In the last matchup between the Carolina Hurricanes and New York Rangers with less than 20 games to go in the regular season, both teams competed like it was a playoff game. The top two teams in the Metropolitan division went at it until the end, with the Rangers coming out on top.
The Canes (39-20-6) desperately needed two points to put themselves within striking distance of the Rangers (43-18-4) in the standings, and they did everything but find twine. A slow start in the first period was the difference — Carolina fell behind and couldn’t claw its way back.
“They [put] some stress on us, and we weren’t good to start,” said center Jordan Staal. “Coming back in this league is never easy, especially against a good team and goaltender like that.”
In the first period, the Canes established puck possession and time in the offensive zone, but New York did a better job of getting shots to the net. The Rangers played high up on Carolina’s defensemen, making it hard to get pucks through and generate rebounds.
Of the Rangers’ 11 shots on goal in the first period, it was one of the least dangerous that beat goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov on an unfortunate bounce. With less than 10 seconds remaining, Rangers defenseman Adam Fox threw the puck to the net, and on the way, it deflected off Canes defenseman Brady Skjei’s skate and went through Kochetkov’s five-hole.
Kochetkov was easily the Canes’ best player on the ice; the young netminder rose to the occasion in a tough matchup and made numerous jaw-dropping saves. At times, the Russian kept his team within one goal including a spectacular save on a Rangers two-on-zero.
Kochetkov made more spectacular saves, but Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin was the one who pulled away with the shutout. Shesterkin made impressive saves of his own, including a couple in-tight on center Evgeny Kuznetsov who continued to search for his first point as a Hurricane.
With something to prove coming into the second period, the Canes flipped the script and outshot the Rangers 11-5 in the second frame. Carolina generated chances throughout the lineup including the fourth line. Right wing Jesper Fast almost tied the game in the second but just missed the net.
Halfway through the third period, the floodgates opened momentarily as each team traded rush chances but couldn’t find the net. Right wing Andrei Svechnikov wrung the post on a shot from the slot that could’ve tied the game. Even after pulling the goalie for the game’s final minutes, the Canes still couldn’t find a way to put the puck in the net.
“The first period is what did us in,” Brind’Amour said. “We were down one but maybe should’ve been more. The rest of the game you could probably say was even, but we didn’t push through to get that goal.”
It was not just a playoff atmosphere on the ice but also off it. With many Rangers fans in the building for the night’s matchup, the two fanbases clashed with chants of their own throughout the whole game. The Caniacs showed why PNC Arena is the “loudest house in the NHL,” and left wing Jake Guentzel, who played in his first game as a Cane, said he was impressed.
“It’s unbelievable here,” Guentzel said. “This is one of the best places to play in the NHL. Such a great atmosphere, just came up short today.”
For their sixth game this month, the Canes return to Raleigh on Thursday, March 14, where they take on the Florida Panthers at 7 p.m.
