Carolina Hurricanes back Frederik Andersen after Stanley Cup Final defeat
Carolina Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind’Amour has backed goaltender Frederik Andersen following their Game 1 defeat to the Vegas Golden Knights in the Stanley Cup Final.
The 36-year-old conceded five goals on 23 shots during Tuesday’s series opener, continuing a statistical dip that started in the Eastern Conference finals.
However, Brind’Amour insists he has no concerns regarding the veteran netminder’s recent form.
“I think a couple of those games, we weren’t giving up a lot of shots, so the save percentage count is a tough one for our team,” Brind’Amour said.
Statistical drop-off explained
The Hurricanes’ defensive system restricts opposition chances, meaning the shots they do face are often high-quality opportunities without much “fluff” to boost save percentages.
During early-round sweeps of the Ottawa Senators and Philadelphia Flyers, the Danish international posted a formidable .950 save percentage alongside a 1.12 goals-against average.
Those numbers have slipped over the last six matches against the Montreal Canadiens and Vegas, dropping to an .867 save percentage with a negative goals-saved-above-expected rating.
“We’ve been fortunate that he hasn’t had to play a ton of games there, but we’re mindful of it,” Brind’Amour added regarding potential fatigue.
Overcoming past playoff struggles
This postseason marks the deepest and most effective run of the goaltender’s career.
Previous campaigns with Carolina have been marred by injuries and spells of inconsistency that ultimately led to his benching.
Yet, as the franchise reached its first Stanley Cup Final since 2006, the experienced stopper has served as the unquestioned backbone of the roster.
Golden Knights hold the advantage
At the other end of the ice, Vegas counterpart Carter Hart also endured a difficult opening encounter after allowing four goals on 29 shots.
Despite underlying metrics suggesting Hart had the weaker performance, Golden Knights coach John Tortorella praised his goaltender for making crucial saves at important moments.
Both teams are expected to remain unchanged heading into Thursday’s Game 2 in Raleigh.
The Golden Knights boast a remarkable 20-4-1 record since Tortorella took charge late in the regular season. Furthermore, history heavily favours his side, as teams winning the opening game of the Stanley Cup Final go on to lift the championship 75.6% of the time.