Rangers Show Signs Of Poise In Gutsy Win Over Hurricanes

Heading into Thanksgiving, the New York Rangers secured a gutsy 4-2 win over the Carolina Hurricanes on Wednesday night.

In their previous three-game road trip, the Rangers looked outskilled and outmatched against the Vegas Golden Knights, Colorado Avalanche, and Utah Mammoth, three highly skilled teams.

The Hurricanes were another big test for the Rangers to truly see where this team stood among the league’s best.

Despite getting outshot 13-4 in the first period, the Blueshirts actually were pleased with their performance through the first frame.

They played an aggressive offensive game, and while it didn’t translate into many shots, the Rangers were able to control the pace of play.

Rod Brind'Amour’s offensive system in Carolina is predicated on attempting as many shots as possible, which is why the Rangers did not get discouraged by their barrage of shots on net.

“It’s not a big deal,” J.T. Miller said of the Rangers getting heavily outshot in the first period. “Sometimes it is, but this team is notorious for shooting everything. They are a team that are going to outshoot you most nights because they go low to high and shoot every single puck. I thought the first 5-8 minutes of the game, we played really well.”

Noah Laba’s goal 16:53 minutes into the opening frame put the Rangers up 1-0. The line of Laba, Brett Berard, and Jonny Brodzinski brought a spark, as they were generating chances all night long due to their speed and physical presence.

There’s been a lot of pressure on the team’s top-six forward unit, with the bottom-six core struggling to generate consistent offense. The trio of Laba, Berard, and Brodzinski posed to be a scoring threat, which could take a weight off of some of the Rangers’ top point producers moving forward if they stay intact.

In the second period, the Rangers committed three penalties, shifting momentum to Carolina’s side and allowing them to tie the game.

However, on a set play to close out the second period, Artemi Panarin scored immediately after a faceoff after a pass from Adam Fox.

Panarin carried the momentum into the final frame, setting up Vincent Trocheck perfectly for a goal, in a way that only a player of Panarin’s calibre can make.

In two plays, Panarin changed the game, showcasing his incredible and unique talent.

“That’s what he is capable of, he has game-breaking abilities,” Mike Sullivan said of Panarin. “He doesn't need a lot of opportunities, and when he gets them, for the most part, he can convert. Just his ability to just delay and create time and space, grabs the blue line and that's where he trusts his instincts. I think that's the type of player that he is. He has the ability to change outcomes with those types of plays.”

Taking a 3-1 lead with just under 20 minutes to play, the Rangers stuck to their structure, playing a defensively sound game, but also remained aggressive offensively, helping make for a strong, balanced attack.

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“I thought we just did a better job at taking what the game gave us, and if plays weren't there, we were willing to make space plays or we were willing to punt and hunt,” Sullivan said. “I just think that's a part of the modern NHL.”

Igor Shesterkin’s 36-save performance also helped propel the Rangers to a victory, with their superstar goalie bailing the Blueshirts out when defensive breakdowns ensued.

It wasn’t always pretty, but the Rangers found a way to win on the road against the top team in the Eastern Conference. Both their well-structured and organized offense, and stingy defensive effort contributed to this victory in what was a complete team effort from New York.

The Rangers will be back in action on Friday afternoon against the Boston Bruins.