Nedeljkovic posts 32-save shutout as Hurricanes blank Predators
Aho scores twice for Carolina as series shifts to Nashville for Game 3
Alex Nedeljkovic stayed composed and steady all night in net. It's a good thing the Carolina Hurricanes' penalty kill did, too.
That's why they are up 2-0 in their first-round playoff series on the Nashville Predators.
Nedeljkovic finished with 32 saves to lead a perfect showing for Carolina's kill, helping the Hurricanes beat the Predators 3-0 on Wednesday night.
The 25-year-old made his first career playoff start Monday in a series-opening 5-2 win, then found himself under plenty of pressure considering the Hurricanes were called for nine penalties and spent nearly all night protecting a 1-0 lead.
And yet, the Hurricanes turned away all seven power plays despite playing without top-line defenseman Jaccob Slavin.
Carolina had killed 19 of 20 penalties over its last eight regular-season games, and has killed all 10 in the first two games of this best-of-seven series.
"They're not always going to be pretty," Nedeljkovic said. "Tonight there was a lot of sacrifices around the board there. Guys were blocking shots, guys were diving to make plays, get pucks out — it wasn't our best, but it was a really good effort, a really gutsy effort."
Sebastian Aho scored twice, including when he finally gave the Hurricanes some breathing room by skating down a loose puck to score an empty-netter at 19:07 of the third to make it 2-0.
Ned says NO 🚫 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/StanleyCup?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#StanleyCup</a> <a href="https://t.co/fobULZRTHb">pic.twitter.com/fobULZRTHb</a>
—@NHLGIFsWarren Foegele added a third goal in the final seconds, a rare success for Carolina against Nashville goaltender Juuse Saros.
The Hurricanes won Game 1 on Monday, scoring three times in the final 20 minutes to break open a 2-2 game. That game included the first for the Hurricanes since the easing of public-gathering restrictions in the state, clearing the way for 12,000 fans to attend and create a rowdy and loud home-ice edge.
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This time, that crowd was treated to a physical, feisty and penalty-filled contest in which neither team missed many chances to shove or tug on an opponent's jersey after the whistle.
Saros finished with 28 saves for Nashville, where the series shifts for Friday's Game 3 with the Predators desperate to get something out of their power play.
"We were a better team than we were in the first night," Predators coach John Hynes said. "We obviously know the power play has got to be better. But I think there's a lot of positives going out of this game and then coming home."
Goalies' night
Nedeljkovic and Saros were strong all night.
Nedeljkovic made a big save early in the third when Nashville's Luke Kunin skated in on a shift and loaded up a big shot on a clean look. Nedeljkovic gloved it as he ended up sitting on the ice, legs stretched in front of him.
"It's huge when you have a hot goalie, and it's just fun to watch him play right now," Aho said.
As for Saros, he had to make some big stops even when Nashville was on the power play.
That included in the first period when the Hurricanes got a 2-on-1 chance. Saros slid right to stop Vincent Trocheck's shot and then kick away his rebound attempt in a terrific effort, then stopped Aho on a clean look from between the circles on a give-and-go play late in the second.
"They probably had more chances on their power play than we did," "captain Roman Josi said.
