Rangers look to close out bewildered Hurricanes in Game 4

The New York Rangers are on the verge of accomplishing something special as they take on the Carolina Hurricanes in this Eastern Conference Second Round battle.

On Saturday, if the Rangers can beat the Hurricanes to earn two consecutive sweeps to open the Stanley Cup Playoffs, they will be the first team in history to do it since the NHL moved to a best-of-7 format for all rounds in 1987.

“You just got to be hungry,” Jack Roslovic said via the NY Post on Friday. “I mean, hungrier than ever.”

In Game 3, the Rangers rallied from a one goal deficit to take a 2-1 lead late in the third period. Carolina was able to tie it with the goalie pulled, only to watch Artemi Panarin end it off a gorgeous between-the-legs deflection just 1:43 into overtime.

“I feel like [Panarin] is a great leader, not only showing it on the ice, but in a certain situation right there — he steps up and says something in the locker room as well,” center Alex Wennberg revealed per Jonny Lazarus . “There’s more guys who do it, but that’s what you need on a team like this. We got to pull together and sometimes you need someone to speak up a little bit — and when we needed it most he was one of those guys.”

After the game, Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour was left stupefied to be down 3-0 in a series where his team has a major advantage in shots by a 129-87 margin.

“We’re focusing on how bad we’re playing, but we’re really playing pretty damn good,” a frustrated Brind’Amour explained . “There’s two games going on here, if you want to write the right story. We’re losing one badly, but we’re doing pretty damn good on the other one.”

At the end of the day, they don’t award style points for outshooting your opponents. Plus, the game isn’t played 5-on-5 for 60 minutes, and the Hurricanes have been abysmal on special teams. Through the first three games, they’ve allowed four power-play goals and a shorthanded tally while going 0-15 on the man advantage.

Now here we are with the Rangers on the verge of advancing to the Eastern Conference Final in short order.

Here’s today’s game and broadcast info:

New York Rangers vs Carolina Hurricanes (GAME 4)
Date/Time: May 11, 2024 @ 7:00 PM ET
Arena: PNC Arena
TV: TNT
Radio: ESPN 98.7 FM
Series: 3-0 NYR

Note: Subject to change, updated for each game

Related: Rod Brind’Amour baffled after losing Game 3

New York Rangers projected lineup

Here’s the expected lineup:

Kreider – Zibanejad – Roslovic
Panarin – Trocheck – Lafreniere
Cuylle – Wennberg – Kakko
Goodrow – Brodzinski- Vesey

Lindgren – Fox
Gustafsson – Trouba
Miller – Schneider

Shesterkin
Quick

Note: Per multiple reports, Filip Chytil is a game-time decision.

New York Rangers vs Carolina Hurricanes (Round 2)

Rangers leading playoff scorers:

Goals – Trocheck (5)
Assists – Zibanejad (9)
Points – Trocheck (12), Zibanejad (12)

Rangers playoff goalie stats:

Igor Shesterkin: 7-0, 2.01 GAA, .935 SV%

Notes:

This is the third time the Rangers have played the Hurricanes in the playoffs. They have a 1-1 series record, losing the 2020 Stanley Cup Qualifiers and winning in the second round in 2022. This is the second time the teams have played a best-of-7 series.

The Rangers are just the sixth Presidents’ Trophy winner to sweep their first-round opponent.

Matt Rempe became the first Rangers’ player to score a goal in his NHL Playoffs debut since defenseman Matt Gilroy scored in Game 1 of the 2011 Conference Quarterfinals against the Capitals.

Including the regular season and playoffs, when the Rangers score four or more goals in a game, they are 39-0-1.

New York tied a franchise record set in 1994 with their seventh straight win to open the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Igor Shesterkin has not allowed more than three goals in 30 consecutive playoff games.

Upcoming Rangers Milestones

• The next Rangers playoff shutout will be the first since Henrik Lundqvist beat the Montreal Canadiens 2-0 on 4/12/17 (R1, G1).

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More must-reads:

• Rangers return home with chance to end Hurricanes in Game 5
• Rangers fail to sweep, drop Game 4 to Hurricanes 4-3
• Artemi Panarin overtime goal lifts Rangers to 3-2 win in Game 3 against Hurricanes