- Andersen stopped 23 shots in a 6-1 Game 5 rout that sent Carolina back to the Cup Final
- The goalie’s longtime agent Claude Lemieux died by suicide Thursday at 60
- Read below for Andersen’s emotional postgame tribute and Brind’Amour’s reaction
Frederik Andersen carried Carolina to the Stanley Cup Final on Friday night. He carried something a lot heavier under the mask.
The veteran goalie stopped 23 shots in a 6-1 Game 5 rout of the Canadiens, two days after his longtime agent and friend Claude Lemieux died by suicide at age 60. When the buzzer went, an emotional Andersen sat with TNT’s Jackie Redmond and tried to put it into words.
“(The Hurricanes) are a family. Can’t really say much more. It’s so special to show up (for Lemieux), make him proud, and go out and battle,” Andersen said. “The whole team supported me, as well. Just can’t speak enough of this team, it’s so special to be a part of.”
Here’s the postgame media availability from Raleigh:
Lemieux had been Andersen’s agent since 2016, when the netminder signed with the Maple Leafs, and he negotiated every Carolina contract Andersen has put his name on. Andersen called him “like family” after Game 3, three nights after Lemieux carried the ceremonial pregame torch at the Bell Centre.
Asked what Lemieux’s message would have been heading into the Cup Final, Andersen kept it short.
“Just go get it.”
Rod Brind’Amour wasn’t sure Andersen would even be in the crease on Friday. The Carolina coach broke it down to Greg Wyshynski of ESPN:
“You just don’t know how that was going to shake out. But obviously he shook it off and battled through it. You saw the emotion after the game. That’s a tough time for him, but he made us all proud, that’s for sure.”
Captain Jordan Staal said the room played the entire night with their goalie in mind.
“Freddie was unbelievable. We were playing for him as best we could.”
Carolina is back in the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 2006, when the Hurricanes beat the Oilers in seven games.
Vegas opens at home in Game 1. Whatever happens in that series, this one was for the man who got Andersen here.
