"Bring Out the Brooms": 2024-25 Regular Season, Game 79: Hurricanes vs. New York Rangers

The Canes kicked off their final homestand with the first half of a back-to-back. They welcomed the Rangers to town for the final meeting of the season, and this game actually meant something to the visitors. While their chances are slim, the Rangers are still alive in the Wild Card race. A loss would knock them out. For the Canes, it's all about staying healthy. In positive news, they welcomed William Carrier back to the lineup after a three-month absence, signaling he might be ready to go next weekend once the playoffs begin.

Scoring Summary

1st Period

CAR (9:02)- Jalen Chatfield (7) (Dmitry Orlov (21) & Seth Jarvis (33))

CAR (17:46)- Seth Jarvis (32) (Sebastian Aho (44) & Jackson Blake (17))

2nd Period

CAR (2:02)- Jackson Blake (17) (Seth Jarvis (34) & Sebastian Aho (45))

CAR (12:59)- Mark Jankowski (12) (William Carrier (6) & Tyson Jost (5))

NYR (19:43)- Will Cuylle (20) (JT Miller (46))

3rd Period

CAR (3:45)- Jordan Staal (13) (unassisted)

NYR (6:07)- JT Miller (21) PP (Vincent Trocheck (32) & Artemi Panarin (51))

NYR (9:02)- Adam Fox (10) (Artemi Panarin (52) & Vincent Trocheck (32))

CAR (16:27)- Jordan Martinook (15) EN (Jordan Staal (23))

CAR (17:59)- Logan Stankoven (14) EN (Jaccob Slavin (21))

My Thoughts

Postseason trumps regular season, but beating the Rangers never gets old. The Canes went 4-for-4 this season, sweeping the series, and this one felt a little extra special. The Rangers (and their fans) will now watch the postseason from their couches after being eliminated from contention today. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little too giddy about it. There was no shortage of Rangers fans in the building for this game, and some got the early heave-ho based on interest videos that I saw, so the satisfaction I felt from my couch knowing they were watching their season slip away was great. Obviously, I understand that not every Rangers fan is a deplorable person. In fact, I have no doubt that most of them are good people, but the rotten few speak the loudest. Anyways, the Canes won, and it made me very happy, especially after a rough road trip.

This victory required all 18 skaters to accomplish. Nine of the 12 forwards found the scoresheet, as did three of the six defensemen. The top line got it started early in the game. They combined for seven points in 27 minutes, led by Seth Jarvis, who factored on the first three goals. He had a secondary assist on Jalen Chatfield's opening goal, scored the second goal, and had the primary assist on Jackson Blake's goal early in the second period. The fourth line combined for the fourth goal, with William Carrier cementing his return with a primary assist to Mark Jankowski. The Staal line was on the ice for all three goals in the third period. Jordan Staal made it 5-1, and Jordan Martinook and Logan Stankoven scored into the empty net to seal the deal. Jarvis (1G, 2A), Staal (1G, 1A), Blake (1G, 1A), and Sebastian Aho (2A) all finished with multiple points in the game. Even the Roslovic line, who didn't record a point, played well. Andrei Svechnikov was especially noticeable. It was a great night for everyone.

It was been a rough month for Pyotr Kochetkov. Since shutting out the Flyers four weeks ago, Kochetkov has allowed three or more goals in all six starts. He allowed three today, but this was easily the best start he's had during that stretch. The Rangers have tons of weapons, though they've had a down season overall. They applied a ton of pressure in the third period, putting 17 shots on Kochetkov. While they scored twice, Kochetkov refused to break. He played with the type of ferocity we expect from him. It's his first .900+ save percentage game since the Philly game, which might be a good sign that he's turning things around. 

Not to play the "what if?" game, but how different is this game if Artemi Panarin scores instead of hitting the post with an open net at 3-0? Alexis Lafreniere made a great play to outwait the defender and Kochetkov before hitting Panarin with a vacant net. He had all the time and the space in the world to fire the puck into the net. Instead, he hit the iron, keeping the game at 3-0. Immediately after, Jankowski made it 4-0, and that would just about do it, outside of the comeback bid that brought them within two goals. I still think the Hurricanes find a way to win the game if Panarin does score, but we'll never know. 

#RaiseUp First Star of the Game- Seth Jarvis

For the second game in a row, Seth Jarvis is my first star of the game. He sparked the team in the first period, getting the first good chance to turn the momentum on their side. Then, he recorded two points in the first and another in the second to earn another three-point game this season. This could go to the entire team for how well they played today, but Jarvis takes the cake again.

The Road Ahead- The final three games of the season are against Canadian opponents. The Canes finish their home schedule tomorrow night against the Toronto Maple Leafs before heading north of the border to play Montreal on Wednesday and Ottawa on Thursday. From there, it's time for the playoffs. Game 1 will be in Raleigh, though the date is still to be determined.