Rangers Hand Hurricanes First Home Loss of the Playoffs to Advance

Carolina went on the attack immediately to try to get back into the game, but Igor Shesterkin, the Rangers’ goalie and the Vezina Trophy favorite, was flawless, withstanding a second Hurricanes power play.

The Rangers, with the second-youngest roster in the playoffs, may have surpassed outsiders’ expectations, but not their own. Their lack of playoff experience has not been an issue, and their confidence has grown, game after game.

In Game 6 on Saturday, the Rangers scored five goals on just 25 shots, chasing Raanta from the net after he conceded three goals. Carolina blasted Shesterkin with 39 shots, but he gave up only two goals, allowing his teammates to build a 3-0 lead before Carolina scored.

Monday night felt like more of the same — score a few, get the lead, and let Shesterkin, who has been stellar since he was chased from Game 4 against Pittsburgh in a 7-2 loss, hold down the fort. And it bore a resemblance to Game 5 against Pittsburgh, when Trouba’s hit injured Crosby, and then the Rangers won the game.

But the Hurricanes’ problems went deeper than losing Jarvis. They took three penalties and allowed two power play goals, and failed to score on four power play opportunities. All of Carolina’s hope then seemed lost for good, when Raanta suffered an injury while making a save, and had to leave the game. Pyotr Kochetkov, second-string to Raanta — who had been Frederik Andersen’s backup before an April injury — quickly allowed another Rangers goal.

Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/30/sports/hockey/rangers-hurricanes-nhl-playoffs.html