2024 Postseason: 2nd Round, Game 2: Hurricanes at New York Rangers

Game 1 was decided on special teams as the Rangers struck twice on the power play in the first period while holding the Hurricanes scoreless in five attempts. At 5-on-5, the game was a little closer, but Igor Shesterkin prevented the Canes from completing another comeback, winning 4-3 to open the series. Mika Zibanejad scored two goals and added an assist in the first period, and Chris Kreider and Vincent Trocheck also finished with multiple points, while Sebastian Aho was the lone Hurricane with two points.

Scoring Summary

1st Period

NYR (10:53)- Alexis Lafreniere (1) (assisted by K'Andre Miller (1) & Alex Wenneberg (1))

CAR (15:07)- Jake Guentzel (2) (assisted by Sebastian Aho (4) & Andrei Svechnikov (5))

CAR (19:54)- Dmitry Orlov (2) (assisted by Brady Skjei (6) & Sebastian Aho (5))

2nd Period

NYR (7:32)- Alexis Lafreniere (2) (assisted by Adam Fox (4) & Artemi Panarin (2))

CAR (18:18)- Jake Guentzel (3) (assisted by Sebastian Aho (6) & Tony DeAngelo (1))

3rd Period

NYR (6:07)- Chris Kreider (3) PP (assisted by Vincent Trocheck (5) & Artemi Panarin (3))

Overtime

None

2nd Overtime

NYR (7:24)- Vincent Trocheck (5) PP (assisted by Mika Zibanejad (8) & Artemi Panarin (4))

My Thoughts

The pure hockey fan in me can appreciate this game for what it was. This was two teams going to war with bodies flying all over the ice. It's about the same way I felt about the 4OT game against Florida last season. However, like that game, I can't help but ask, "That's how that game ended?" That might've been the softest cross-check I've ever seen in my life that was called on Brady Skjei in the second overtime. Skjei pushed Vincent Trocheck in the pants with his stick, and because it was parallel, it was called. I watched Ryan Lindgren absolutely destroy Seth Jarvis in the ribs with his stick in the second period, but that's what we're calling in the fifth period? I'm not one for making excuses when my team loses, but that's ridiculous. 

The officiating on both sides has been terrible through two games, and while I didn't think it could get worse after Game 1, this crew somehow managed to do just that. I lost a lot of respect for Adam Fox tonight. I think Fox is an incredible hockey player, but I think he also has, deservedly, garnered a reputation as a diver. Tonight, Fox flew through the air after Andrei Svechnikov set a pick that sent Svechnikov to the box for interference. Then, he hit the ice like a ton of bricks after Jake Guentzel punched him after Fox threw the first shot, only to pop up like the director yelled, "Cut!" For a world-class defender, he needs to be better than that. My favorite moments tonight were watching Matt Rempe get floored by Jack Drury after Rempe nudged Frederik Andersen and Jacob Trouba going face-first into the boards after Martin Necas ducked a hit attempt. 

At the end of the night, as much as we can point at the officiating, the Hurricanes' special teams cost them the game again. If power plays were wiped off the face of the earth, the Canes would be up 2-0, but that's not how things work. When you commit a penalty, no matter how soft, you have to kill it. Tonight, the Canes were good but not great. They finished 5-for-7, but the two goals they allowed were at the most important points in the game. Chris Kreider tied the game 3-3 with a conversion in the third period, and Vincent Trocheck won it in double overtime on the power play. Igor Shesterkin also deserves a lot of credit for New York's lead, too. He was phenomenal in the final three and a half periods after allowing two goals late in the first period. Shesterkin finished the night with 54 stops, outplaying Andersen for the second game in a row.

While things look bleak right now for the Hurricanes, I refuse to believe the Rangers have been the better team in this series. The Rangers have absolutely been the more timely team, but I've really liked Carolina's game at 5-on-5 and 4-on-4. A 2-0 hole isn't insurmountable. We've seen Carolina overcome early deficits to win series before. In 2022, New York was down 2-0 to the Canes before winning in seven games. The \outcome of the series hinges on Thursday's game. Carolina has to be better on special teams. They're already the better team when things are even. Now, they need to be able to take advantage of the opportunities they're given while killing the mistakes they make. If the Canes win the special teams battle in Game 3, the Canes might just have a little hope. 

My Three Stars of the Game

3rd Star- Brady Skjei- 1 assist

His night will be remembered for the cross-checking penalty he took that led to the game-winner, but it was a soft call. Before that, Skjei had been playing a solid game. He assisted on Orlov's goal to give the Canes the lead late in the first period. He also led the defense with six shots while leading the team with five hits.

2nd Star- Jake Guentzel- 2 goals

Guentzel really likes playing at Madison Square Garden in the playoffs. With his two goals tonight, Guentzel has eight goals in six postseason games in New York. His two goals tonight came in different ways. The first was a beautiful redirection, and his second came on a one-timer in the slot. He also laid a sweet punch to Fox's face, even if he was penalized for it. 

1st Star- Sebastian Aho- 3 assists

While Panarin eventually equaled his total tonight, Aho was the best playmaker on the ice. Through two games in the series, Aho has five assists after recording three tonight. He was the primary playmaker on both of Guentzel's goals and earned the secondary helper on Orlov's goal. Aho also had seven shots, second only to Staal's eight. He's feeling it right now, which means he could really explode in Raleigh. 

Next Game- It's time for Pyotr Kochetkov to get a start. Kochetkov is the perfect combustible element to add to this series. New York is all about getting chippy, and Kochetkov has proven he is more than willing to dish it out, too. Just look at his battle with Brad Marchand in 2022. With the series moving to Raleigh on Thursday night,  Kochetkov should be the man between the pipes. Frederik Andersen has been fine, but it's hard to ignore the edge New York has had in the net.