Player of the Game: Carolina Hurricanes vs. Buffalo Sabres
© James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports - Player of the Game: Carolina Hurricanes vs. Buffalo SabresThe Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Buffalo Sabres 3-2 in overtime Tuesday night at PNC Arena and while a few stars shone in that game, none were brighter than netminder Antti Raanta.
Sure, the overtime winner by Martin Necas — his second of the season and third primary overtime point this year — was a high-end play that won the game for Carolina, but Raanta was the reason they even got to that point.
To start the game, the Sabres had the clear-cut jump and within a few minutes they were outshooting Carolina 6-1. But the score remained 0-0 thanks to Raanta.
"We didn't start well," said head coach Rod Brind'Amour. "A little sluggish. I think that's... you know we've been on the road forever and you could just see that they had the jump going and that's when [Raanta] was at his best. The first five to 10 minutes where there were a couple of grade-As right away. He was able to save those.
"He was solid and that's what we need. You need solid goaltending in this league and that's what he did tonight."
As the game went on, Raanta continued to make the routine saves his team needed, but on more than a few occasions, he made the spectacular saves too.
In those first 10 minutes of game time, Buffalo was on their second power play opportunity and Kyle Okposo had made a great play to setup Peyton Krebs in front of the crease.
The young forward to it to his backhand, and elevated it... right into the readied glove of Antti Raanta.
"The first five or 10 minutes was kind of what you've been hoping to get," Raanta said. "Making those saves and giving the guys a chance to grow into the game."
Later on, late in the second period, the Sabres spring an odd-man rush and Zemgus Girgensons sets up Okposo for an attempt, but Raanta explodes across to snare the shot.
"When he went to the backhand, you kind of start loading a little bit," Raanta said. "You can't start going too early though because then you're going to end up making a big hole on the short side, so I was pretty much just trying to stay patient and get a little bit of that back skate rhythm going so if there was a pass, I already had some motion to get myself over.
"Maybe a little bit lucky there. He kind of came back to where I was coming, but those are the saves that you hope to make. It was nice to get that done."
On to the third period, with the game still tied, Buffalo executes a high-flip out of their defensive zone which ends up springing Casey Mittelstadt on a breakaway.
Raanta leaves the crease and manages to poke the puck away, but Jordan Greenway is there along the boards for a long-range attempt.
Raanta, who's down on the ice at the top of the circle, sprawls out again and knocks the shot attempt down with his stick in a spectacular diving effort.
"You're kind of looking back at your own net and thinking that you're too far away, but then your instincts kick in and you just try to do something," Raanta said. "Dived and then it hits your stick, but the play is still on and you're almost at the boards and sliding around. After that, you just try to get back to the net as soon as possible and just try to catch your breath.
"When you take those first two steps, you can't back down anymore. It was just pure instincts. Puck stayed out of the net so it went well. ... Sometimes you have to entertain the crowd and get them going. They were buzzing so it was a nice boost of confidence there."
It was perhaps the biggest save of the night and certainly one that people will remember.
"I was watching from the blueline and saw him come out," Necas said. "Making those two stops... Gotta get the fans going, right?
"He came flying out and got it, but then didn't quite get it out and then we had three or four guys back in the net trying to play goal," Brind'Amour said. "That's not how you draw it up, that's for sure."
With Frederik Andersen sidelined due to blood clotting issues, the Hurricanes are going to need Raanta to play big and so far, that's exactly what they're getting.
"When you get the chance to play, you want to show everyone that you can do it," Raanta said. "Consistency is the key for a goalie. You can do it one night but what about the next night. So that's going to be a big thing for me to keep myself consistent and just day-in and day-out keep myself as best as I can.
"You hope to be the guy that the team can rely on. It's one day at a time and one game at a time. Just trying to give the guys a chance to win. Making those saves when you have to. One shot at a time. Simple as that."
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