Time flies when the stakes to win are high. It has been 706 days since the Rangers defeated the Hurricanes in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
This surprising run opened the door for Rangers to play in the cup, and they quickly tried to rebuild. Back then, the young Rangers core had everything to gain and nothing to lose, and were given just a tablespoon of the grueling nature of playoff hockey.
Those days of innocence are long gone, as the Presidents Trophy winner’s expectations turned out to be exactly the opposite.
With these expectations on their shoulders, the Rangers head into a postseason test against the stingy Hurricanes, who have recently been the gatekeepers of the Eastern Conference in the eyes of oddsmakers.
Heading into puck drop for Game 1 at MSG, the ‘Canes remain the market consensus favorite to win the Stanley Cup, with odds as low as +360 on FanDuel.
We realize that if we can defeat a hurricane, there are no limits.
That means the Rangers can thank Gary Bettman for playing at a “boss level” early in the first round in a controversial playoff format.
This may be the most extreme example of a premature matchup I can think of since the changes were introduced in 2013-2014.
Nevertheless, Rod Brind’Amour steadily built a respected reputation for Carolina over the past five seasons, appearing in two conference finals and two semifinals. Remember where the Rangers were in 2018-19?
I think it feels as if the Hurricanes collectively have fulfilled that obligation while the Rangers are still newbies.
Story aside, you can also discuss the intricate hockey style that the “Canes” use to outsmart everyone in five-on-five play.
They led the regular season in puck possession at even strength and continued that trend through a quick run into the first round of the series against the Islanders.
But the Islanders weren’t any benchmark, and neither were the Capitals with a four-game face plant against the Rangers.
In fact, if that Washington Series had been played during the Henrik Lundqvist era, it probably would have lasted six or seven games before he rescued the Rangers in the 11th hour.
While it’s encouraging to see a contender stepping on the throat of a vastly inferior opponent, the playoffs really begin with this round for both teams. Difficulty levels jump from beginner to grandmaster within a few days.
New York won the regular season series against Carolina 2-1, but neither team managed 30 shots on goal in any game.
The Rangers struggled for two wins, both by one point, while going just 7-1 on the power play.
Winning without relying on special teams is a situation the Rangers are prepared for. That’s essential against a Hurricanes club that doesn’t call many penalties and otherwise clogs the ice and traps.
Ironically, in the Rangers’ disappointing 6-1 loss to the Canes on Jan. 2, they were outscored 5-on-5 and forced more than twice as many turnovers.
It’s likely that Igor Shesterkin still wanted to come back that night, and his play since then shows he’s ready to do so.
Shesterkin ranks third overall in saves above expectations (4.4) and is in the top five in save percentage throughout the playoffs, allowing just three goals on 31 dangerous scoring chances. do not have.
Would you bet on the NHL?
Frederik Anderson had some scoring moments against the Islanders, but he wasn’t as consistent in the few games he was given time off due to his defense.
Carolina boasts depth and is strong in the circle, but the Rangers have emerged as a team based on faceoff success and the punch of their bottom-six forward group.
They won more than 55 percent of the head-to-head matches in the first round, and the fourth batting line produced a lot of timely goals, scoring a total of six points.
If you want to defeat a hurricane, you must mirror it.
It may be a blink-and-you’ll-win competition without much of a goal horn, but if there’s one team that’s rehearsing the task ahead, it’s Peter Laviolette’s Rangers.
Plus, when was the last time you can remember the top overall seed in the playoffs being treated as an underdog? In that sense, I think Bettman has given us all a bargain.
