Eastern Conference Second Round, Game 3
RANGERS at HURRICANES
7 p.m. ET; MAX, truTV, TNT, SN, TVAS, CBC
New York leads best-of-7 series 2-0
The shortest explanation for the Rangers’ dominance is goaltender Igor Shesterkin. He’s done everything the Rangers have asked of him thus far, posting a 6-0 record, 2.01 GAA and .929 save percentage through six playoff contests. The 28-year-old was especially important in Game 2 on Tuesday, stopping 54 of 57 shots en route to a 4-3 double-overtime victory.
Additionally, the Rangers have an xGA/60 of 3.10 in the playoffs, which suggests the defense has actually been rather poor. Any indications to the contrary are largely thanks to Shesterkin picking up the slack when those in front of him falter.
Among Rangers players, Shesterkin would be their frontrunner for the Conn Smythe Trophy, but it’s true he’s also gotten great offensive support. Alexis Lafreniere came into his own during the regular season with career highs in goals (28) and points (57), and the 22-year-old has kept that going into the playoffs, supplying seven points in six outings, including two goals Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the usual suspects of Mika Zibanejad (three goals, 11 points), Vincent Trocheck (five goals, 10 points), Artemi Panarin (three goals, seven points), and Chris Kreider (three goals, six points) have all done their part in the playoffs this year.
When a team is firing on all cylinders like this, finding a flaw comes down to nitpicking, but ultimately, the reason the Rangers might lose has more to do with Carolina’s strength than any issue with New York.
With a victory tonight, the Rangers will have matched their longest playoff winning streak for a single year, which they set at seven when they won the Stanley Cup back in 1994.
*Kochetkov to start for Hurricanes in Game 3
Chris Kreider -- Mika Zibanejad -- Jack Roslovic
Artemi Panarin -- Vincent Trocheck -- Alexis Lafreniere
Will Cuylle -- Alex Wennberg -- Kaapo Kakko
Jimmy Vesey -- Barclay Goodrow -- Matt Rempe
Ryan Lindgren -- Adam Fox
K'Andre Miller -- Braden Schneider
Erik Gustafsson -- Jacob Trouba
Igor Shesterkin
Jonathan Quick
Scratched: Zac Jones, Chad Ruhwedel, Jonny Brodzinski, Louis Domingue, Adam Edstrom, Filip Chytil
Injured: Blake Wheeler (lower body)
272 responses to “It’s Go Time!”
Unfreakingbelievable!
The Athletic will move them from 4th to 3rd in the rankings now. 🤣
the breadman
Bread just keeps doing it, all year…
i thought this game was over, mostly bc i think like a Ranger fan, By Man that was awesome!!!
Poor Gravy is watching this on tape, hope he uses fast forward or he’ll be too jacked to sleep tonight
well, that was easy 😁
That’s a backbreaker goal by Artie.
Love. It.
This is so unlike the cotton candy crew we’re used to. I am almost speechless.
I would have been in a really bad mood tomorrow if we had lost tonight, glad they realized that 🤣
7 down, 9 to go.
They shafted Laffy out of an assist on the winning goal 😡
How are we doing, boys?! What a win! Panarin with a great gift for me on my birthday!
also, this! LOVE IT!
https://x.com/NYRFanatic/status/1788753658194125248?t=D-6bXTPIaq8xO48b50lAQg&s=08
Ballsy effort…they battled ..nice having a coach and system
Carolina 202 shot attempts in past two games. Wonder if they can manage to be swept with 400 total
that’s funny St pete, I was thinking it’s like vintage Rangers hockey outshot out hit can’t win a face off can’t clear a puck win on special teams and goaltending game 😉
They added Laffy finally
Anybody still think they should’ve brought in Quick to spell Shesty?
Woot woot woot!
I am stunned. I never thought they would get up 3-0 in this series. Top 6 is getting it done and Igor is a Walrus. Mika and Trochek have been monsters in this series. Wennberg and Goody have also played extremely well and having that strength down the middle is a difference maker. Bread getting it done at the right times!!!
How great would it have been if Chityl had scored on that late rush??? What a move. That would have been great to see him score and his teammates would have gone crazy for him.
kudos to Kreider on goal …he took out 2 canes at circle and beat every Defenseman down to the net to finish
KC the outcome would have been the same! Rangers always win!
slick hands by 🍞
top 6 showed up, need some greasy goals by the bottom six.
Almost ready to sit Kakko, he doesn’t understand the fundamentals of hockey
just win baby!
in that celly video you see the d all were late. they went right to igor
Bread took a pretty nice crosscheck to the back on the winner, which was another old spice shot
would like to thank Dimitri Orlov for that nice pass to Tro in the corner
Laffy didn’t deserve an assist, but they hand out second assists like cotton candy
Nah, he definitely deserved it. Carolina never had anything close to control after he wrapped it around the boards to Trochek.
Dallas is another team that can’t make things easy. Lost the first game after a 3-0 lead. Went into the third tonight with a 4-0 lead, came out with a 5-3 win with an empty net. Colorado had a 6 on 5 goal too.
Rempe smiling up in the booth, where he belongs. Great story he wrote, and it’s great he’s still part of it, but enough! There’s a Cup to win.
wwpd
I was mostly referring to the results, not necessarily the process.
was on delay. My auto recording was trutv. After the 3rd they went to the Dallas game and never went back to rangers!
luckily I was able to find it on Max but I already knew the outcome cause I saw the ticker on the Dallas game when I was fast forwarding
these producers suck. How are you changing stations ? People DVR things in this world. Keep the same product till the end darn it!
tony d whom I used to like is a clown.
loved seeing his giveaways
I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone talk as much trash about fighting yet never gets in fight
miller was very good 3rd period. Used his body well and won the pucks along the wall with well placed hits
norm with a fly by axe grind on rempe.
get a clue dude.
If Rempe ever gets back in, Kakko should be the one coming out. I didn’t love the idea of Chytil going in, but man his move and breakaway was so nice. Can’t believe it didn’t go in. I never saw a replay of how it didn’t.
I think it was a poke check
NHL credited Chytil with 2 hits. So he isn’t running from contact. He should get better as the rust wears off. If he stays healthy and contributes Bettman will close the loophole.
no loophole re chytil. he missed 1st rd plus 2 games in 2nd rd
In video after Bread scores you can see Wheeler pounding on the glass celebrating with his team mates.. Maybe Kapo out and Wheeler in will be the next move that blows our minds and we win another game.
Igor has been outstanding but our two top centers have been awesome. 1more victory then our boys get a rest and then Fla.
LGR
this would be a much easier opponent if the NYR liked skating with the puck. Look at Black Jack flying up the ice, there is so much open space when you get by the first man as they are pressing all 200 ft. Mika and Kreider can take better advantage of it.
Really shows on 4v4 as they just gives the Canes the puck instead of trying to out skate them. Leads to an inordinate amount of time playing D and looking to counterpunch.
Chytil played fine, another player who likes to skate with the puck, so good match up, but would love to see the replays of his 2 ‘hits’
The thing that impressed me the most about Chytil was that he did not get re-injured. Beyond that it looked more or less exactly what we’ve seen from him in the past, though perhaps a positive in that he did not take any face offs. Good for him getting back, though I do still worry for his future health.
Beezle said rimming
that was a complete gaff by Orlov, mite level play he couldn’t make. Maybe Canes are tired from all there efforts trying to play 200 ft press man format.
Keep chytil at wing perhaps his new professed love of hitting and getting sticks in the face he can help win some board battles too
Who would of thought that Chytil would be better at wing? Hmmmm….
Kakko skating at a snails pace in comparison. The thing about the Unfinishing Finn is he plays the game slowly. Folks were bashing Laffy’s skating but it was really his anticipation and understanding the flow of the game, more than his skating per se. Playing with Bread provides a lot of open ice as well which really helped him pick his spots.
Chytil, Wenny and Kakko had a couple of extended ozone shifts which led to some good scoring opps and forced the Canes D to play D against 3 lines.
NEW POST.
Dear Corporal,
“Great story he wrote, and it’s great he’s still part of it.” You start to live when you learn to read. (Name that reference.)