The 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs are only a day old, but Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen may have already notched the save of the postseason.
With the Hurricanes and New York Islanders tied at 1-1 only a minute into the third period of Game 1 of their first-round matchup on Saturday, Andersen made an incredible, possibly game-saving stop from the seat of his pants, robbing defenseman Noah Dobson.
INSANE SAVE FROM FREDDIE ANDERSEN pic.twitter.com/aFJ8AfWMRR
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) April 20, 2024
Andersen's miraculous save paid immediate dividends as roughly three minutes later, a back-hand goal from forward Stefan Noesen gave the Hurricanes a 2-1 lead.
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) April 20, 2024
: Sportsnet 360
: Stream on Sportsnet+ pic.twitter.com/1bz0cL8anK
The 34-year-old veteran missed most of the 2023-24 campaign with a blood-clotting issue, which came to light during a routine test in November. He ultimately returned to the ice in March, going 9-1 with a .951 save percentage over 10 games.
Now, with the playoffs starting, Andersen appears to be at or near 100 percent. On Saturday, he turned away 34 of 35 Islanders shots, helping the Hurricanes secure a 3-1 victory in Game 1.
More must-reads:
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!