Former Leafs goaltender snaps his losing skid in elimination games; is this an omen for the Leafs tonight?
Frederik Andersen played 5 seasons in Toronto, and while most of his best hockey was played there in his first 2 or 3 seasons as a Leaf, his tenure in Toronto did not end well. The Leafs never got past the 1st round in any of his 5 seasons with the team and his health took bit of a nose dive late into his Leafs career, limiting him to just 24 games in 2020-21.
Andersen hit the free agent market in 2021-22, signing with the Carolina Hurricanes, immediately posting a career best 2.17 GAA that season and a very strong .922 SV%. However, once again, his health became a concern and he missed the entire postseason for the 2nd straight year.
Andersen's health was not great again this season, as he was limited to just 34 games with the Canes. But he was able to do something that he hasn't done in ages - help his team win a playoff series. Andersen played his 1st playoff game of the year last night and effectively out-dueled Ilya Sorokin and the New York Islanders, making 33 saves and posting a .971 SV% in a razor-close 2-1 win.
As a former Leaf, I'm happy for Fred. I also wonder whether or not it's a bit of an omen, that he won his 1st elimination game in his last 8 or 9 attempts on the eve of Leafs/Lightning Game 6. The Leafs themselves are 0-11 in their last stretch of elimination games. Is there a chance that they can snap that slump tonight in Tampa?
There wasn't much separating the Leafs and the Hurricanes in the regular season in terms of points overall. The Canes finished with a 52-21-9 record, good for 113 points. The Leafs finished with a 50-21-11 record, good for 111 points. Somehow, the Hurricanes have been largely viewed as a world beater, while the Leafs have been viewed as a group of choke artists. Yes, the Canes had a softer 1st round matchup in the Islanders and yes, the Hurricanes have been beyond the 1st round a number of times, but the point stands. There isn't a lot separating the two Eastern Conference teams other than the Canes having won a round recently. They're both top-5 NHL teams.
The Leafs have to break through the glass ceiling eventually. They fell short of that mark in Game 5, despite a late push. Who's to say they can't follow Andersen's footsteps and actually come through in an elimination game tonight in Game 6? They're certainly due, just as Fred was.
| POLL | ||
AVRIL 29 | 160 ANSWERS Former Leafs goaltender snaps his losing skid in elimination games; is this an omen for the Leafs tonight? Will the Leafs win Game 6 tonight? | ||
| Yes | 120 | 75 % |
| No | 40 | 25 % |
| List of polls | ||
