Raanta continues 'harnessing the moment' with Hurricanes

-- Antti Raanta knew that in order to give the Carolina Hurricanes a chance against the New York Rangers in the Eastern Conference Second Round he would have to play perfect, or at least close to it, because that's what Rangers' goalie Igor Shesterkin was going to do, too."You get a little more on your toes when you know the other goalie is the tops in the league," Raanta said regarding Shesterkin, who is a finalist for the Vezina Trophy awarded to the NHL's top goaltender.Raanta was perfect in Game 2 with 21 saves in a 2-0 win at PNC Arena on Friday. That was supposed to be Frederik Andersen, an All-Star this season who was second in the NHL, behind Shesterkin, with a 2.17 goals-against average.Andersen, though, is still rehabbing a lower-body injury he sustained on April 16 and isn't expected to return in this series.If Raanta keeps going the way he is, and the Hurricanes keep winning, there's no guarantee Andersen will get back in the net if and when he is healthy enough to play."Your immediate action when you lose your goalie, your No. 1 guy who this year was one of the best goalies in the League, that's a kick. He was always trying to get better."Raanta also brought up Rangers goalie coach Benoit Allaire, who molded Lundqvist into what he became, a likely Hall of Famer, and is doing the same with Shesterkin."'Benny' in New York is one of the best in the League as a goalie coach and as a human being," Raanta said.Five years later, Raanta has finally gotten his chance in the spotlight, his own net in the playoffs, and he's using what he learned from the Rangers against them.He has been almost perfect.