Hurricanes win to spoil Rangers’ Cup celebration

NEW YORK >> Petr Mrazek and the Carolina Hurricanes had a reason to enjoy themselves, too, Friday night.

Mrazek made 27 saves and the Hurricanes spoiled a celebration at Madison Square Garden that honored the last Rangers team to win the Stanley Cup, blanking New York 3-0.

Warren Foegele scored the go-ahead goal early in the third period as the Hurricanes ended a 16-game losing streak at the Garden. He took a pass from Saku Maenalanen in the slot and wristed a shot past Henrik Lundqvist at 6:43.

Rookie Andrei Svechnikov and Brock McGinn added empty-net goals as Carolina won its third in a row. It was Carolina’s first win at MSG since a 4-3 victory on Oct. 29, 2010.

In a 45-minute pregame ceremony, Mark Messier, Brian Leetch and the players and coaches from the Rangers’ 1994 Stanley Cup team were introduced.

They were seated at center ice as a sellout crowd cheered the commemoration of the 25th anniversary of that championship.

To honor that club, Lundqvist wore a goaltender’s mask similar to Mike Richter’s with the Statue of Liberty prominently displayed on the front.

Lundqvist’s mask also has “1994” painted

FLYERS

on the right side with a picture of Richter, his name and number.

“Unbelievable. It’s a humbling thing. What a great statement by him,” Richter said before the game.

“(He) didn’t have to do it. It’s very classy. I was shocked . ... Coming from him, look at the career the man has put together. He’s been nothing but consistent from the day he arrived. He’s had just a remarkable career, so it means a lot coming from him.”