RALEIGH, N.C. — The Rangers will have their work cut out for them when they get back to New York.
Between their stagnant offense, power-play struggles and slim contributions from their top guns, the Rangers didn’t do much to counter the limited offense the Hurricanes generated Friday night, and ultimately lost 2-0 in Game 2 at PNC Arena to fall behind two games to none in this second round series.
The Hurricanes haven’t even come close to their top form in these two games, and that’s partially due to the Rangers’ efforts. But the Rangers have to be at their best to beat Carolina, and that hasn’t come through in this series, either.
“I would say it’s two teams not giving up [much to] either,” head coach Gerard Gallant said after the Rangers’ first shutout loss of the playoffs. “They were first in the [Metropolitan Division], we were second. There wasn’t a whole lot of ice out there for either team. Disappointed we didn’t take advantage of our power plays tonight and we haven’t said that too often this year. That’s the tough part of it.
Artemi Panarin reacts after the Ranges surrender a shorthanded goal. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
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tRY IT NOW“But overall, it’s a top team, it’s a battle game. They’re a good team, best defensive team in the league.”
The Rangers have played a tight series against the Hurricanes, who have been limited to one goal (not including Sebastian Aho’s empty-netter Friday) in regulation in each of the two contests after putting up at least three tallies in each of their first-round wins over the Bruins.
But Carolina also has taken away what drives the Rangers’ offense. The Rangers’ only goal in this series so far came 7:07 into the first period of Game 1. The Hurricanes, who finished the regular season with the top penalty-kill percentage in the NHL at 88 percent, fended off all four of the Rangers’ power plays Friday night and are a perfect 5-for-5 on the kill through two games.
Carolina even scored while shorthanded Friday night, when Aho fed former Ranger Brendan Smith on a two-on-one rush for a one-timer that put the Hurricanes on the board at 15:54 of the second period.
Brendan Smith celebrates his second period goal. Getty ImagesThe most detrimental aspect, however, has been the lack of contributions from the Rangers’ top six. Carolina deserves some of the credit for that, too, but it also falls on those Rangers who are supposed to be the club’s big-moment players.
The Rangers’ notable stats of the night were as follows:
Chris Kreider: four minutes in the penalty box, one giveaway and zero shots on goal. Artemi Panarin: three giveaways and zero shots on goal. Mika Zibanejad: two shots on goal and one giveaway. Ryan Strome: one shot on goal. Frank Vatrano: two shots on goal and one giveaway. Andrew Copp: zero shots on goal.
“I think we just have to find a way to generate more,” Vatrano said. “We’ve done it in the first round, all year. In the playoffs, that space is a little harder to get. Just got to find that extra balance and just that extra space to create offense.”
Brendan Smith scores in the second period to give the Hurricanes the lead. AP
The Rangers and Hurricanes scuffle during the first period. Charles Wenzelberg / New York PostThe Hurricanes had switched up their lines in the third period of their Game 1 overtime win, so head coach Rod Brind’Amour went with the same configuration for Game 2. The Rangers started the same way as they have the last four games this postseason, but Gallant switched things up at the end of the second period Friday night to try sparking something within his team.
Gallant flipped Alexis Lafreniere to the second line and bumped Copp down to the third unit. He also moved Kaapo Kakko to the top line with Zibanejad and Kreider at one point, and also used a makeshift unit that featured Kevin Rooney, Copp and Vatrano. But none of that had the effect Gallant wanted it to.
Asked what kind of mindset the Rangers need to have now that they’re going home, Jacob Trouba said it should be the same as all year.
“I think nothing’s really rattled this team or shook this team,” Trouba said. “It’s keep your head down and play that next game. We’ve been down in games, we’ve been down in series, we’ve been in holes before. We just keep grinding our way out and that’s what we’re going to do. We’re going to Game 3 and grind away and hopefully find a way to win that game.”
Oh, and the Hurricanes are 0-3 on the road this postseason.
