Andersen ‘locked in’ for undefeated Hurricanes in Stanley Cup Playoffs

PHILADELPHIA -- Calm by nature, whether he’s stopping pucks or sitting in his locker stall, Frederik Andersen predictably answered the question almost matter-of-factly.

Is the Carolina Hurricanes goalie happy with his game right now?

“Yeah, why not?” Andersen said after the Hurricanes clinched another trip to the Eastern Conference Final with a 3-2 overtime victory against the Philadelphia Flyers in Game 4 of the second round on Saturday. “Why wouldn't I be?”

It would be difficult for anyone to come up with a reason after the way Andersen has played through Carolina’s first eight games in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, all of them wins. The 36-year-old has yet to give up more than two goals this postseason, stopping 191 of 201 shots in sweeping the Ottawa Senators in the first round and the Flyers in the second to lead the League with a 1.12 goals-against average and .950 save percentage, along with two shutouts.

“He’s been locked in,” Hurricanes defenseman Jaccob Slavin said. “He's been unbelievable for us, absolutely a brick wall back there, and when we have had breakdowns, he's been there to shut the door. So, it’s huge for us and we just need him to continue to do that.”

Andersen became the fifth goalie in the past 20 years to win eight consecutive playoff games, joining Chris Osgood (nine in 2008), Tuukka Rask (eight in 2019), Jonathan Quick (eight in 2012) and Dwayne Roloson (eight in 2011). He is the sixth goalie in NHL history to begin a postseason with at least eight games of allowing two goals or fewer, joining Jacques Plante (nine in 1969), Clint Benedict (nine in 1928), Jean-Sebastian Giguere (eight in 2007), Ed Belfour (eight in 1990) and Terry Sawchuk (eight in 1952). 

“Happy to stack up wins and contribute,” Andersen said. “I feel like I worked a lot this year to just to get to a point where I feel like I'm moving well and my stance is good. So, I think that's the key.”

That’s been the difference for Andersen since the regular season, when he was 16-14-5 in 35 games (all starts) during the regular season and his 3.05 GAA and .874 save percentage were the worst of his 13-season NHL career. In fact, there was some question heading into the playoffs whether Andersen or rookie Brandon Bussi, who was 31-6-2 with a 2.47 GAA, .895 save percentage and two shutouts in 39 regular-season games (all starts), would get the nod.

Andersen got the call for Game 1 against Ottawa because of his experience, made 22 saves in a 2-0 victory and has made every decision on the starting goalie since then a no-brainer for coach Rod Brind’Amour.

“I don't think anybody predicted that,” Brind’Amour said. “We certainly went into the playoffs thinking, ‘OK, we're probably going to use both (goalies).’ Why not? They both deserve to play. And there’s just been no reason to go any other direction. 

“He's just playing lights out, and obviously we need that to continue.”

What’s been different about Andersen in the playoffs?

“I don't know. I can't tell you,” Brind’Amour said. “He's just stopping the puck, and his game always looks the same. That's the thing about him -- you never really know when he's playing good or bad. It just kind of looks the same, and obviously he's been great for us.”

Andersen credits his teammates with limiting the scoring chances he faces. With their incessant forecheck pressure, the Hurricanes outshot the Flyers 40-17 on Saturday. 

“It’s puck possession,” Andersen said.  “We want to be above them and make it hard for them. That's really the key, I think. We want to limit chances against and put it towards them and make it hard.”

Still, whenever the Flyers, or Senators before them, did get a quality scoring chance, Andersen usually made the save. According to NHL EDGE stats, he leads the playoffs with a .925 save percentage on high-danger shots on goal, stopping 49 of 53. He gave up just one goal on 24 high-danger shots (.958 save percentage) in the second round.

“For me, I’m just staying with it,” Andersen said. “I think that's the key for me is just to expect whatever they’ve got, and I don't really look at the chances, the quality, so much. I just try to be in the moment and whatever happens, if I save the one before or if I don’t save it, I try to make the next one. “ 

Andersen’s most notable save Saturday came against Garnet Hathaway on a 2-on-1 rush with the score tied 1-1 with 3:36 remaining in the second period. Hathaway drove to the right post to take a feed from Luke Glendening on the left wing, but Andersen slid over in time to make the stop with his left pad.  

The puck was loose briefly behind Andersen in the crease before Slavin cleared it to safety behind the net.

“He's so calm, and you're almost just expecting it every night now, and that's kind of unfair to him,” Carolina forward Taylor Hall said. “But he forces them to almost make like the perfect shot or make the perfect play to score on him.”

Like the rest of the Hurricanes, Andersen had reason to be pleased heading home for a well-deserved break before they face the winner of the second-round series between the Montreal Canadiens and Buffalo Series in the conference final. This will be Carolina’s second straight appearance in the third round and third in four seasons. 

The Hurricanes lost each of the previous two series to the Florida Panthers, winning only one game. Andersen started seven of nine games, going 1-6 with a 2.67 GAA, .884 save percentage and one shutout. 

He and his teammates will have a chance to prove this season is different.

“You’ve got to go through the conference finals to win it,” Andersen said. “It takes four series. We're happy with the work we’ve put in so far. We obviously talk about the first step is to make the playoffs and take big steps after that, but we just continue to push. 

“I think we've had a lot of experience, and again it’s going to be a good battle for the next series no matter what happens.”