O guards lost their second straight game to the Carolina Hurricanes in their second-round playoff series, blowing an early lead and falling 4-1 in Game 5 on Monday night at MSG.
The Rangers still lead the best-of-seven series, 3-2, with the series moving to Raleigh, NC, for Game 6 on Thursday. But the whole affair has a different feel, with the ‘Canes rattling off two straight wins as they try to survive.
The Rangers had won all four of their previous home games in these playoffs before Monday.
Apprenticeship
– The Hurricanes are trying to accomplish something done by only four NHL teams – win a best-of-seven series again after losing the first three games. The team leading 3-0 has won the series 205 times or 98.1% of the time, according to NHL.com.
– Carolina trailed entering the third period, but scored three goals in just over six minutes to take the lead and change the series. With 16:27 left, Jordan Staal skated Braden Schneider and hit Igor Shesterkin with a backhand shot to tie the score and 3:06 later, Evgeny Kuznetsov tucked in the puck after Shesterkin gave up a rich rebound from a Brady Skjei outlet. So, with 10:04 to go, Jordan Martinook scored after a pass Martin Necas from behind the net after a Ranger giveaway. Necas scored an empty-net goal at 3:31 after the Rangers signed Shesterkin for an extra attacker.
– Jacob Trouba scored a free kick goal with 13:37 left in the second period to give the Rangers a 1–0 lead. He was part of a two-on-one after a turnover by Carolina’s power play team. Trouba kept the puck and shot it to Andersen on the stick side for his first goal of the playoffs. It was the Rangers’ second goal of the series and fourth of the playoffs so far.
– New York’s penalty kill continued to do a good job, stopping three Carolina power plays. The Rangers are 19-of-20 (95%) on the PK in this series and 34-of-37 (91.9%) overall in the playoffs.
– Neither team scored in the first period, although there were some good chances. Carolina made Shesterkin work harder and he had to stop the Ranger killer Jake Guentzel on an escape attempt with about three minutes remaining in the period. The Rangers’ best chance was probably Chris Kreider tip, try that Andersen turned around.
– Matt Rempe returned to action after being scratched in each of the last two games. Ranger fans seemed happy — they chanted “Rem-pe, Rem-pe” during one of their first shifts in the first period. Filip Chytil didn’t play or Jonny Brodzinski.
Who is the MVP?
Goalkeeper Carolina Frederico Andersen, who made 20 saves. He started for the second game in a row after being benched in Game 3 and has started four of the five games in the series. I think he can get a fifth in Game 6.
Highlights
What is the next
The Hurricanes host the Rangers for Game 6, Thursday at 7 p.m. If necessary, Game 7 is tentatively scheduled for Saturday.
