Second Round, Game 7: Hurricanes v. New York Rangers (Series Tied 3-3)

Well, here we are again. It wasn't but a little over two weeks ago that we were in this exact same situation. Game 7. At home. However, this time it's against a much different opponent. It isn't much of a stretch to say the Canes are a little lucky to be in this situation. The home games against Boston were blowouts, but the games against New York have been tight at PNC Arena. They fought back late in the third period to win Game 1 in overtime. Games 2 and 5 were both tight, though the Canes were the better team in both. New York owns the momentum again after a dominant win in Game 6, forcing Antti Raanta to the bench after three goals and winning the game 5-2 to force this deciding game. This is the second Game 7 for both teams this postseason. The Canes won Game 7 at home against Boston, while the Rangers needed overtime to finish the Penguins off at Madison Square Garden. They've both been forced to the brink in the postseason, so they know that today could be their last game before they take their break for the summer. It's going to be the same two goals and the same two teams for the seventh and final time in this series. It'll be extra special for me since I'll be in attendance for my first postseason game since I was eight. On that night, the Canes defeated the Oilers in Game 7 to capture the Stanley Cup. Tonight's game doesn't have the same stakes, but it could be the first step toward a chance to play for it in a few weeks. The immediate next step is going to be a date with the Tampa Bay Lightning on Wednesday. Tonight, the goal is simple. It doesn't matter how it happens, but the Canes need to outscore the Rangers. I don't care how pretty it is. The end goal must be to win and survive for another chance at the Cup. 

Thoughts on the Game

As much as I want to make excuses about officiating and everything else in the world, the simple fact is the Canes were the second-best team on the ice tonight. They needed to play their best game of the series and they came out like a wet blanket. The penalty kill fell apart on two goals that Raanta had no chance on and despite all the chances in the world on Shesterkin, they were unable to get anything into the net. Their best chance was immediately after the Kreider goal in the first when Shesterkin made an unreal save on Teuvo Teravainen. The realy turning point in this game was the injury to Raanta towards the end of the second period. It appeared to be a groin injury that was the result of a collision with Kreider that went uncalled and then he tried to get back into position. He went down in a heap and the season ended right there. I don't think Kochetkov was bad more than he was hung out to dry. The three goals he allowed came on a 2-on-1, a breakaway, and a partial breakaway. He was given no help from his teammates and wasn't able to come up with a stop when they needed it. The Canes' only goals came in the third period on the power play from Vincent Trocheck and Max Domi with a garbage time goal. Their inability to win a game on the road in this series eventually caught up with them. I'm exhausted and upset, but I'm not putting my head down and ignoring just how good they were all year. I'll have more to say about this team and their season in the next few weeks. I hate that they lost, but I also knew that it was a possibility in a winner-take-all game. It's a shame that it had to end, but it is what it is.