Andersen stops former team, Hurricanes streak beat Leafs | The Canadian News

RALEIGH, NC (AP) – Frederik Andersen made 24 saves against his former team and the undefeated Carolina Hurricanes matched the best five-game start in franchise history by defeating the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-1 on Monday night. .

Sebastian Aho, Steven Lorentz and Nino Niederreiter all scored goals in the second period for the Hurricanes. Andrei Svechnikov added an empty net and Jaccob Slavin had two assists.

Carolina was also 5-0-0 in 2019-20.

“This group is going to work hard every night,” Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour said. “We still have some areas to clean. It’s good that we’re finding ways to win. “

Andersen has been the only goalkeeper used by the Hurricanes this season. His last performance came with personal connections to the opponent.

“I was trying not to overthink it,” Andersen said. “It was a little difficult mentally to turn that off and not try to analyze every play and what they could do.”

Jack Campbell stopped 31 shots for Toronto, which is 0-3-1 in its last four games and has only managed one goal in three of them.

“We have to believe,” left wing Michael Bunting said. “I think we are sure to get out of this routine.”

Auston Matthews opened the scoring for the Maple Leafs with his first goal of the season. Its envelope arrived at 3:25 in.

Since the Hurricanes failed to score in the first period, it meant they fell behind entering second for the first time this season.

“I thought our first period was our best playing period and we were down 1-0,” Brind’Amour said. “It was kind of weird how the game went that way.”

Aho and Lorentz scored less than two and a half minutes apart in the second. Aho has a point in every Carolina game this season, while Lorentz scored his first goal of the season.

The Maple Leafs were the most active in the third period, recording nine shots. But they couldn’t resolve Andersen again.

“Freddie has been a rock,” Lorentz said.

IT WAS TIME

Matthews was the NHL’s leader in goals with 41 last season, so putting him in the scoring column was key. He was also without an assist in his first three games.

Matthews was not satisfied with the result, but tried to find something positive in his goal.

“Hopefully that’s a good step forward,” he said.

YOU MUST BE TRAVELING

Slavin, a defender, received a slip penalty in the second period. That was his first penalty in more than 1,074 ice minutes dating back to last March. The stretch included the 2021 playoffs and covered parts of 45 games.

“It was me,” Slavin said of the infraction. “I spoke to the referee about it.”

APPRECIATIONS FOR GOALERS

David Ayres, who made history in February 2020 by becoming the only emergency reserve goalie to score an NHL victory when he rescued the Hurricanes against the Maple Leafs in Toronto, was honored again in Raleigh. This time, he handled the pregame siren to welcome the Hurricanes to the ice.

Andersen sided with Toronto for that unusual situation.

“A funny story for a lot of people, but not in our room that year,” Andersen said.

A little later on Monday, Petr Mrazek, who was Carolina’s best goalkeeper for part of the past three seasons but is out of Toronto’s lineup due to injury, received a standing ovation when he was introduced during the first period. He recognized the crowd from a box in the upper arena.

UNTIL NEXT TIME

Maple Leafs: Finish a three-game road trip Wednesday night in Chicago.

Hurricanes – Host the Boston Bruins on Thursday night in the first half of their first straight game of the season.

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