RALEIGH, N.C. -- Now, Carolina rookie forward Andrew Ladd is known for all the right reasons at this Stanley Cup Final.
In Game 1, Ladd was unjustifiably placed at the center of a mini-firestorm when he crashed into Dwayne Roloson late in the third period, sending the Edmonton goalie crashing into his own net where he injured his right knee. After the game, Roloson was ruled out for the series, diagnosed with a sprained MCL.
Some suggested that Ladd intentionally crashed into Roloson, despite the clear evidence that he was forcefully pushed into the goalie by backchecking defenseman Marc-Andre Bergeron.
Wednesday, Ladd put that controversy behind him, scoring the first goal of Game 2 in an eventual 5-0 victory by Ladd's Hurricanes that gave Carolina a commanding two-games-to-none lead in the best-of-seven series that continues Saturday night with Game 3 in Edmonton.
"It's nice to contribute," Ladd said, laughing when told he owned Wednesday's game-winning goal. "Anytime you can put one in the net, it's a nice feeling."
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Schedule / Links:
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| Gm. 1: CAR 5, EDM 4 | Photos |
| Gm. 2: CAR 5, EDM 0 | Photos |
Gm. 3: June 10, 8:00 p.m. ET
at Edmonton (NBC, CBC, RDS) |
Gm. 4: June 12, 8:00 p.m. ET
at Edmonton (NBC, CBC, RDS) |
*Gm. 5: June 14, 8:00 p.m. ET
at Carolina (NBC, CBC, RDS) |
*Gm. 6: June 17, 8:00 p.m. ET
at Edmonton (NBC, CBC, RDS) |
*Gm. 7: June 19, 8:00 p.m. ET
at Carolina (NBC, CBC, RDS) |
| *if necessary |
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Ladd, the youngest player in this Final at 20, has played well above his chronological age since being re-inserted into the lineup during the second-round series against New Jersey. Wednesday's goal is Ladd's second this playoff season, and second in the past six games.
Those numbers suggest that Ladd has found his comfort level in the all-important second season, when the stakes are raised and results are harder to come by. Ladd insists that his youth, instead of being a detriment, has been a boon for him in this gruelling march to the Final.
"As a young guy, you don't think about those things," Ladd said. "As a young guy, you just go out and play. There's not as much pressure as a guy that's expected to take a leading role. Not that I don't expect to play well every night or make an impact every night. There's more focus on other guys, the Eric Staals and guys like that. It kind of lets me do my thing and get a little comfortable, I guess."
Ladd certainly looked comfortable Wednesday night on his goal. After defenseman Frantisek Kaberle gained control of the puck in his own zone, Ladd received a pass from the defenseman in the neutral zone, keying a two-on-one break with Staal riding shotgun against Bergeron, the Edmonton defenseman.
With everyone at RBC Center, including Edmonton goalie Jussi Markkanen, believing that Ladd would pass to the more-established Staal -- who led the playoffs in scoring entering the game -- Ladd cocked his stick and snapped a laser beam that ticked off Bergeron's skate, over the glove of Markannen and under the crossbar.
"I didn't want to take a chance sliding it across (to Staal)," Ladd said.
Carolina defenseman Aaron Ward said Ladd's decision to shoot was a mark of the youngster's hockey savvy.
"'Ladder', as young as he is, I think that was a smart play," Ward said. "I think we had already had two 2-on-1's and hadn't gotten a shot. For him to shoot it there, that was a pretty mature play."
With that, Carolina was off to the races. And, Ladd was in the spotlight.
"AS far as Andrew Ladd, I think that night after night now he's making a case to be one of our most effective forwards," Laviolette said. "It's his skating, his physical play, his decisions with the puck for a young kid in the Stanley Cup Final have been very impressive. I thought he's played extermely well."
That effectiveness is a condition that Carolina envisioned for Ladd, the fourth-overall pick in the 2004 Entry Draft. But, perhaps not this early.
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The emerging power forward is getting the job done at both ends of the ice.
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Ladd, the youngest player in this Final at 20, has played well above his chronological age since being re-inserted into the lineup during the second-round series against New Jersey. Wednesday's goal is Ladd's second this playoff season, and second in the past six games.
Those numbers suggest that Ladd has found his comfort level in the all-important second season, when the stakes are raised and results are harder to come by. Ladd insists that his youth, instead of being a detriment, has been a boon for him in this gruelling march to the Final.
"As a young guy, you don't think about those things," Ladd said. "As a young guy, you just go out and play. There's not as much pressure as a guy that's expected to take a leading role. Not that I don't expect to play well every night or make an impact every night. There's more focus on other guys, the Eric Staals and guys like that. It kind of lets me do my thing and get a little comfortable, I guess."
Ladd certainly looked comfortable Wednesday night on his goal. After defenseman Frantisek Kaberle gained control of the puck in his own zone, Ladd received a pass from the defenseman in the neutral zone, keying a two-on-one break with Staal riding shotgun against Bergeron, the Edmonton defenseman.
With everyone at RBC Center, including Edmonton goalie Jussi Markkanen, believing that Ladd would pass to the more-established Staal -- who led the playoffs in scoring entering the game -- Ladd cocked his stick and snapped a laser beam that ticked off Bergeron's skate, over the glove of Markannen and under the crossbar.
"I didn't want to take a chance sliding it across (to Staal)," Ladd said.
Carolina defenseman Aaron Ward said Ladd's decision to shoot was a mark of the youngster's hockey savvy.
"'Ladder', as young as he is, I think that was a smart play," Ward said. "I think we had already had two 2-on-1's and hadn't gotten a shot. For him to shoot it there, that was a pretty mature play."
With that, Carolina was off to the races. And, Ladd was in the spotlight.
"AS far as Andrew Ladd, I think that night after night now he's making a case to be one of our most effective forwards," Laviolette said. "It's his skating, his physical play, his decisions with the puck for a young kid in the Stanley Cup Final have been very impressive. I thought he's played extermely well."
That effectiveness is a condition that Carolina envisioned for Ladd, the fourth-overall pick in the 2004 Entry Draft. But, perhaps not this early.
