2024 Postseason: Carolina Hurricanes 1st Round Review & 2nd Round Preview

Many expected the Hurricanes to get the job done against the New York Islanders in the 1st Round of the playoffs. While I had the Canes winning in six games, they got it done in five. The Canes handled business at home to open the series. Game 1 was tied at one going into the third period before Stefan Noesen gave the Canes the lead early in the period of what became a 3-1 win. The Islanders looked poised to even it up in Game 2, taking a 3-0 lead early in the second period. The Canes rattled off five unanswered goals, including the tying and winning goals eight seconds apart in the final three minutes to win 5-3 before moving to Long Island. Game 3 was won early as Brent Burns and Dmitry Orlov staked the Canes to a 2-0 lead. With some heroics by Frederik Andersen, the series lead moved to 3-0 with a 3-2 win for Carolina. The Islanders' lone win came in Game 4, coming in double overtime on a Mathew Barzal redirection to send the series back to Raleigh. It wasn't easy, but the Canes closed it out in Game 5. They took a 3-1 lead into the first intermission, though the Islanders had evened it up through two periods. Jack Drury broke the tie with his first playoff goal, and Noesen added another eight seconds later to restore the two-goal lead. An empty-net goal by Seth Jarvis put it away for good, sending the Canes into the 2nd Round with a 6-3 victory. 

Three Stars of the 1st Round

3rd Star- Andrei Svechnikov- 1 goal, 4 assists in 5 games

There is little doubt in my mind that Andrei Svechnikov missed playing playoff hockey. After missing last season's run, Svechnikov finished tied for 2nd in assists and points against the Islanders. Svechnikov was promoted to the top line during the series, posting multi-assist games for Games 2 and 3, including the primary helper on Sebastian Aho's tying goal during the big comeback. He was finally rewarded with a goal in Game 5 on the power play.

2nd Star- Frederik Andersen- 4-1, 2.25 GAA, .912 SV% in 5 starts

While Semyon Varlamov was strong for the Islanders, Frederik Andersen was the better goalie in this series. His performances in Game 1 and Game 3 were the stuff of legends. They also happen to be the two games in which Andersen made game-saving stops. He victimized Noah Dobson a few times in the series and made a great save from his backside on Alexander Romanov in Game 3. Andersen didn't have to steal more than a game or two in the series, keeping the momentum from his final two months of the regular season.

1st Star- Seth Jarvis- 3 goals, 4 assists in 5 games

Many players were deserving of being in the Top 3 for the series, but I'm choosing to top the list with the leading point-scorer. Seth Jarvis topped all skaters with seven points, tying Noesen for the team lead in goals and tying a few for the most assists. Jarvis recorded two three-point nights in the series, finishing with a goal and two assists in Games 2 and 5. He got it done at both 5-on-5 and on the power play, leading the team with three points with the man advantage. After a career year during the regular season, Jarvis has carried his play into the postseason.

2nd Round Preview

For the first time in four seasons, a team was able to dethrone the Hurricanes for the division crown. The New York Rangers bested the Canes by three points for the top spot in the Metropolitan Division, winning the President's Trophy in the process. This gives the Rangers home ice for every series they play this postseason. The leader on the ice was Artemi Panarin. His 120 points were fourth in the league after finishing fifth in goals (49) and assists (71). Adam Fox led the defense, posting 73 points, the sixth-most among defensemen. Chris Kreider posted his third straight 30+-goal season, while former Hurricane Vincent Trocheck had a career-high 77 points. Former top pick Alexis Lafreniere had a breakout year during his fourth campaign, scoring 28 goals and 57 points. Igor Shesterkin was nearly unbeatable after the All-Star Break, winning 17 of his 23 games with a .929 save percentage. The Rangers boast some of the best firepower in the league, making this an incredible test for the Hurricanes. 

Their 1st Round Matchup- As the President's Trophy winners, the Rangers got the easiest draw of the 1st Round. They were matched up against the Washington Capitals, who barely clawed their way into the playoffs. The Rangers made quick work of the Capitals, securing the lone sweep of the round. New York outscored Washington 15-7 in the series, allowing two or fewer goals in three of the four games. Mika Zibanejad led the way with seven points, while Vincent Trocheck (3G, 3A) and Jack Roslovic (2G, 2A) recorded a point in all four games. It was the biggest no-brainer of the 1st Round.

Season Series

November 2- Both teams scored on the power play in the first period, with Chris Kreider and Seth Jarvis putting the puck in the net for their respective teams. It stayed 1-1 for most of the night until Will Cuylle broke the tie midway through the third period to take the lead. Igor Shesterkin finished the night with 26 saves, outdueling Frederik Andersen in a 2-1 win for New York.

January 2- The two teams met again at Madison Square Garden for their first games of the new year. Carolina dominated the game from start to finish. Two power-play goals in the first period set the tone, and while Chris Kreider scored to bring the Rangers within a goal, the Canes scored four unanswered goals. Andrei Svechnikov scored twice, Brady Skjei added three assists, and Pyotr Kochetkov made 28 saves in a 6-1 Hurricanes win.

March 12- The lone meeting in Raleigh was another goalie duel. Adam Fox scored with less than eight seconds left in the first period for what would be the only goal of the night for either side. Igor Shesterkin posted a 28-save shutout to help the Rangers earn a 1-0 victory at PNC Arena.

Postseason History

2020- The first postseason meeting between these two teams was a weird one. With the league's plan to return to action during the early days of the pandemic, the Hurricanes and Rangers were matched up during the best-of-five Qualifying Round as the 6 and 11 seeds. After sweeping the Canes during the regular season, the Canes returned the favor in the bubble in Toronto. After a tight 3-2 win in Game 1, Andrei Svechnikov scored the franchise's first postseason hat trick in Game 2, which turned out to be Henrik Lundqvist's final NHL game. In Game 3, Igor Shesterkin took the net, but the Canes finished the Rangers off with another 4-1 win to sweep the series and advance to the 1st Round.

2022- The Rangers returned the favor two seasons later with a seven-game win. The home team won each game in the series. The Canes picked up an exciting win in Game 1 after Sebastian Aho tied it late, and Ian Cole won it in overtime. Antti Raanta posted a 21-save shutout in Game 2. The Rangers held the Canes to just one goal in Games 3 and 4, but the Canes returned home in Game 5 to take a 3-2 series lead. The Rangers forced a seventh game by winning 5-2 in Game 6 and then dominated the Canes at PNC Arena in Game 7, 6-2, to win the series.

Five Storylines for the Series

1. Best on Best in the Special Teams Battle

Whenever the Hurricanes play a very good team, the battle on special teams is always going to be a big point of emphasis. During the regular season, Carolina and New York were the only teams whose power play and penalty kill were ranked in the Top 5. The Canes had the league's best penalty kill and the second-best power play, while the Rangers were third in both respects. In the first round, the Canes' power play was solid, but the penalty kill left a little to be desired. Both of New York's units performed well against Washington. If the Canes want to find success against the Rangers, their special teams will have to be much better than New York's.

2. Bringing New York to Raleigh

I don't like the New York Rangers. The only thing I dislike more than the Rangers are their fans. I'm sure that not all of them are bad people, but I hate how they take over an arena on the road. I subscribe to the belief that most of their fans are transplants in North Carolina, moving from New York for work and other reasons. When the series shifts to Raleigh, there's a very good chance that the arena will be roughly half Rangers fans. I was in the arena for Game 7 in 2022, and they were the worst. They'll try to take over the chants, only to be drowned out by the home crowd. I don't believe there will be any home ice for the Canes in this series, which stinks for a team that feeds off the home crowd so much.

3. The Growing Legend of Matt Rempe

It's nearly impossible to go a few minutes without hearing a "Rempe! Rempe! Rempe!" chant from the Rangers fans when he takes the ice. Matt Rempe has grown into a legend in New York, known for his willingness to body players and drop the gloves. He's not much of an offensive threat, scoring two points in the regular season and just one goal in the 1st Round against Washington. That means Rempe will be looking for Hurricanes to flatten. He's gotten into a bit of trouble this season because he was too aggressive, explaining why he wasn't available during the final head-to-head meeting this season. The Hurricanes don't have a player who matches Rempe's physicality. I have a sneaking suspicion that he'll be looking for trouble during the season, making it imperative that the Canes don't feed into his nonsense. 

4. The Battle Behind the Benches

One of the more intriguing aspects of the series is the coaching matchup. Rod Brind'Amour and Peter Laviolette have plenty of history with one another. Laviolette was the coach, and Brind'Amour was his captain during Laviolette's tenure in Raleigh. They climbed to the top of the mountain together in 2006, winning the only Stanley Cup for either man. Now, they'll be going at it behind the benches as adversaries with a trip to the Eastern Conference Finals on the line. Both teams have similar styles with similar archetypes throughout their lineups. This series is going to be a chess match, with both head coaches trying to maneuver their pieces to earn four wins. 

5. Unfamiliar Territory for Carolina

The Hurricanes have made the playoffs for the last six seasons, and they've won their division in the last three. For the first time since facing the Bruins in the bubble in 2020, the Hurricanes will be the road team for Game 1. Carolina has hosted their last eight series openers at PNC Arena, making this start of the road different for them. To make it worse, Madison Square Garden is notoriously tough for the Canes to play in. They lost all three road games during their series in 2022, and wins seem to be few and far between when the Canes make their way to New York City. 

Bottom Line

These are two of the most combustible fanbases in the league, so this series is going to be a nightmare to follow online. There is plenty of disdain between the teams, making this must-watch action. Despite being the lower seed, most oddsmakers have the Hurricanes as the favorite in the series. I'm not that confident, but I do think the Canes have a very good chance of winning this series. The Rangers are a skilled team that never had to exert much during their series against Washington. The Canes had to fight a little harder, but they got the job done in just one more game. New York had an extra day of rest, finishing their series on Monday, compared to the Canes' Game 5 win on Tuesday. Both teams should be plenty rested. I think this series comes down to which goalie can keep up their recent pace. Both teams are highly skilled offensively and defensively, but logic would dictate that the Rangers have the edge in the net. If Frederik Andersen can steal a game or two, especially in New York, then the Hurricanes can pull off another series win. The perfect narrative would be for the Canes to return the favor for 2022's Game 7 loss by beating the Rangers at MSG in Game 7. I'm not sure I can wait that long for them to win the series. I'm predicting a six-game series win for the Canes to return to the Eastern Conference Finals for the second straight season.