Hurricanes fall to Rangers in second meeting in three days amid playoff-like atmosphere
The Carolina Hurricanes clinched a playoff berth Thursday, but there was no postgame celebration at PNC Arena.
The Canes were beaten 2-1 by the New York Rangers as Igor Shesterkin won his goalie’s duel with Frederik Andersen, but Florida’s loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs secured the Canes a spot in the Stanley Cup playoffs for a fifth straight season.
“You know what, we should be happy,” Canes coach Rod Brind’Amour said. “Coming into the season, your goal when you hit training camp is to give yourself a chance.
“Let’s check the box. Now, it’s just let’s make sure we try to get better. Can we finish up there? Does it really matter? I don’t know. You’re going to be playing somebody good.”
For the Canes (46-16-8), “up there” would mean winning the Metropolitan Division again. Carolina went into Thursday’s game in first place, two points ahead of the New Jersey Devils.
But first things first. In Brind’Amour’s first year as coach, 2018-19, the Canes clawed their way into the playoffs for the first time since 2009 with wins late in the regular season. This time, they have 100 points and have done it with 12 games remaining.
“It’s a big accomplishment,” Brind’Amour said. “With that (many) games left, that’s pretty impressive.”
The Rangers (42-20-10) remain in third place in the Metro but are pushing. A 3-2 loss to the Hurricanes in New York on Tuesday left New York eight points behind Carolina, but they’re back within six after the road win.
Artemi Panarin had a goal and assist for the Rangers, tying the score in the second period and setting up defenseman Adam Fox for what would be the winning goal four minutes into the third -- for Fox, his first goal in 25 games.
Sebastian Aho scored for the Canes in the first, wristing a shot past Shesterkin from the slot for his 31st. That would be the only time Shesterkin was beaten as he picked up his 33rd win of the season.
Shesterkin had 29 saves, including two key stops in the second period against the Canes’ Jesse Puljujarvi and later Brent Burns in the final minute of the period.
“Shesky was the difference, for sure,” Rangers coach Gerard Gallant said. “He made some key saves for us. He gives you a chance to win and puts pressure on the other team and the other goaltender.”
The second game in three nights between the two teams was easily the more physical of the two. There was a playoff-type atmosphere in the arena, and Canes fans were loud in the first period when Carolina killed off 1:49 of a 5-on-3 advantage by the Rangers.
When Aho scored, it might have been louder.
“That was a big kill at the time and got the crowd going,” Aho said. “It was a pretty good game overall. We put that kind of effort in, most nights I like our chances.”
Through the first two periods Thursday, the Canes had the edge in shots — 13-3 in the first — and zone time. They controlled the pace of play for the most part.
Aho’s goal came when Jacob Trouba didn’t gap up on him defensively. In the second, the Rangers were in transition and Panarin had a clear shooting lane from the left circle after a feed from Mika Zibanejad.
It hurt the Canes that they could squeeze little out of their three power plays in the game. But their penalty killing was on-point against the Rangers.
“If we score one power-play goal, it’s a lot different story, probably,” Aho said.
But the main story line Thursday was the Canes clinching another playoff spot. Win or lose from here, they’re in.
“That’s the whole point of the regular season, right?” Aho said. “We’re going to get another chance to win the whole thing, so that’s awesome.”
Of note: Jordan Staal played in his 730th game with the Hurricanes, passing former defenseman Glen Wesley for second on the career list behind his brother, Eric (909). Jordan Martinook played in his 300th game with the Canes.
This story was originally published March 23, 2023 at 9:45 PM with the headline "Hurricanes fall to Rangers in second meeting in three days amid playoff-like atmosphere."
