Hurricanes fall in overtime to the Rangers, trail 3-0 in the series

By WRAL

New York Rangers	3
Carolina Hurricanes	2
F/OT

Raleigh, N.C. — After tying the game with less than two minutes remaining, the Carolina Hurricanes fall in overtime, 3-2. Artemi Panarin scored the game-winning goal less than two minutes into the overtime period.

Special teams have been the talk of the series, the Hurricanes are currently 0/10 on the power play while the Rangers have scored four goals in the power play. Carolina had another opportunity with a Rangers penalty two minutes in, but weren't able to score. The Canes did have a few good opportunities though, getting three shots during the power play.

A pair of penalties on both teams (NYR Alexander Wennberg and CAR Andrei Svechnikov) a few minutes later led to an uneventful 4 on 4 stretch.

With 9:46 left in the first period, Dmitry Orlov and Andrei Svechnikov teamed up for a Jake Guentzel tip-in goal. That's his fourth goal this postseason, his third in two games. Hurricanes lead 1-0.

About a minute later, a massive fight broke out between the two teams. Tensions are high with what's already been a physical series.

So far, so good on the penalty kill for the Canes. Guentzel picked up a high-sticking penalty with just under seven minutes left in the first period, but the Canes were successfully able to kill it off. The Rangers have scored a power-play goal in five consecutive games, four in total in this series. Kochetkov has six saves on six shot attempts so far in the first period.

Canes hold that lead, 1-0, going into the first intermission. A few stats to keep in mind:

• Hurricanes are ahead in shots, 17-8
• Hurricanes are dominating hits, 17-3
• Hurricanes are also winning 66.7% of faceoffs.

The fun didn't last, the second period was a lot more balanced, with the Rangers scoring for the first time, 1-1 the score. It came on a Canes power play, a short-handed goal from Chris Kreider.

That score held through the rest of the second period. A few stats to keep in mind

• Hurricanes lead in shots 38-20
• Hurricanes continue to dominate hits, 24-7
• The Canes have now had 14 total power play opportunities in this series, but still have not scored
• The Rangers have yet to score a goal on the power play tonight after having four through two games, but the short-handed goal is proven to be the equalizer

With 13:35 left in the third period, the Rangers took the lead, winning the faceoff and taking the puck down the ice quickly. Vincent Trocheck and Artemi Panarin got the puck to Alexis Lafreniere, who scored his third goal in two games. Canes trail 2-1.

The Canes killed another power play after a Tony DeAngelo penalty, and shortly afterward, the New York Rangers picked up a penalty of their own: a cross-check on Braden Schneider.

With 2:22, the Canes went empty net, and one-minute later, Brady Skjei passed to Sebastian Aho and Andrei Svechnikov finished for the game-tying goal, 2-2 with 1:36 remaining in regulation.

For the second game in a row in this series, Canes and Rangers are heading to overtime.

Preview

The Carolina Hurricanes are making a change in net.

Goalie Pyotr Kochetkov will get his first start of the postseason Thursday night against the New York Rangers, Carolina coach Rod Brind'Amour said Thursday morning.

The Hurricanes trail the Rangers 2-0 in their best-of-seven playoff series. Game 3 is at PNC Arena at 7 p.m.

Frederik Andersen has started all seven playoff games for the Hurricanes. He is 4-3 with a 2.58 goals against average. The Rangers have scored four goals in each of the first two games with most of the damage on the power play.

"Freddie's played really well, but he's also played a lot," Brind'Amour said. "I think giving him a little rest is the best thing."

Kochetkov's last appearance was on April 14. He played in 42 games this season, with 23 wins, 13 losses and a 2.33 goals against average.

"He's fresh and hopefully has a great game," Brind'Amour said. "He's got a different demeanor, that's obvious. Freddie's really calm and cool, and Kooch is a little more passionate and wears his emotions on his sleeve. But they're both pretty good goalies."

Forward Evgeny Kuznetsov will return to the lineup in Game 3. He was a healthy scratch in Game 2, a 4-3 double overtime loss in New York.

"We all understand where we're at and the situation," Brind'Amour said. "I don't think we need to dwell on that. It's how can we find that extra play here or there that makes the difference. That's really what it's about."

Hurricanes' power play woes

Through two one-goal losses and a power-play conundrum, the Carolina Hurricanes find themselves trailing by two games in the second-round series against the New York Rangers.

The Hurricanes have gone scoreless on 10 power play opportunities in the first two games and were unsuccessful in trying to snap Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin's streak of 29 playoff games of giving up three or fewer goals in Tuesday night's Game 2. After squandering leads of 2-1 and 3-2, periods of inspired play in the first and second overtimes didn't result in any game-winners as the team's road playoff woes seem to have returned.

Brind'Amour knows Tuesday night's events signify the momentum swings and razor-thin margins for error that come with the territory in playoff hockey.

"You got to fight for everything," Brind'Amour said. "And then, even then, it's not enough sometimes."

"The games have been real tight," Brind'Amour said. "A play here or there and we got to keep fighting to try to get that extra play because that's really what is coming down to."

Carolina is now 1-3 on the road this postseason, a callback to 2022 when they were 0-6 in two rounds against the Rangers and Boston Bruins.

It's not for a lack of shooting. Shesterkin, who was upended by Andrei Svechnikov behind the net in the first period, stayed even-keeled through a barrage of shot attempts and made 54 saves.

Not wanting to go down 3-0, the urgency toward repairing the power play is at a fever pitch.

"They're keeping us to the outside a little too much and we're settling for that," Brind'Amour said about the power play.

An active net-front presence to create traffic in front of Shesterkin will be key going forward. The Canes had 18 more shots than the Rangers, but didn't consistently get the positioning on screens and tip-ins needed to throw off Shesterkin.

"I thought there was a lot of great shots in that game all alone in front of the net," Brind'Amour said. "You know, he's a great goalie. It's obvious.

"We knew that coming in and we just got to keep, you know, you look at the goals we scored. They've basically been deflections or stuff that you can't do anything about. That's what we're going to have to keep trying to do."

In net, there's a possibility the Canes go back to Pyotr Kochetkov, who hasn't played since April 14. Frederik Andersen made 39 saves in Game 2, but allowed four goals for the second-straight game.

Max Comtois played in place of trade deadline acquisition Evgeny Kuznetsov in Game 2. Kuznetsov could return to action Thursday after scoring goals in Game 1 and Game 5 in the first round.

The Hurricanes did not practice on Wednesday.

Game 3 starts at 7 p.m. Thursday at PNC Arena.

Series schedule

• Game 1: Rangers 4, Hurricanes 3
• Game 2: Rangers 4, Hurricanes 3 (2 OT)
• Game 3: Thursday, May 9, 7 p.m. (PNC Arena)
• Game 4: Saturday, May 11, 7 p.m. (PNC Arena)
• Game 5: Monday, May 13, 7 p.m. (Madison Square Garden) * if necessary
• Game 6: Thursday, May 16, TBA (PNC Arena) * if necessary
• Game 7: Saturday, May 18, TBA (Madison Square Garden) * if necessary