Home Cookin': The Canes are opening the playoffs at PNC Arena after earning a 28-10-3 record (59 points) on home ice in 2022-23, marking the third-most home wins and fourth-highest home points percentage (.720) in any season in franchise history. Carolina has won nine of its last 11 best-of-seven postseason series that started at home dating back to 2002, and they went 7-1 at PNC Arena during the playoffs
last season.
In Net:Rod Brind'Amour and staff rotated every other game between Antti Raanta and Frederik Andersen for the final eight games of the regular season. Now, all we have is a question mark in regard to who will start for this contest. Andersen is 27-23 in the playoffs all-time with a .916 SV% in seven appearances with the Ducks and Maple Leafs between 2013-2020. In 15 career regular-season games against the Islanders, he is 10-4-1 with a .904 SV%. On the other hand, Raanta made his first playoff start last year, posting a .922 SV% in 13 games. He's faced the Islanders just six times in the regular season over his 10-year NHL career, posting a 2-2 record.
From The Blue Line:One of Carolina's biggest strengths all season long was the scoring from their defenseman, as the group posted a franchise-record 59 goals. Brady Skjei and Brent Burns led the way with 18 goals each, finishing tied for third in goals by an NHL defenseman this season, trailing only Erik Karlson (25) and Dougie Hamilton (22).
Shooting For Three:Carolina went 46-5-5 when scoring three goals or more during the regular season.
On The Other Side:The Islanders will have a spark to their lineup tonight as Mat Barzal returns to the lineup for the first time since February 18. The star forward suffered a lower-body injury, sidelining him for the team's final 23 games of the season. The true X-Factor may be netminder Ilya Sorokin though, who has the best cumulative SV% by any NHL netminder (minimum 120 games) since the start of the 2020-21 season. An All-Star this season, he has both stolen games for his team and shown that the offense in front of him doesn't need to score a ton in order for the team to be successful.
