There have been some clear expectations going into Sport 1 of the second-round sequence between the Rangers and the Carolina Hurricanes within the N.H.L. playoffs. And in some methods, the 2-1 overtime victory by Carolina in Raleigh, N.C., on Wednesday developed as foreseen. But it surely additionally threw up some surprises. Right here’s the way it performed out.
Anticipated: The Hurricanes received at residence
Carolina simply accomplished a 4-3 sequence win over the Boston Bruins. All seven video games have been received by the house group. The Hurricanes have been 29-8-4 at residence within the common season. They have been additionally favored in Wednesday’s recreation — with odds of round 1-2 — and favored within the sequence.
Anticipated: It was shut
Carolina is the highest seed from the Metropolitan Division, however the Rangers completed simply 6 factors behind. Carolina was coming off a one-goal Sport 7 victory over the Bruins, and the Rangers received three in a row to rally previous the Pittsburgh Penguins, by two targets, two targets and one aim (in additional time).
Anticipated: It was low scoring
The Hurricanes and the Rangers had the league’s stingiest defenses, ending 1-2 in targets in opposition to.
Igor Shesterkin of the Rangers was the league’s finest goalie this season. He was pulled from two video games that obtained out of hand within the Penguins sequence, however the group stored the religion, and he had 99 saves within the final three video games.
Antti Raanta, who has been beginning in aim for Carolina as a result of Frederik Andersen is out with an harm, additionally got here up huge within the recreation.
“Yeah, we’d have favored to attain extra targets,” Mika Zibanejad of the Rangers mentioned. “We did lots of good issues. We get these probabilities once more, I’m positive we’ll rating a pair extra.”
In distinction, the opposite sequence that began Wednesday was a rollicking 9-6 win for the Calgary Flames over the Edmonton Oilers.
Sudden: The Rangers outplayed the Hurricanes
It was the New Yorkers who have been downcast afterward, however the Rangers truly performed the Hurricanes off the ice for a lot of the sport.
Regardless of successful their earlier sequence, the Rangers have been outshot by the Penguins, 310-269 (and in addition outscored). Most figured that they’d be outshot by the Hurricanes as properly, counting on environment friendly taking pictures and their crack goalie Shesterkin to remain within the sequence.
However the Rangers outshot the Hurricanes, 28-26. And that statistic doesn’t inform the entire story, because the Rangers have been dominating for 2 durations. “The primary two durations was excellent hockey for us,” Coach Gerard Gallant mentioned. “We didn’t spend lots of time in our zone. We obtained pucks out. We had actual good offensive probabilities and didn’t capitalize on all of them. However I believed it was their finest recreation of the yr, I actually did.”
Coach Rod Brind’Amour of the Hurricanes agreed: “For 2 durations, they have been the higher group, no query.”
Sudden: Every part modified within the third interval
Whether or not it was tweaks to the lineups, a greater mentality or just altering fortunes, the Hurricanes regarded like a distinct group within the third interval. Out of the blue it was Carolina taking the majority of the photographs and the Rangers who struggled to get out of their very own finish. After a few Carolina photographs off the put up, Sebastian Aho tied the sport with 2 minutes 23 seconds to go on a rebound of his personal saved shot.
Sudden: Ian Cole?
The additional time recreation winner at 3:12 was a shot from distance by the veteran Ian Cole that deflected off a Ranger stick. Cole had two targets all season and solely 29 in his 12-year profession.
“That’s what’s nice about this recreation,” Brind’Amour mentioned. “You simply don’t know who’s going to be the man.”
