What We Expected (and Didn’t Expect) in the Rangers-Hurricanes Game

There have been some clear expectations going into Recreation 1 of the second-round collection between the Rangers and the Carolina Hurricanes within the N.H.L. playoffs. And in some methods, the 2-1 additional time victory by Carolina in Raleigh, N.C., on Wednesday developed as foreseen. However it additionally threw up some surprises. Right here’s the way it performed out.

Anticipated: The Hurricanes gained at dwelling

Carolina simply accomplished a 4-3 collection win over the Boston Bruins. All seven video games have been gained by the house crew. The Hurricanes have been 29-8-4 at dwelling within the common season. They have been additionally favored in Wednesday’s sport — with odds of round 1-2 — and favored within the collection.

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 Recreation 7 victory over the Bruins, and the Rangers gained three in a row to rally previous the Pittsburgh Penguins, by two objectives, two objectives and one purpose (in additional time).

Anticipated: It was low scoring

The Hurricanes and the Rangers had the league’s stingiest defenses, ending 1-2 in objectives 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 collection, however the crew saved the religion, and he had 99 saves within the final three video games.

Antti Raanta, who has been beginning in purpose for Carolina as a result of Frederik Andersen is out with an harm, additionally got here up huge within the sport.

“Yeah, we might have preferred to attain extra objectives,” Mika Zibanejad of the Rangers mentioned. “We did quite a lot of good issues. We get these probabilities once more, I’m positive we’ll rating a pair extra.”

In distinction, the opposite collection that began Wednesday was a rollicking 9-6 win for the Calgary Flames over the Edmonton Oilers.

Surprising: 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 collection, 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 collection.

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 intervals. “The primary two intervals was good hockey for us,” Coach Gerard Gallant mentioned. “We didn’t spend quite a lot 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 assumed it was their finest sport of the yr, I actually did.”

Coach Rod Brind’Amour of the Hurricanes agreed: “For 2 intervals, they have been the higher crew, no query.”

Surprising: Every thing modified within the third interval

Whether or not it was tweaks to the lineups, a greater mentality or just altering fortunes, the Hurricanes appeared like a special crew within the third interval. Abruptly 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.

Surprising: Ian Cole?

The additional time sport winner at 3:12 was a shot from distance by the veteran Ian Cole that deflected off a Ranger stick. Cole had two objectives all season and solely 29 in his 12-year profession.

“That’s what’s nice about this sport,” Brind’Amour mentioned. “You simply don’t know who’s going to be the man.”