Rangers Edged By Hurricanes, 4-3
The Rangers carried a 3-2 lead into the third period, and had a 27-1-2 record when leading after two periods of play this season, but before the period was even half over that lead was gone with the Hurricanes having scored twice.
Jeff Skinner was left all alone in front to net his team-high 27th goal at the 4:22 mark of the third period, tying the score, 3-3. Then at 9:06, with J.T. Miller serving a high-sticking minor penalty, Carolina's Viktor Rask buried a power play rebound to put the Rangers down one.
Alain Vigneault used his coach's challenge at that point, believing that the play was off-sides. However the play--in which Carolina's Justin Faulk reached high with his glove to corral a clearing attempt at the blue line--was ruled inconclusive, and the go-ahead goal counted for the Hurricanes.
Despite several great scoring chances the Rangers were unable to net the tying goal; and the loss dropped them into third place in the Metropolitan Division behind the Pittsburgh Penguins, who won their game on Thursday night. The Rangers are two points ahead of the fourth-place Islanders, who have a game in hand and who also won on Thursday.
After a dreary first period in which they were outshot 13-4, outscored 1-0, and, without the stellar play of Henrik Lundqvist, could have been a far deeper hole then the one they were in, the Rangers came alive in the second period. Mats Zuccarello, Rick Nash and Chris Kreider all scored goals in the middle twenty minutes as New York carried a 3-2 lead into the second intermission.
Zuccarello tied things up at 1-1 just 1:36 into the second period. Dan Boyle won a puck battle along the left-wing boards and Derek Stepan followed with a quick cross-crease pass to Zuccarello, who was stationed at the bottom of the right circle. Zuccarello easily snapped a shot past a lunging Cam Ward for his 25th goal of the season, and 200th career point in the National Hockey League.
Less than four minutes later an outstanding individual effort by Nash gave the Rangers a 2-1 lead. After taking a pass from Miller, Nash motored up left wing, carrying Carolina defenseman Brett Pesce on his back before finally shedding him just as he snapped a wicked shot that eluded Ward to the far side.
Nash's goal, at 5:03 of the middle stanza, was his third in the past five games, and 15th of the season.
The Rangers recorded the first nine shots of the second period, but Carolina was able to tie the game on only its second shot on goal at the 13:27 mark of the period. Faulk snapped a shot from inside the blue line that seemed to deflect off Rangers defenseman Ryan McDonagh in front of a screened Lundqvist and high into the net, tying the score, 2-2.
However before the period was over the Rangers regained the lead by scoring on their third power play of the night. On a set play, Stepan sent a long pass off the boards deep in the Carolina zone. Kreider not only beat his man to the puck to negate an icing call, but he followed by zipping a left-wing shot into the net for his 19th goal with 2:42 to play in the second period.
Their play in the second was a 180 degree turnaround with how they came out in the opening 20 minutes when Lundqvist was forced to make six saves before the game was even four minutes old. By time rookie Patrick Brown hustled his way to his first NHL goal at the 11:05 mark of the opening period, Carolina was outshooting New York 11-1.
The Rangers first shot on goal came 6:14 into play, and, fittingly, it was off the stick of Eric Staal. In his much-anticipated return to PNC Arena to face to the Hurricanes for the first time since being traded to New York on February 28, Staal found himself one on one against his good friend Ward and very nearly beat him with a slick backhand shot that somehow was stopped by Ward's skate.
That was one of three shots on goal recorded by Staal, who was also credited with three hits, and five attempted shots in 16 minutes worth of ice time.
The Rangers return to action Saturday night when they host the Buffalo Sabres at Madison Square Garden.
BlueshirtsUnited.com
POST GAME WRAP UP: FINAL STATS
NY RANGERS 3 CAROLINA HURRICANES 4 FINAL REGULATION
SOG: NYR 27 CAR 28
SCORING SUMMARY
1st Period
11:05 CAR Patrick Brown (1) Wrist shot - ASST: Jeff Skinner (22), Ron Hainsey (14) 1 - 0 CAR
2nd Period
01:36 NYR Mats Zuccarello (25) Wrist shot - ASST: Derek Stepan (27), Dan Boyle (14) 1 - 1 Tie
05:03 NYR Rick Nash (15) Wrist shot - ASST: J.T. Miller (21), Ryan McDonagh (24) 2 - 1 NYR
13:27 CAR Justin Faulk (16) Wrist shot - ASST: Sergey Tolchinsky (1), Ryan Murphy (9) 2 - 2 Tie
17:18 NYR PPG - Chris Kreider (19) Wrist shot - ASST: Derek Stepan (28), Keith Yandle (40) 3 - 2 NYR
3rd Period
04:22 CAR Jeff Skinner (27) Tip-in - ASST: Ryan Murphy (10), Patrick Brown (1) 3 - 3 Tie
09:06 CAR PPG - Victor Rask (21) Snap shot - ASST: NONE 4 - 3 CAR
PENALTY SUMMARY
1st Period
08:26 NYR Dominic Moore Tripping - 2 min against Nathan Gerbe
12:03 CAR Sergey Tolchinsky Too many men/ice - bench - 2 min
2nd Period
09:01 CAR Ryan Murphy Holding the stick - 2 min against Mats Zuccarello
16:54 CAR Ron Hainsey Hooking - 2 min against J.T. Miller
3rd Period
08:12 NYR J.T. Miller Hi-sticking - 2 min against Elias Lindholm
FINAL TEAM STATS
POWER PLAYS: NYR 1/3 CAR 1/2
HITS: NYR 32 CAR 20
FACEOFF WINS: NYR 23 CAR 31
GIVEAWAYS: NYR 6 CAR 7
TAKEAWAYS: NYR 3 CAR 7
BLOCKED SHOTS: NYR 10 CAR 12
PENALTY MINUTES: NYR 4 CAR 6
RANGERS FACEOFF %: E Staal 17%, Hayes 43%, Brassard 31%, Stepan 50%, Moore 86%, Miller 20%, Glass 50%
THREE STARS OF THE GAME
1. CAR Patrick Brown
2. CAR Jeff Skinner
3. CAR Justin Faulk
NEXT GAME
The Rangers return home to start April on Saturday the 2nd as they host the Buffalo Sabres
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