Antti Raanta, Hurricanes beat Bruins in playoff series opener

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Seth Jarvis and Nino Niederreiter scored second-period goals and Antti Raanta was strong in net to help the Carolina Hurricanes beat the Boston Bruins 5-1 on Monday night in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series.

Raanta had 35 saves in his first career postseason start with No. 1 goaltender Frederik Andersen sidelined by injury. He held up against Boston's game-opening surge to keep Carolina in it before Jarvis and Niederreiter scored roughly two minutes apart in the second period to break a scoreless tie.

Carolina never surrendered that lead. Teuvo Teravainen and Vincent Trocheck added third-period goals, which helped Carolina maintain control and then stretch out a lead in this best-of-seven series opener.

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Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Antti Raanta (32) dives for the puck against the Boston Bruins during the first period of Game 1 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series in Raleigh, N.C., Monday, May 2, 2022. (AP Photo/Karl B DeBlaker)

Andrei Svechnikov punctuated the win with an empty-net goal at 17:59, capping what turned into a dominating third period against a team that has twice ousted Carolina from the playoffs in recent years.

Taylor Hall scored for Boston early in the third, beating Raanta between the circles after a feed from Erik Haula from a tussle behind the net. He almost tied the game minutes later when he pinged the left post. But those were the only real mistakes for Raanta, who made the routine glove stops along with the more impressive diving saves or post-to-post slides.

The Hurricanes won the Metropolitan Division, marking the second straight