The Opportunity of a Lifetime

Antti Raanta is currently playing as the starting goaltender for the Carolina Hurricanes, who are in the second round of the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs, and currently playing against the New York Rangers. Raanta is getting the opportunity that he never had with his former team, playing in the playoffs, let alone, being the starting goaltender. Something many Carolina fans, and NHL fans, didn’t see coming a month ago when Freddie Andersen went down for injury.

Last Wednesday night, Raanta was in net against his former club in the conference semifinals. Carolina was outplayed in the first 40 minutes of the game but came back and tied a late goal and the game winning goal in over time by Ian Cole. Up until this point of Raanta’s career, the 33 year old finnish goaltender has been a backup, which included the Rangers. Raanta stated after Wednesday’s game “You’re always thinking, ‘Am I good enough to be playing these games?’, when you haven’t gotten the chance to play these, you know?”

Raanta is currently holding 9 games played in the playoffs with 5 wins,  3 losses, and 1 overtime game. His GAA is 1.86 and his save percentage is .939. Carolina as whole, Sebastian Aho is leading the team in goals with 4, Teuvo Teravainen with 7 assists and 9 points.

• Samantha Wismer -

Photo by Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports & The Canadian Press