The New York Rangers fought off the Carolina Hurricanes for most of the regular season to win the President’s Trophy. The Blueshirts now prepare to battle the storm with an appearance in the Eastern Conference Finals on the line.
The Rangers found out whom they would face in the second round on Tuesday night when the Hurricanes eliminated the New York Islanders in five games. Game one of the series will begin at Madison Square Garden, but the NHL has yet to release the schedule for Round 2.
The Rangers were 2-1 against the Hurricanes this season, winning 2-1 on Nov. 2 and 1-0 on March 12.
New York and Carolina have faced each other twice in the playoffs; the Rangers defeated the Hurricanes in seven games in the second round in 2022, and the Hurricanes swept the Rangers in the best-of-5 Stanley Cup Qualifiers in 2020.
The Rangers and Hurricanes have faced each other in the postseason twice. The Hurricanes beat the Blueshirts in a best-of-five series in 2020. The Rangers defeated the Canes in Game 7 of the second round in 2022.
“They’ve been the standard of the division for the last couple years, and even this year they had a great season. Coming into this year, that’s the team you want to overtake, you want to be ahead of in the standings. It’s no different in the playoffs,” Rangers defenseman Jacob Trouba said of the Carolina team. he wet on to say, “They’re fast, they close fast, they move the puck quick, they throw a lot of pucks at the net. It’s just fast hockey. They’ll swarm at times. They can get going and you’ve just got to keep your cool in your own zone at times, get the puck out, live to fight another day. But they come in waves. They’re good in the [defensive] zone, they control the puck in the offensive zone and they get a lot of looks at the net.”
Dan Rosen
Preview
Special Teams
The Hurricanes were second on the power play and first on the penalty kill during the regular season, and the Rangers third in each.
Team Leaders
Rangers
Goals- Vincent Trocheck (3)
Assists- Mika Zibanejad (6)
Points- Mika Zibanejad (7)
GAA- Igor Shesterkin (1.75)
Save Percentage (.931)
Hurricanes
Goals- Seth Jarvis (3)
Assists- Brady Skjei (5)
Points- Seth Jarvis (7)
GAA – Fred Anderson ( 2.25)
Save Percentage- Fred Anderson (.912)
Face-Offs
The Rangers are second in the playoffs on face-offs, winning 55.5%. The Hurricanes are at 50.2%, good for eighth place .
History
Rangers head coach Peter Laviolette won the Stanley Cup as head coach of the Carolina Hurricanes in 2006. Current Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind’Amour was the captain of that team.
Prediction
The Hurricanes are a fast team that scores off the rush, with plenty of offense in Jarvis and Jake Gentzel. The Rangers have more offensive skills. The Trocheck, Panarin, and Lafreniere line is due to break out with its explosive point production. Adam Fox, K’Aandre Miller, and Braden Schneider’s speed should be able to limit the Canes’ scoring chances and create goals in the Hurricanes’ end. The Blueshirts have the edge of the goal.
Rangers in six.
Follow Frank on X at @RangerProud
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