Hurricanes-Rangers Game 5: Carolina defeats New York, 3-1, takes 3-2 series lead

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The Carolina Hurricanes once again put their undefeated home record to the test against the New York Rangers in Game 5 of their second-round NHL playoff series Thursday at PNC Arena, the series tied 2-2 after the Hurricanes lost both games in New York.

The NHL has not yet set a time for Game 6 on Saturday at Madison Square Garden in New York but that should be coming late Thursday after the Edmonton Oilers-Calgary Flames game.

The News & Observer’s Chip Alexander, Luke DeCock and Justin Pelletier are at PNC and will have live observations from the scene, along with photographer Robert Willett.

How to watch

Tuesday’s game — and the rest of the series — is available only on ESPN (Sean McDonough, Ray Ferraro, Emily Kaplan). Bally Sports South will broadcast a Hurricanes-focused postgame show featuring Abby Labar and Shane Willis. Mike Maniscalco and Willis have the call on the Hurricanes Radio Network (WCMC-99.9 in the Triangle).

Third period

Svech off the schneid: Andrei Svechnikov’s long goal drought is over. he caught the puck on a partial breakaway and went forehand-backhand deke on Shesterkin, roofing it for the score.

Raanta locked in: After that long forecheck sequence for the Canes, the Rangers came down and had a chance against Raanta. Antti Raanta with the biggest save of his night so far, stopping Chris Kreider on the backdoor at the left post off a sublime pass from Jacob Trouba. Huge save by the Canes goalie to preserve the 2-1 lead. There is 7:12 left in the third.

Stellar forecheck: The Hurricanes kept play in the New York zone for the better part of 4 straight minutes with multiple lines, forcing the Rangers to play a ton of defense and wearing them down.

Power play looks good, but no scoring: Igor Shesterkin made a couple of solid saves on the Canes’ PP, which still looked a lot better this time than in past games, despite no goal. After the kill, the Rangers got a couple of chances against Raanta, but the keeper shut the door.

Canes back to the power play: After dominating most of early third-period play, the Hurricanes get their second power play of the game when K’Andre Miller gets his stick up on Sebastian Aho in the center zone.

Second period

Canes carry play in the second: The period was played almost entirely at 5-on-5, and the Canes were decidedly better all around. But it was on a power play the Canes scored the lone goal of the period, a strike from Teravainen at the left circle on a sweet feed from Jarvis. After two period, Canes lead, 2-1.

Another post: All alone in front, Sebastian Aho clangs the top right corner post behind Shesterkin.

Reunited, if only briefly: With Jarvis away for some repairs, the Canes briefly reunited the old S-A-T line with Svechnikov, Aho and Teravainen, and generated a chance or two. Canes also had a solid forechecking shift from the Kotkaniemi-Martinook grouping, as well.

Jarvis hurt: Canes forward Seth Jarvis gets the follow-through of a shot in the face as he’s down blocking a shot and lays writhing on the ground with blood coming from his mouth for a while as the Rangers buzz the zone. Officials cannot blow the play dead until the scoring chance is over, and when Raanta makes the save, they do. Jarvis goes straight to the dressing room for some dental work. UPDATE: Jarvis back on the bench after being tended to in the room.

Canes power play awakens: Teuvo Teravainen picks the top corner on a great cross-seam pass from Seth Jarvis on a nice play from Tony DeAngelo to keep the pusk in at the point. Canes are back in front, 2-1.

Canes get their first PP: Svechnikov draws a penalty as the Canes enter the zone as Vatrano hooks him across the midsection. Hurricanes will get a shot on the PP for the first time tonight.

Great save Shesterkin: The Rangers keeper did a full split to make a glove save on a deflection in front, but at the same time, may have tweaked something. He was in discomfort heading to the bench for the media timeout, flexing his leg as he skated. He returned from the timeout, got into his butterfly in the crease and tested it out. He’s still in, we play on.

Rangers thought they’d grabbed the lead: Quick turnaround shot from the left circle while engaged with a defender by Ryan Strome beats Raanta along the ice, between the legs, and the Rangers thought they had taken a 2-1 lead. BUT, the Canes challenge the play for it having been offside. And the challenge is successful. NO GOAL. Canes dodge a bullet.

Big shot from the slot hits iron: Canes have a chance after a good cycle in the zone, but the shot from deep in the slot clangs off the bar behind Shesterkin.

Sloppy on ‘D’, but a chance on ‘O’: The Canes came out of the break a little sloppy in their own end, leading to a few chances, though no official shots, by the Rangers. At the other end, Sebastian Aho had a chance very similar to a play that resulted in a goal last time out, with a weaker backhand on Shesterkin. The keeper made this save, however.

First period

Hurricanes best 5-on-5: Stop us if you’ve heard that before. The Canes outshot the Rangers 11-5 in the frame, and at even strength Carolina was the better team. The teams traded goals on Rangers power plays and emerge from the first period even at 1-1.

Rangers strike back: Ian Cole’s penalty costs the Canes a goal. On the PP offensive zone faceoff, the puck gets sent across the tops of the circles to Mika Zibanejad, who one-times it past Antti Raanta to tie things at 1-1.

Canes back to the kill: Rangers’ Trouba lines up Ian Cole and misses, but to rub it in, Cole crosschecks him in the back. That is also no allowed, and Cole sits for two minutes.

First goal to the Canes: Shorthanded, the Canes get one on the “power kill,” with Jordan Stall floating a pass for Vincent Trocheck and the finish from the right post beats Igor Shesterkin with Svechnikov still in the box for another nine seconds. Pretty play.

First power play to Rangers: Andrei Svechnikov runs over Tyler Motte too close to the boards, runs him INTO the boards and that is not allowed. Svechnikov sits for two minutes and the Rangers get their first power play of the game.

Controversy: Alexis Lafreniere slides into the goal cage to thwart a Canes wraparound attempt as Shesterkin was clearly beat. Given Lafreniere was sliding and not in control, no penalty on the play. And there wasn’t a penalty to call there anyway. But the sequence got the crowd into a lather.

Early 5-on-5 edge to Canes: The better of 5-on-5 play has favored the Canes here in the early going. Shesterkin fought through a crowd in front to smother a pusk on a short side chance by the Staal line.

First good scoring chance to Canes: A good forecheck leads to a couple of good chances in on Shesterkin, including one wraparound from behind the cage that the Russian keeper stuffed with his right pad.

First shot, NYR: The Rangers give Antti Raanta a tester to open the shooting up tonight as New York fires a shot in off the faceoff win from the right point. The Canes’ goalie nonchalantly scoopes it with his mitt.

Pregame

Line shuffling: With Jordan Martinook drawing back into the lineup, the Canes have rejiggered their lines a little bit tonight. Looking at:

Teravainen-Aho-Jarvis

Svechnikov-Trocheck-Necas

Niederreiter-Staal-Fast

Domi-Kotkaniemi-Martinook

Slavin-DeAngelo

Skjei-Pesce

Smith-Cole

Raanta

Morning update

Jordan Martinook appears ready to return to the lineup for the first time since he was injured in Game 3 of the first-round series against the Boston Bruins. He would replace Steven Lorentz, although Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour wouldn’t commit to the change Thursday morning.

Steve Kozari and Chris Lee are the referees. That duo worked Game 7 of the first-round series against the Boston Bruins and Lee also worked Game 4 of that series. David Brisebois and Matt MacPherson are the linesmen.

Quietly, Sebastian Aho passed Eric Staal and Ron Francis for the most playoff points and assists, respectively, in franchise history in the Game 4 loss. He needs one goal to tie and two to pass Staal in playoff goals and claim ownership of all three scoring categories.

With a win Thursday, the Hurricanes would be the first team since 2014 to win its first seven home playoff games. The Rangers already became the first team since that season to recover from multi-game deficits in consecutive playoff series.

Former U.S. National Team star — and Seven Lakes resident — Clint Dempsey is the pregame siren sounder. NASCAR driver Harrison Burton and N.C. State football coach Dave Doeren were scheduled to handle intermission duties.

Why Hurricanes-Rangers Game 5 Thursday could be the pivotal game of the 2022 playoffs

Pregame reading

• Why Hurricanes-Rangers Game 5 Thursday could be the pivotal game of the 2022 playoffs

• Hurricanes’ Lorentz makes bad decision against the Rangers, for all the right reasons

• DeCock: ‘A 20-year-old can’t be your best player’: Why are Hurricanes stars struggling in playoffs?

• Hurricanes road woes continue against Rangers. What happened at Madison Square Garden?

• Canes’ penalty killing, still good at home, has been a struggle on road in playoffs

• DeCock: Frustration abounds as Hurricanes’ offense grinds away at nothing against the Rangers

• Canes’ penalty killing, still good at home, has been a struggle on road in playoffs

• Rangers’ Ryan Reaves says he’ll ‘run some people.’ Hurricanes shrug off tough talk

• DeCock: Hurricanes goalie Frederik Andersen’s postponed postseason continues on own trajectory

• Looking for a scapegoat in the Hurricanes’ loss to the Rangers? ‘The power play stunk’

• DeCock: Road continues to be Hurricanes’ Garden of nightmares, whether in Boston or New York

• Hurricanes playoff road woes continue as Rangers power past Carolina in Game 3 at MSG

• DeCock: Goals aside, the Hurricanes’ third defensive pairing has already done what’s expected

• Why Antti Raanta and the Hurricanes may have the Rangers to thank for playoff success

• Photos: Hurricanes take Game 2 from Rangers in Stanley Cup playoffs

• Why Antti Raanta and the Hurricanes may have the Rangers to thank for playoff success

• Antti Raanta, Hurricanes shut down Rangers in Game 2, take commanding 2-0 series lead

• Honk if you’re hot! Canes tailgaters shrug off the inferno outside before the big game.

• DeCock: Hurricanes find new ways to win, by the finest of margins, and now lead Rangers, 2-0

• DeCock: Hurricanes need their star players to perform against the Rangers, in Game 2 and beyond

• ‘These moments are special’: Canes’ Brendan Smith, other vets feel Cup clock ticking

• With the Canes in the playoffs, Hamilton is cleared to report for ‘lucky pig’ duty

• DeCock: Hurricanes courted disaster against Rangers, rescued themselves before it was too late

• Hurricanes beat Rangers thanks to Ian Cole’s special moment. Here’s how it happened

• Hurricanes surge past Rangers in overtime take 1-0 Stanley Cup playoff series lead

• Hurricanes defenseman Slavin again a finalist for Lady Byng Trophy

• DeCock: Why the Hurricanes’ recipe for a victory over the Rangers sings a familiar refrain

• There has been some jersey-swapping since Hurricanes, Rangers last met in postseason

• Can’t buy Canes-Rangers playoff tickets to PNC Arena? Check your address.

• DeCock: A tale of two Domis: A Game 7 hero and a famous father jumping on Hurricanes bandwagon

• Rangers, Hurricanes head coaches have differing memories of their time at PNC Arena

• DeCock: In role reversal, Hurricanes’ Svechnikov mentoring Kochetkov, who’s 9 months older

• Carolina Hurricanes built a consistent, winning culture by ‘trying to be like Boston’

• DeCock: Carolina Hurricanes owner, NHL commissioner push for arena upgrades — and it’s about time