Hurricanes surge past Rangers in the third period, force Game 6 in Raleigh with 4-1 win
The Carolina Hurricanes still have plenty of fight in them.
Trailing the New York Rangers by a goal entering the final period of Game 5, being shut down by Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin, the Hurricanes ignited for four goals in the third for a 4-1 victory at Madison Square Garden.
After losing the first three games of the second-round series, taken to the brink of elimination in the Stanley Cup playoffs, the Canes now have won the last two and forced a Game 6. That game will be played Thursday at PNC Arena in Raleigh.
:”We’re fighting for our lives,” captain Jordan Staal said.
Staal tied the score 1-1 early in the third for the Canes, and Evgeny Kuznetsov made it 2-1. When Jordan Martinook scored from the low slot, it was 3-1 with 10:04 left in regulation.
Just like that, the Madison Square Garden crowd, so lively much of the night, sat in stunned silence.
Rangers coach Peter Laviolette pulled Shesterkin early for an extra attacker but Martin Necas swept the puck the length of the ice for an empty-net goal for a 4-1 lead.
Canes goalie Frederik Andersen, given the start in Game 5, allowed a shorthanded goal to Jacob Trouba in the second period but that was that. Andersen finished with 20 saves as the Rangers mustered just six shots in each of the final twp periods, leading to some boos in the Garden.
Staal’s goal, on a strong move to the net, came when the Canes captain came off the bench and beat Shesterkin by going forehand to backhand at 3:33 of the third.
Kuznetsov then scored on a rebound of a Brady Skjei shot at 6:39 of the third, breaking into his birdman celebration. His goal also made up for a careless slashing penalty late in the first period.
Martinook ripped a shot from the slot. After Jack Drury’s forechecking hustle, Martin Necas pass into the slot where Martinook avoided Drury and got off the shot.
Jacob Trouba’s shorthanded goal in the second period pushed the Rangers into a 1-0 lead in Game 5 as New York sought to close out the second-round Eastern Conference series.
After blocking a Sebastian Aho shot on the Canes’ first power play of the game, Trouba grabbed the puck and was off on a two-on-one in transition. The Rangers captain beat Andersen to the blocker side at 6:23 for New York’s second shorthanded score of the series.
The Canes had a second power play soon after their first as Adam Fox was called for holding, but the Rangers’ penalty killers again outworked the Canes.
Carolina for the third straight game kept the Rangers without a power-play goal. New York was 0-3 Monday,
First period scoreless
Both Andersen and Shesterkin were tested in the opening period. Neither allowed a goal, although both teams had their chances — the Canes had 10 shots and the Rangers nine, forcing the Canes’ Andersen and Shesterkin to be quick, sharp.
Andersen’s best stop might have been on a tip by the Rangers’ Chris Kreider, always dangerous on redirections around the crease. Shesterkin’s best save came on a breakaway by the Canes’ Jake Guentzel, although he also made a good stop on a Staal tip off the rush 16 seconds into the game.
The first period was played at even strength until 1:55 was left and Kuznetsov called for slashing, The period ended with five seconds left on the Rangers’ power play, the Canes’ Teuvo Teravainen teaming with Sebastian Aho for a shorthanded chance.
Andersen the pick
Canes coach Rod Brind’Amour again was coy Monday when asked about the starter. Andersen was in the “starter’s crease” in the morning skate at Madison Square Garden. Andersen also was the first goaltender off the ice.
But Brind’Amour went no further than to say “maybe” when asked if Andersen would start.
When the teams came out for the pregame warmup, Andersen led out the Canes. He started Game 4 in Raleigh, stopping 22 of 25 shots and was the winner as the Canes, trailing 0-3 in the series, took a 4-3 victory in the elimination game.
The Hurricanes held a rare morning skate at the Garden on Monday, although only for 15 or so minutes, just enough to limber up and work up a sweat.
This story was originally published May 13, 2024 at 12:52 PM.
