3 Keys: Islanders at Hurricanes, Game 1 of Eastern 1st Round

(WC2) Islanders at (1M) Hurricanes
Eastern Conference First Round, Game 1
7 p.m. ET; ESPN2, SN360, TVAS2, BSSO, MSG, MSGSN

Antti Raanta will start in net for the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference First Round against the New York Islanders at PNC Arena on Monday.
Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour decided to go with Raanta ahead of Frederik Andersen.
"We were rotating goalies pretty much all year and I thought his last little stretch of games he was pretty solid," Brind'Amour said of Raanta. "So it's his turn."
Raanta was 19-3-3 with a 2.23 goals-against average .910 save percentage and four shutouts in 27 games (26 starts) this season. Andersen was 21-11-1 with a 2.48 GAA, .903 save percentage and one shutout in 34 games (33 starts), but he allowed four goals on 34 shots in Carolina's 6-4 victory in its regular-season finale against the Florida Panthers on Thursday.
RELATED: [Complete Hurricanes vs, Islanders coverage]
Carolina also has rookie Pyotr Kochetkov, who was called up from Chicago of the American Hockey League on Monday. The 23-year-old was 12-7-5 with a 2.44 GAA, .909 save percentage and four shutouts in 24 games (23 starts).
Raanta was 11-0-1 with 2.06 GAA, .916 save percentage and three shutouts in 12 home games (all starts) this season, but Brind'Amour said that was not a factor in the decision to have him start Game 1.
"He's been good pretty much every start everywhere," Brind'Amour said.
Whoever is in net for Carolina will face a challenge going head-to-head with Ilya Sorokin. The Islanders goalie was 31-22-7 with a 2.34 GAA, .924 save percentage and an NHL-high six shutouts in 62 games (60 starts). Among goalies to start at least 41 games, only Linus Ullmark of the Boston Bruins had a better GAA (1.89) and save percentage (.938).
But the Hurricanes say they have faith in whoever is in net.
"We trust both of them. Actually, all three of them," Carolina forward Sebastian Aho said. "We're fortunate to have those guys and anyone ... who plays for us, they will give us a chance to win."
Teams that win Game 1 are 507-235 (63.8 percent) winning the best-of-7 series, including 8-7 (53.3 percent) last season.
Here are 3 keys to Game 1:

1. Barzal's return

The Islanders were able to qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs without Mathew Barzal, going 14-7-2 while the forward was out for the final 23 regular-season games because of a lower-body injury. But Barzal coming back for Game 1 potentially can add another dimension to New York's offense with his skating, puck control and playmaking skill.
Barzal was second on the Islanders with 51 points (14 goals, 37 assists) in 58 games, behind Brock Nelson's 75 points, and he is a proven playoff producer with 31 points (11 goals, 20 assists) in 41 games during New York's runs to the 2020 Eastern Conference Final and 2021 Stanley Cup Semifinals.
"He has speed, for sure. He has a high skill level, and he attacks," Islanders coach Lane Lambert said. "So that part of it is good and then, obviously, he helps our power play out."

2. Figure out the power play

New York was 30th in the NHL on the power play at 15.8 percent, including a League-low 10.9 percent (6-for-55) in the final 23 games without Barzal. The Hurricanes were tied for 19th in the NHL on the power play at 19.8 percent but 31st in the League at 10.9 percent (5-for-46) in their final 18 games after forward Andrei Svechnikov sustained a season-ending knee injury.
The Islanders were the only team worse during that span, at 9.7 percent (3-for-31).
"Everything kind of goes out the window, how you get here," Brind'Amour said. "Everything starts fresh, so hopefully the power play will get going."

3. Play to your identity

The Hurricanes and Islanders play contrasting styles. The Hurricanes control the puck through shot volume and sustained offensive-zone pressure. They were third in the NHL in averaging 34.8 shots on goal per game and allowed a League-low 26.0 per game. Carolina led the NHL in 5-on-5 shot attempt differential at plus-1,530. The Calgary Flames (plus-1,120) were the only other team better than plus-700.
The Islanders allowed 31.0 shots on goal per game, tied for the 14th fewest in the NHL, and were minus-40 in 5-on-5 shot attempt differential.
New York tries to grind teams down physically, as evidenced by 2,139 hits (25.8 per 60 minutes) during the regular season, which were fifth in the NHL and most among teams that qualified for the playoffs. By contrast, the Hurricanes were 30th with 1,351 hits (16.24 per 60 minutes).
"If we keep playing our game, the game that's gotten us to this spot, I think we'll be good," Islanders defenseman Sebastian Aho said.

Islanders projected lineup

Anders Lee -- Bo Horvat -- Mathew Barzal
Pierre Engvall -- Brock Nelson -- Kyle Palmieri
Zach Parise -- Jean-Gabriel Pageau -- Hudson Fasching
Matt Martin -- Casey Cizikas -- Cal Clutterbuck
Adam Pelech -- Ryan Pulock
Sebastian Aho -- Scott Mayfield
Samuel Bolduc -- Noah Dobson
Ilya Sorokin
Semyon Varlamov
Scratched:Josh Bailey, Simon Holmstrom, Ross Johnston, Parker Wotherspoon
Injured:Alexander Romanov (upper body), Oliver Wahlstrom (lower body)

Hurricanes projected lineup

Teuvo Teravainen -- Sebastian Aho -- Martin Necas
Stefan Noesen -- Jesperi Kotkaniemi -- Seth Jarvis
Jordan Martinook -- Jordan Staal -- Jesper Fast
Jack Drury - Paul Stastny - Derek Stepan
Jaccob Slavin -- Brent Burns
Brady Skjei -- Brett Pesce
Shayne Gostisbehere -- Jalen Chatfield
Antti Raanta
Frederik Andersen
Scratched:Calvin de Haan, Dylan Coghlan, Jesse Puljujarvi
Injured:Max Pacioretty (Achilles), Ondrej Kase (concussion)

Status report

The Islanders held an optional morning skate. … The Hurricanes did not hold a morning skate. ... Puljujarvi skated with the extra players Monday, but Carolina coach Rod Brind'Amour did not rule out the forward for Game 1.
NHL.com independent correspondent Kurt Dusterberg contributed to this report