Rangers revisited: Dominating the Hurricanes at the Garden

The New York Rangers beat the Hurricanes at the Garden in the middle of an eight year winning streak

With no New York Rangers hockey until January, we will try to give all Ranger fans a taste of hockey by reliving the best moment on this date over the last five years.

The New York Rangers had an incredible home winning streak against the Carolina Hurricanes this decade.  The Canes didn’t win a game at Madison Square Garden in a stretch of 17 games that began on January 5, 2011 and ended on February 8, 2019, a span of eight years.

On November 10, 2015 the Hurricanes came to Madison Square Garden and did as expected, losing 3-0 to the Blueshirts, their 10th straight loss in the streak.

Henrik Lundqvist got the shutout, the 33rd of his career and it was a milestone as he passed Mike Richter in career  games and saves s a Ranger.    It was Lundqvist’s first shutout in almost a year.

The goals were scored by Jesper Fast, Rick Nash and Ryan McDonagh.    The win gave the Rangers a record of 11-2-2 as they continued the level of play that resulted in a Presidents’ Trophy the previous year.

The game

It was a scoreless game until the 9:21 mark when Jesper Fast scored.. It was a classic Fast goal that came off a dogged forecheck.  The Rangers kept the Hurricanes pinned in their zone and Emerson Etem got to Keith Yandle’s dump in and passed to Fast who took the one timer.

Just 11 seconds later, after a faceoff win by  Carolina, Mats Zuccarello was able to get the puck led a rush into the Hurricanes zone.  He faked a shot and then slipped a sweet pass to Rick Nash who put the backhand by goalie Cam Ward.

It was Nash’s second goal of the season and the first one he actually put into the net.  He was awarded his first goal of the season in October when he was hooked on a breakaway and the net empty.

Ryan McDonagh added an insurance goal just 13 seconds into the third period when his shot went in off defenseman Ron Hainey’s skate.

The first franchise mark set by Lundqvist was for most regular season and playoff game appearances.  This was Swede’s 743rd game, one more than Richter.

When Lundqvist stopped a Jeff Skinner slapshot in the first period, it was the 19,405th save of his his career in the regular season and playoffs and it gave him sole possession of first place in franchise history, passing Mike Richter again.

He made a fantastic third period save to preserve the shutout, robbing Victor Rask point blank.

These were just one instance when Lundqvist was able to pass Mike Richter and take over a franchise record.   He now leads the team very single Rangers goaltending record.