Shesterkin, Chytil help Rangers force Game 7
The New York Rangers got off to a strong start and didn’t need a comeback to win another elimination game.
One more like this and they’ll be heading to the Eastern Conference finals.
Igor Shesterkin stopped 37 shots and became the fifth goalie in NHL history to have two assists in a playoff game, and the Rangers beat the Carolina Hurricanes 5-2 on Saturday night to force a deciding Game 7 in their second-round series.
“He made some real key saves for us,” Rangers coach Gerard Gallant said. “Obviously the two assists are huge, but I think he was trying to get three there in the third when he passed it up the middle. He’s outstanding. He’s been like that all year for us.”
Tyler Motte and Mika Zibanejad scored in the first period, Filip Chytil had two goals in the second, and Artemi Panarin tallied in the third period to help New York win its fourth straight elimination game, including Games 5, 6, and 7 in the first round against Pittsburgh. They had to rally from a deficit in each of those games.
The Rangers also set a franchise record with their sixth straight home win since a three-OT defeat to the Penguins in Game 1 of that series.
“Didn’t surprise me,” Gallant said. “I knew we’d come out hard and play well. … We jumped on them early, got a couple of goals and that was key.”
Game 7 is back in Raleigh, North Carolina, on Monday night. The winner will open the Eastern Conference finals at home against Tampa Bay on Wednesday night.
“Tonight was definitely an important game,” Shesterkin said through a translator. “We had to win and that’s exactly what we did. About the two assists, honestly, I think it was mostly the guys that did all the work. I just got them the puck and they delivered.”
ELSEWHERE
Maple Leafs: Veteran Toronto forward Jason Spezza announced his retirement Sunday after a 19-season NHL career.
The 38-year-old is moving into the Maple Leafs’ front office as a special assistant to GM Kyle Dubas.
Taken second overall by Ottawa in the 2001 draft, Spezza spent his first 11 seasons with the Ottawa Senators before joining the Dallas Stars in 2014 and Toronto in 2019.
A two-time All-Star, Spezza finished with 995 points (363 goals and 632 assists) in 1,248 regularseason NHL games, with another 76 points (28 goals and 48 assists) in 97 playoff games.