 xG)
- High-Danger Shot Attempts: 1 (0.205 xG)
- Rebound xGoals Against: 0.385
Ottawa had some high-quality shots despite the low volume, and Andersen was perfect in every category.
Other keys to victory yesterday were Carolina’s edges in possession and shot quality.
The Canes had far more chances, a significant edge in total scoring chances, and expected goals. With shots and shot attempts packed in Ottawa’s high-danger zone, it showed Carolina’s overall territorial dominance.
This was certainly a major factor in the game’s outcome, but the Senators were able to create some high-quality chances despite the Hurricanes’ strong overall performance. Four power play opportunities for Ottawa were important sequences for both teams.
The third period is when Andersen earned Player of the Game honors. While protecting a one-goal lead, Andersen made highlight-reel stops as Ottawa was controlling the game.
A spectacular glove save on Drake Batherson’s rebound attempt at the top of the crease was when the game could have taken a different direction based on the Senators’ surge during those minutes preceding that play. The referee had a quick whistle and initially called it a goal to tie the game. Replay confirmed the puck never fully crossed the line, and Carolina retained their one-goal lead.
Moments later, Andersen made a desperation falling-back leg save on Brady Tkachuk from in the crease. Again, a goal there and the game could have turned out much differently.
Facing a two-goal deficit, Ottawa pulled the goalie with nearly three and a half minutes left in the game. A delay of game penalty gave the Senators a power play, further ramping up the pressure on the Canes to close out the game. In the waning minutes during a six-on-four, Ottawa was in full attack mode. Once again, Andersen stood tall. He stopped three shots on net while his teammates blocked five attempts.
With just five shots in the first period and four in the second, Andersen turned away 13 shots in the third period. That can be a tough position for a goaltender. Good defense and limited shots could build some rust, but Andersen stayed engaged. He proved that when it mattered most in the third.
In a series that promises to be tight and physical, Andersen’s veteran poise, positioning, and big-save ability set the tone and helped Carolina earn a critical Game 1 victory.
