RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) \u2014 Frederik Andersen has stayed as calmly consistent as it gets in the NHL playoffs. That\u2019s helped the Carolina Hurricanes make it back to the Eastern Conference final for the second time in three seasons.<\/p>\n
The 35-year-old veteran has the best save percentage and goals-against average in the postseason among goalies with multiple starts, notably by holding opponents to one or zero goals in six of his nine starts. He\u2019s coming off giving up six goals in five second-round games against the Washington Capitals<\/a>, who posted the conference\u2019s best regular-season record and was second behind Winnipeg for the Presidents\u2019 Trophy.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s just doing what we knew he could always do,\u201d defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere said Saturday as the Hurricanes await the end of the Florida-Toronto series to learn their next opponent. \u201cHe\u2019s been the backbone of our team for sure, all playoffs. And we\u2019ve relied on him heavily in the sense he\u2019s making that big save for us that allows us to win these games.\u201d<\/p>\n Andersen has posted elite numbers so far.<\/p>\n He\u2019s 7-2 with a 1.36 goals-against average and a .937 save percentage. No other starting goaltender has a sub-2.00 GAA in the playoffs entering the weekend. And he\u2019s been a perfect backstop for a defense that has smothered its first two foes.<\/p>\n \u201cI just try to be as good as possible in every situation, and be in the moment in whatever comes in front of me and in whatever situation in the game,\u201d Andersen said before the Hurricanes\u2019 Game 5 closeout of the Caps. \u201cI don\u2019t get to decide how much we have the puck, how much they have the puck and how many times they shoot it.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve just got to put myself in the best position to make saves in whatever situation comes.\u201d<\/p>\n Two things have stood out in Andersen\u2019s postseason through two rounds. One is how firmly he\u2019s grabbed the role of no-doubt, every-game starter in this postseason. <\/p>\n \u201cHe gave us the \u2018I want the net,\u2019 and that\u2019s all you need to hear,\u201d coach Rod Brind\u2019Amour said before Game 4 of the first-round series against New Jersey.<\/p>\n The other has been his durability so far after health and injury issues of recent year. The only hiccup in these playoffs was an early exit in Game 4 against the Devils due to a hit by a skating-in Timo Meier that sidelined him for the Game 5 clincher, though a long break between rounds had him back in the crease for Game 1 against Washington<\/a>. <\/p>\n He\u2019s had strong postseason stretches before, notably when the Hurricanes last reached the Eastern final in 2023 and his 1.83 GAA was second among goalies with multiple postseason starts. But the health issues had been more frequent, from him missing the 2022 playoffs due to a lower-body injury<\/a> late in the regular season to appearing in just 16 regular-season games last season due to a blood-clotting issue<\/a>.<\/p>\n This year, he missed November, December and most of January due to knee surgery<\/a> then returned as part of a rotation with 25-year-old Pyotr Kochetkov.<\/p>\n \u201cI just kind of enjoy being out here,\u201d Andersen said. \u201cI think that\u2019s one of the bigger things for me. You guys obviously know my history the last couple of years with some things that no one wants to have happen to you. You go through it and it\u2019s a good reminder of how precious this time you get to play the sport is.\u201d<\/p>\n Andersen\u2019s play has been an integral part of Carolina\u2019s elite defensive efforts through two rounds, fitting perfectly in with the Hurricanes\u2019 efforts to smother opponents with an aggressive forecheck, control the puck in the offensive zone to pressure defenders \u2014 and thereby minimize some of the chances Andersen has to stop.<\/p>\n To that point, Andersen has faced as many as 30 shots on goal only once in the postseason. The Capitals never managed more than 21 shots in any game<\/a>, and had seven or fewer shots in 11 of 15 regulation periods. And he recently signed a one-year contract extension<\/a> to return next season alongside Kochetkov.<\/p>\n In the meantime, keeping Andersen fresh and healthy is a priority. After all, the Hurricanes are merely at the halfway point in their pursuit to win a second Stanley Cup, the other coming in 2006 with Brind\u2019Amour as captain.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen Freddie is in net, he\u2019s a stud and he\u2019s been a stud his whole career,\u201d Carolina captain Jordan Staal said after Thursday\u2019s win in Washington. \u201cYou guys always talk about his calmness and he\u2019s a rock, just makes things look easy.\u201d<\/p>\n ___<\/p>\n AP Hockey Writer Stephen Whyno in Washington contributed to this report.<\/p>\n ___<\/p>\n AP NHL playoffs: https:\/\/apnews.com\/hub\/stanley-cup<\/a> and https:\/\/apnews.com\/hub\/nhl<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"RALEIGH, N.C. 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