The Hurricanes will look to hold serve at home when they host the Flyers in Game 2 of their second round series Monday at Lenovo Center. Carolina took the lead 91 seconds into Game 1 and never relinquished it, extending the team’s run of never trailing in a game so far in the playoffs.
1. Frederik Andersen is a big reason the Hurricanes are where they’re at. Carolina coach Rod Brind’Amour said following his team’s series-clinching Game 4 win over the Senators that Andersen was playing “probably the best hockey he’s played for us since being a Hurricane.”
The numbers bear that out. Andersen has a microscopic 0.90 goals-against average this postseason, and his save percentage (.961) is also the best of any goalie in the playoffs. Toss in two shutouts — he didn’t have any during the regular season — and Andersen has answered any questions about who should have been the team’s No. 1 at the start of the postseason.
How good of a run is he on? While he’s never had a stretch of five playoff games like this in his career, Andersen has allowed five or fewer total goals in a five-game-span five times. His best stretch came at the start of his first season in Raleigh. After winning his Carolina debut 6-3 on Oct. 14, 2021, Andersen gave up six goals in his next six starts, stopping 171 of 177 shots (.966) with one shutout as part of an 8-0-0 start to his Hurricanes career.
2. Flyers goalie Dan Vladar, meanwhile, may be coming back down to earth. Vladar allowed 10 goals in Philadelphia’s six-game series win over the Penguins, including getting a shutout in the 1-0 overtime series-clinching victory.
But he had lost Games 4 and 5 against Pittsburgh, allowing three goals on 21 shots in each, and if you take away the 42-save shutout in Game 6, Vladar has an .862 save percentage in his three recent losses. Vladar has played in a combined 59 regular season and playoff games this season, nine more than he did the last two seasons combined, so it’s worth wondering if the workload is finally catching up to him.
That didn’t prevent him from being on the ice Monday morning, taking the majority of shots against a handful of Flyers who participated in the optional skate. Vladar didn’t participate in Sunday’s full practice, so it was a chance to get some work in before a pivotal game.
3. Brind’Amour said he didn’t anticipate any lineup changes for Game 2, which means K’Andre Miller — who didn’t take part in the morning skate — should play and Alexander Nikishin — nine days out from suffering a concussion in Game 4 against the Senators — will again be out in favor of Mike Reilly.
“It’s a health decision,” Brind’Amour said of holding out Nikishin.
Carolina should have no concerns about putting Reilly back in. Playing for the first time since April 14, Reilly picked up two assists in Game 1, the second multipoint playoff performance of his career.
“He’s been solid,” Brind’Amour said of Reilly. “It’s a tough role, really, to be in when you’re not in there every night, but that’s what being a pro is, and he’s demonstrated that all year.”
Reilly logged 11:28 in Game 1 — 6½ minutes fewer than partner Shayne Gostisbehere — but made the most of his minutes.
He was honest after Game 1 on how it’s been difficult at times being the No. 7 defenseman, but the 32-year-old — who now has a goal and eight points in 22 career playoff games — is beloved by his teammates.
4. Owen Tippett was among the six skaters on the ice with three goalies at Philadelphia’s skate Monday morning. The Flyers’ leading goal scorer didn’t play in Game 1 due to an injury, which isn’t great news for a team that ranked last in goals in the regular season among Eastern Conference playoff teams.
Tippett, despite ranking sixth among Philadelphia forwards this postseason in 5-on-5 ice time, leads the Flyers in shot attempts, and he is one back of the team leaders in scoring chances and high-danger opportunities — categories he ranked first, first and second, respectively, during the regular season.
Based on his lengthy session in the morning, Tippett appears unlikely to play in Game 2, though Flyers coach Rick Tocchet could give some clarity to his status when he meets with the media later in the afternoon.
5. The Hurricanes didn’t need long to frustrate the Flyers in the same ways they did the Senators. Trevor Zegras, held without a shot attempt in Game 1, collected 14 penalty minutes as he tried to rattle Jackson Blake in the third period on Saturday.
I asked Jordan Martinook on Sunday if it’s satisfying to see an opponent’s frustration.
“Yeah, it means we did our job,” he said. “It doesn’t really matter if they’re frustrated or not, as long as we come out on top. And I think the way that we play it, it can do that to teams. And as long as we’re playing our style and not giving up a ton of time and space and winning the game, that’s our No. 1 sole focus.”
Brind’Amour echoed Martinook’s comments.
“I’d rather them than my team being frustrated,” he said. “But I think that just kind of goes with the way the game went. When you get behind early, that kind of has that tendency to happen. So, yeah, that’s usually a good sign.”
Martinook also had no concerns with whether Blake or Logan Stankoven can handle teams trying to target them.
“The thing is, you’ve got to catch them too,” Martinook said while alongside defenseman Jaccob Slavin. “And I feel like we both can attest to it when practicing against them. They’re slippery and hard to get. … To see what they do and to not take any crap from anybody is great to see. And we’re behind them. We’ll stick up for them forever.”
