The Bruins won’t be the only team going with a playoff rookie in goal Monday night, as the Hurricanes will counter Linus Ullmark with veteran netminder Antti Raanta, coach Rod Brind’Amour confirmed.
Raanta’s first career playoff start comes with Hurricanes starter Frederik Andersen still unavailable to a lower-body injury, and could come as a huge boost to the Bruins given Andersen’s domination over the Bruins this past season. In net for three starts against the Bruins during the regular season, Andersen went a perfect 3-0-0 and stopped all but one of 99 shots faced.
Andersen, who has injured back on Apr. 16, skated on his own and could be available as early as Game 2.
The 32-year-old Raanta, meanwhile, will get the call in net after a 2021-22 season that included a 15-5-4 record and .912 save percentage, and went 3-0-1 with a .906 save percentage in four starts following Andersen’s injury.
The Finnish-born netminder, who had stints with the Blackhawks, Rangers, and Coyotes prior to landing in Carolina, has stopped 49-of-53 shots faced in two career games against the Bruins, but has not faced the B’s since Nov. 5, 2016.
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