(2M) Rangers to (1M) Hurricanes
Second Round of the Eastern Conference, Match 5
The best of 7 series tied 2-2
7 p.m. ET; ESPN, SNE, SNO, SNP, TVAS
The Carolina Hurricanes will try to stay perfect at home in the Stanley Cup Playoffs and move on to an Eastern Conference Finals victory when they play their fifth game of the second round against the New York Rangers at the PNC Arena on Thursday.
The Hurricanes are 6-0 at home in the playoffs, the longest home win streak in a single postseason in the history of the Carolina / Hartford Whalers. They lead the NHL in home wins and the home goal difference (over-15).
Carolina won Games 1 and 2 against the Rangers 2-1, 2-0.
“I thought we did a good job in both games neutralizing the crowd and we couldn’t find ways to win here,” Rangers striker Kevin Rooney said. “I do not think it matters [home] register. We look forward to getting off to a good start.
[RELATED: Complete Hurricanes vs. Rangers series coverage]
The Rangers responded by winning each of their home games at Madison Square Garden by a combined score of 7-2, including 4-1 in Game 4 on Tuesday.
“I don’t think we played very well in Game 4 as a team,” said Hurricane center Jordan Staal. “Give them credit for making a push, and they were desperate, and we weren’t. It seemed sloppy. We look forward to sharpening the knife again and being aware of where we are and what we’re trying to achieve. Here.”
The team that wins Game 5 when a series at best of 7 is tied 2-2 is 223-60 (.788) winning the series, including 4-2 in the first round of the 2022 playoffs. When the team wins local is 141-34; the road team is 82-26.
Here are 3 keys to game 5:
1. Hurricanes must ignite
The Hurricanes are 0-of-9 in the power play of the series and 1-of-18 returning to Game 6 of the first round against the Boston Bruins. Worse, it doesn’t help them generate any momentum in the 5-on-5 game. In fact, the Rangers are getting it from their penalty spot.
Carolina made some staff changes before Game 4, including moving Nino Niederreiter to the top unit to be a presence in front of the net and Teuvo Teravainen to the second unit, but nothing has worked yet.
“Obviously we have to score,” coach Rod Brind’Amour said.
Another problem for the Hurricanes is that the Rangers have scored with their power play in each of the last two games and have generated momentum from other chances of man advantage. Or they need the power play to connect to game 5 or at least prevent the Rangers power play from scoring.
“If one doesn’t go, expect the other to go,” Brind’Amour said.
2. Igor, again
Igor Shesterkin was the best Rangers player in Game 3 and arguably the best in Game 4. When the goalkeeper is his best player, the Rangers often find a way to win.
Shesterkin made 43 stops in Game 3, a 3-1 victory. He made 30 stops in Game 4 to win 4-1. He is 5-2 with an average of 1.98 goals against and a saving percentage of 0.939 since he was retired in Games 3 and 4 against the Pittsburgh Penguins in the first round. His two defeats were Games 1 and 2 here, when he allowed three goals in 47 shots.
Rangers coach Gerard Gallant said he believes Shesterkin, who has been out in consecutive games, has forced him to mentally restart and have some tough conversations with goalkeeping coach Benoit Allaire, and has marked the difference in his way of playing since then.
“First time in the playoffs and a young goalkeeper and the way this crowd [in Pittsburgh] he was roaring and cheering against him, “Gallant said.” Learn. You get better at it. ‘Benny’ talked to him a couple of times; you have to focus on the play. You can’t worry about what the crowd is doing or a bad goal. You have to get out of a bad one. He has played very well. He’s a great guy, he’s a big part of our group and I think he’s ready for that now. “
3. Zibanejad vs. Acer
The match to be played in the fifth game will be between Hurricane center Jordan Staal and Rangers center Mika Zibanejad.
The Hurricanes were able to get this match in Games 1 and 2 as a local team with the latest change. Staal, along with teammates Jesper Fast and Niederreiter, overtook Zibanejad, Chris Kreider and Frank Vatrano.
Zibanejad, Kreider and Vatrano did not score. Staal won 19 of 29 matches against Zibanejad, including eight of 13 in the defensive zone.
But the Rangers were able to free Zibanejad out of Staal in Games 3 and 4, when they had the last change, and scored three points (two goals, one assist) and won 12 games against Staal, six in the defensive zone. .
Staal will be back in Zibanejad in the fifth game, and Zibanejad knows he will have to find a way to be a more important factor than in games 1 and 2.
“It’s a fun challenge,” Zibanejad said.
Projected lineup of the Rangers
Chris Kreider – Mika Zibanejad – Frank Vatrano
Artemi Panarin – Ryan Strome – Andrew Copp
Alexis Lafreniere – Filip Chytil – Tyler Motte
Kaapo Kakko – Kevin Rooney – Ryan Reaves
Ryan Lindgren – Adam Fox
K’Andre Miller – Jacob Oven
Justin Braun – Braden Schneider
Igor Shesterkin
Alexandre Georgiev
Scraped: Patrick Nemeth, Libor Hajek, Greg McKegg, Julien Gauthier, Jonny Brodzinski, Dryden Hunt
Injured: Barclay Goodrow (lower body), Sammy Blais (knee)
Planned alignment of hurricanes
Teuvo Teravainen – Sebastian Aho – Seth Jarvis
Andrei Svechnikov – Vincent Trocheck – Martin Necas
Nino Niederreiter – Jordan Staal – Jesper Fast
Jordan Martinook – Jesperi Kotkaniemi – Max Domi
Jacob Slavin – Tony DeAngelo
Brady Skjei – Brett Pesce
Brendan Smith – Ian Cole
Antti Raanta
Piotr Kochetkov
Scraped: Ethan Bear, Derek Stepan, Steven Lorentz
Injured: Frederik Andersen (lower body)
Status report
The Rangers made an optional skate with Schneider, Braun and Rooney. … Martinook will likely return to the lineup for the first time since suffering a lower body injury in Game 3 of the first round of the Eastern Conference against the Boston Bruins. Lorentz is likely to leave.