Cole’s OT goal lifts Hurricanes past Rangers for Game 1 win

RALEIGH, N.C. » Ian Cole beat Igor Shesterkin at 3:12 of overtime to help the Carolina Hurricanes beat the New York Rangers 2-1 Wednesday night and take Game 1 of their secondround playoff series.

The defenseman’s second career playoff goal capped a late comeback by the Hurricanes after they trailed most of the night. Sebastian Aho finally pushed one past Shesterkin in the final minutes of the third period to send the game into OT.

Then came Cole’s rebound shot, which clipped the stick of Rangers defenseman Ryan Lindgren to change direction on the way toward the net before slipping past Shesterkin to end this one.

The Hurricanes won home-ice by claiming the Metropolitan Division title, secured with a win against the Rangers in Madison Square Garden in the final week of the regular season. They nearly handed it over to the Rangers on the series’ opening night, but now will look for a sixth straight home win this postseason when they host Game 2 on Friday night.

Filip Chytil scored a first-period goal for the

Rangers, while Shesterkin finished with 24 saves.

Both teams advanced through grueling sevengame first-round series, first with Carolina finally getting past Boston on Saturday followed by New York rallying past Pittsburgh in overtime a day later.

The Hurricanes never trailed in their series nor in their four home wins. The Rangers had to rally from a 3-1 series deficit.