Monday’s series opener between the New York Islanders and Carolina Hurricanes won’t be one of the best vintages in hockey history, but it did remind playoff teams that a lack of discipline can lead directly to elimination.
In Raleigh, the visitors threw up two penalties that allowed Jesperi Kotkaniemi’s side to score early in the first and second halves and progress to a 2-1 win. The nets from Sebastian Aho and Stefan Noesen were enough for goalkeeper Antti Raanta, who conceded in front of just Ryan Pulock. This will serve as a warning to Islanders, first pass holders of teams drafted by the National League’s Eastern Conference.
If the special teams don’t do their work like they did at the start, the holidays will come quickly. “We played good hockey. It was a typical 2-1 playoff game. It was one of those evenings. We needed a power play goal and we didn’t get it,” captain Anders Lee said in a statement to the New York Post.
In fact, New York’s massive attack has been repelled four times, and that’s not a recipe for success once the playoffs arrive. At that level, and equally strong, is the absence of former Montreal Canadiens Alexander Romanov. The defender, with an upper-body injury, is adept at switching and his head coach Lane Lambert has not been able to count on him since April 1. His teammates will have to take over on his return.
“We need to move the puck around faster,” Lambert said. I’ve been saying it all along: The Hurricanes don’t give up much time and space. It’s their bread and butter. They’re always rushing you and you have to move fast in the transition.”
The “canes” are reassured
On the winning side, the performance of Raanta, who got the mandate for Monday’s action at the expense of Frederik Andersen, brought relief to his people and also to the spirit of the veteran.
“I was just endorsing my usual mentality of taking it one day at a time. I prepared as in the regular season, the author of 25 saves told the media. You usually know the day before you’re going to play the game and I figured if I trained well and it was my turn I’d be ready. Of course I was excited to be able to defend the net.
The second game will take place on Wednesday from 7 p.m. on the TVA Sports 2 channel.
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