The Carolina Hurricanes finished the season strong to overtake the New York Rangers at the top of the Metropolitan Division. They will now take advantage of this late-season push when the two clubs meet in the second round of the National Hockey League playoffs.
That division title secured the home ice advantage for the Hurricanes for at least two rounds of the playoffs. An advantage they needed to defeat the Boston Bruins in seven games in the opening round: they snatched their four wins in front of their fans.
The Hurricanes players will be back in this favorable environment on Wednesday evening, for the first game of their duel against the Rangers. “I guess I’ve always wondered what home-ice advantage really means,” said head coach Rod Brind’Amour. “Well, I would say he was important in the last series, that’s for sure. For the rest, we will see. »
The Hurricanes finished the season third overall in the NHL standings, but had to wait until their penultimate game of the season on April 26, when they defeated the Rangers, to secure the first in their section. The Rangers were then in a push that had allowed them to catch up with the Hurricanes at the top of the standings.
“We had to keep winning,” noted Brind’Amour. “I would say the top eight clubs in the Eastern Conference have been pushing each other that way all year. The Rangers who were there at the end and battling with us, that helped us stay alert, too. »
Shesterkin and the tenacity of the Rangers
In the regular season, the Hurricanes won three of their four games against the Rangers. “They’ve outplayed us in at least three of the four games, that’s for sure,” Rangers head coach Gerard Gallant said. “Right now it doesn’t matter to me. At present, we are a confident team. We have good feelings; we just beat a very good club in Pittsburgh. »
The Rangers will be able to count on goaltender Igor Shesterkin, a finalist for the Vézina Trophy, presented to the best goaltender in the NHL, and the Hart Trophy, presented to the most valuable player in the league. He finished the campaign with a 36-13-4 record, a 2.07 goals-against average and a .935 save percentage. Shesterkin led the NHL in those last two categories.
“He gives us a chance to win every game,” center Mika Zibanejad said. “He is so calm, he gives us the confidence to go after the next one. [but]. »
In addition, the Rangers will find a team that has several players who have worn the uniform of the New York formation over recent seasons. Goalkeeper Antti Raanta, who took over for injured Frederik Andersen, played with Rangers between 2015 and 2017. The list also includes defenders Tony DeAngelo, Brady Skjei and Brendan Smith, as well as forwards Jesper Fast and Derek Stepan . “I don’t worry about the opponent,” DeAngelo said. “The important thing is what we are going to do here. »
The Hurricanes will have to be vigilant, however, against a team that has 27 wins from behind — two less than the Florida Panthers, the leaders in this regard.
In the first round against the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Rangers became the first team in NHL history to win three straight games from behind while facing elimination each time. In Games 5 and 6, they erased two-goal losses in the second period. In the seventh game, they trailed by two goals after two periods before leveling the score and winning in overtime.
“We never lose faith,” noted defender Jacob Trouba.