San Diego Union-Tribune (Sunday)
RANGERS WIN AT HOME, 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 host 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
Rangers 5, Hurricanes 2
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, N.C., on Monday night. The winner will open the Eastern Conference finals at home against Tampa Bay on Wednesday night.
Shesterkin had assists on Zibanejad’s first-period goal and Chytil’s second of the second period to give him three assists in 13 postseason games.
“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.”
Brady Skjei had a goal and an assist, and Vincent Trochek also scored for the Hurricanes.
Carolina fell to 0-6 on the road this postseason, becoming the first team in NHL history to lose its first six road games in a postseason.
Antti Raanta was pulled after giving up three goals on 13 shots. Pyotr Kochetkov came on and finished with 10 saves.
There’s one positive for the Hurricanes — and perhaps a bad omen for the Rangers — with Game 7 in Carolina: They’re 7-0 at home in these playoffs.
“We came out pretty raw again,” Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’amour said.
“We got behind again and that’s where it got tough. It’s behind us now, we turn the page. The good news is we don’t have to end on that. We have another shot here.”