There are pretty wins and gritty wins in hockey. In the Stanley Cup playoffs, gritty usually wins.
The Carolina Hurricanes won that way Wednesday. beating the Nashville Predators 3-0 in Game 2 to take a 2-0 lead in the first-round series.
Sebastian Aho scored twice, Jordan Staal added a third and rookie goalie Alex Nedeljkovic had 32 saves in his first career playoff shutout. Nedeljkovic, sensational much of the night, was named the game’s first star and had fans chanting, “Ned! Ned!” after the game.
Aho’s power-play score in the first period was the game’s first goal and the only goal for much of the game. Aho, open in the right circle, took a pass from Andrei Svechnikov and beat Juuse Saros with a one-timer at 8:03 of the first.
Aho would score an empty-net goal in the final minute of regulation, and Staal then add another after Saros returned to the net.
The Canes spent a lot of time skating to the penalty box. They also spent a lot of time successfully killing off those penalties even with defenseman Jaccob Slavin, one of their most effective penalty killers, missing the game.
While they had to play shorthanded, the Canes at times were better 4-on-5 than 5-on-5 -- or what little 5-on-5 time there was. Carolina had multiple shorthanded offensive chances as Sebastian Aho and Vincent Trocheck both tested Saros.
Nedeljkovic had to make his share of big saves. He gloved a heavy shot by Luke Kunin in the third period and later denied Mattias Ekholm to keep it 1-0.
With Slavin out with a lower-body injury that has slowed him the past few weeks, Canes coach Rod Brind’Amour relied heavily on Brady Skjei, Brett Pesce and Dougie Hamilton, who piled up the minutes.
The playoff series now shifts to Nashville, with Game 3 set Friday and Game 4 on Sunday.
