Kristen Shilton, ESPN NHL reporterMay 16, 2024, 10:15 PM ET
CloseKristen Shilton is a national NHL reporter for ESPN.
The New York Rangers were as dramatic as a Broadway play until the end of Round 2.
The Blueshirts trailed early in Game 6 of their series against the Carolina Hurricanes, and appeared in danger of not only allowing the Hurricanes to stay alive, but to win the entire thing by sending the series back to New York for Game 7.
The third period was all Rangers, though. A hat trick from Chris Kreider in that frame helped New York overcome multiple deficits and punch its ticket to the Eastern Conference finals with a 5-3 win.
Here’s a look at the keys to the Rangers’ run so far, and a look ahead at how they match up against their two potential opponents.
Rallying Rangers
There’s no arguing that New York had its worst outing of the postseason in Game 5 against Carolina. The Rangers were comparatively lifeless from the start — and still nearly completed a comeback to send the Hurricanes home.
New York responded well after losses in the regular season, and if Game 5 was a blip in that respect (as was losing at all for New York in the postseason, let alone twice in a row), Game 6 is where the Rangers showed why they were Presidents’ Trophy winners. Even after falling behind 3-1, they staged an epic third period rally to seal the deal on opposing ice.
Instead of letting Carolina continue to fester and create doubt about how good a lineup New York actually has, the Rangers tapped back into their strengths (i.e., scoring more than one goal like they did in Game 5) and channeling their top-tier pedigree in enemy territory. Perhaps it wasn’t the cleanest of series, like the Rangers’ first-round sweep, but in the end New York finished the job.
Best of the bunch
It’s cliché for a reason: If your top skaters aren’t performing in the playoffs, it’s tough to find success (just ask the Toronto Maple Leafs).
Consider New York’s run last season, when Artemi Panarin produced just…
Source link : https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/40128379/nhl-playoffs-2024-stanley-cup-new-york-rangers-conference-finals-bracket-matchups
Author : Kristen Shilton
Publish date : 2024-05-17 13:33:18
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