The Rangers Weathered Two Storms Brilliantly
Carolina’s Offensive Tactics and Rangers’ Defensive Grit:
Carolina’s game plan when they’re in the offensive zone is pretty straightforward: throw pucks at the net, hustle to win the puck back, and then do it all over again.
When they win an offensive faceoff, things get interesting. The wingers on the left and the center crash the net, creating a double screen in front of the goalie. Meanwhile, the right winger gets in there to help win the puck and pass it over to the right defenseman. That defenseman then strolls down the wall and fires a shot from the outside, hoping to get it toward the net. On the flip side, the left defenseman sneaks down the weak side, ready to pounce on any rebounds in the left corner. It’s a dance of strategy and teamwork.
When they’re regrouping in the neutral zone, Carolina usually plays to their strength – their aggressive forecheck. It starts with a pass from one defenseman to another (D-to-D), and then they move it up the ice. The third forward in line usually tips the puck into the offensive zone, setting the stage for their teammates to go to work.
Yet what stifled New York the most was Rod Brind’Amour’s 1-2-2 forecheck. The Hurricanes applied pressure at the red line, removing the middle of the ice and shutting down their attempts at those fancy east-west passes. The Rangers had two options left: either dump the puck and chase it or try to get it out along the boards. That second period felt like a classic Carolina game. They dominated while New York was shorthanded.
Yet Trocheck saved the day, stopping a puck that had hit the crossbar and was about to sneak over the goal line. He pushed it back into Shesterkin just in time. The Canes outshot the Rangers 9-3 in that second period, and it could’ve been worse. Thankfully, the Blurshirts blocked 15 shots in those first 40 minutes. It was a defensive effort to remember!
The Heroics of Cuylle and Shesterkin: A Statement Victory:
The third period was tight, with little room to work with on both ends. Every inch of ice, much like a playoff game, had to be earned.
Yet with 9:39 left, Jacob Trouba went up the right boards and found Will Cuylle in the slot for the lead. Cuylle has been quite a revelation for the team since breaking training camp. He does all the little things right and was finally rewarded with his first goal on Broadway. Barclay Goodrow received the secondary assist on the tally.
“I saw [Trouba] pinch down the wall, and I found a little lane for him to find me,” Cuylle smiled. “First goal at MSG and it was a big one. I’m pretty happy.”
“I know that he was a capable goal scorer last year for Hartford,” Laviolette said. “He came in, and you watch him in games and the chances he gets in practice and the way he can finish, there’s definitely that potential for him to score goals and create up here, as well. I like his straight-ahead speed. I like his physicality. He’s pretty smart and pretty reliable defensively. So, there are a lot of positives. And that’s obviously a big goal. A big goal at the right time in the third period. It gets us a win and gets us two points.”
The finisher was Cuylle, but the assist by Trouba was just as important. The captain led the way in many respects, logging a team-high 24:56 time on ice with four shot attempts, two hits, three blocks, and that pivotal assist.
“I almost lost the puck at the blue line and gave up a breakaway haha. Trouba said of his assist. “Then I went down the wall, Wheels set a good pick, I think it was Wheels, just kinda had the puck for a second and saw Cools going to the net and he put it in.”
It was Wheeler, who tied up former Blueshirt Brady Skeji’s stick in the corner allowing slot feed.
“He was really good,” Laviolette said of Trouba. “He was physical, blocking shots. I thought he skated the puck well, I thought he moved the puck well, I thought he did some good things in the offensive zone. He definitely was a leader back there for us tonight.”
From there, Shesterkin took over. He stopped a Dmirtry Orlov slap shot and a Teuvo Teravainen wrister. Then he stoned Aho with the glove with 6:36 remaining. Yet, with 4:00 minutes remaining came his best save of the game. Martin Necas missed wide but got the puck wide open in the slot before Shesterkin slid over and got a piece with his glove.
Twenty seconds later, he flashed the cow on former Blueshirt Tony DeAngelo, who was booed by the crowd all evening. Carolina pressed as time wound down, but a Jimmy Vesey blocked shot, New York’s 23rd of the game, and shutdown defense sealed a statement victory.
“It was a really tough game,” said Shesterkin, who made 26 saves with a + 1.89 goals saved above expected, said. “Chytil and Foxy are really important players for us. Hopefully, everything will be good. We just tried to play our game, and everybody stepped up.”