First Period:
- Jake Guentzel (4) Assists: Dmitry Orlov (2), Andrei Svechnikov (6)
Second Period:
- Chris Kreider (4) (Shorthanded) Assists: Mika Zibanejad (9)
Third Period:
- Alexis Lafreniere (3) Assists: Artemi Panarin (5), Vincent Trocheck (6)
- Andrei Svechnikov (2) Assists: Sebastian Aho (7), Brady Skjei (7)
Overtime:
- Artemi Panarin (4) Assists: Vincent Trocheck (7)
Stats:
Adam Rotter:
- What a win, again, for the Rangers.
- Igor Shesterkin was phenomenal, again. Carolina looked like they were going to skate circles and hit the Rangers out of the building in the first period, but the Rangers were only down one. The Hurricanes kept pushing in the second, Shesterkin kept making saves and then Mika Zibanejad found Chris Kreider and the whole game changed. It could have easily been 3-0 after the first or into the second period with how Carolina was buzzing and their PP opportunities, but the Rangers only needed one shot to tie it and then start their push.
- The Hurricanes continued to have the puck a lot, but the Rangers, especially in the third period and after Alexis Lafreniere scored, shut things down defensively. Carolina did tie it late, but the Rangers kept frustrating the Hurricanes on nearly every rush. They were in lanes, they were blocking shots and after allowing 17 shots against in the first and 20 in the second, Carolina only had 9 in the third. It stinks that they had to go to OT, but that third period was excellent.
- Again, special teams were huge for the Rangers. The PK remained perfect and the shorthanded goal was just a killer for Carolina’s momentum. I hate that they keep taking/getting called for penalties, but the combination of their success on the PK and the frustrations for Carolina on the PP has been enormous.
- I didn’t expect Filip Chytil tonight. I expected Chytil at some point, but I thought it would come after a loss. It was amazing to see him out there and he made that one great play late in the third, but I also was nervous when he got knocked down behind the net. But he got back up and now the Rangers have another scoring option for the bottom-six.
- Chytil’s return did see Matt Rempe go to the bench. It sure looked like a questionable decision after that huge scrum broke out in the first and with some of the other physicality, but taking him out, especially for Chytil makes sense. Will they lose something with Rempe out of the lineup? Maybe, but I think the energy that they lose with Rempe out gets filled by the return of Chytil. They don’t have anyone else like Rempe, but they have guys who are willing to engage physically if needed.
- But for all my thoughts about how sitting Rempe might allow Peter Laviolette to roll four lines more consistently, Will Cuylle on the fourth line only played 6:52.
- Again, it’s three guys in the top-six scoring all the goals and five of the six recording points again. Alexis Lafreniere looks great, Vincent Trocheck continues to be great and the same for Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider.
- Then there is Artemi Panarin. He was the player that had the most spotlight on him after the last two years. He had an unreal season and has followed it up with an excellent playoff so far. He has nine points so far, but he has four goals and all of them are game winners.
- And now the Rangers are, again, one win away from a sweep and then a trip to the Conference Finals. You can argue that Carolina has been better at 5-on-5 and they probably have been, at least in terms of puck possession and shots on goal, but the Rangers have had their formula to win and it’s been special teams and having the best goalie in the world. You knew that at some point the PP wouldn’t come through, but on the night where it didn’t, the PK was still perfect and they scored shorthanded. I’d love to see them to score and dominate at 5-on-5, but this formula has been working.
- It’s not just that Shesterkin and special teams have been great, this team is playing with such confidence. They have been structured, they have been blocking shots, they have not been afraid to get physical and they are comfortable playing whatever game is needed. They spent the first part of the season winning and winning it different ways and through different games. Those are the things that are coming through now. They believe they can win every game and so far that has been the case. Will it continue, they sure think it will and at this point, there is no reason to doubt them.