RALEIGH, N.C. — Artemi Panarin’s deflection between the legs gave the New York Rangers a 3-2 victory at 1:43 of overtime and a 3-0 takeover of their series against the Hurricanes. Caroline.
Carolina tied it up with 1:36 left in regulation, but Vincent Trocheck pounced on a turnover, sent a pass to the slot and Panarin neatly tipped it in by Pyotr Kochetkov for the win and a chance for the Rangers to complete a second straight playoff sweep. SATURDAY. Igor Shesterkin made 45 saves as he continued his strong playoff run.
The Rangers took the lead in the third when Trocheck took a hit from Sebastian Aho to deliver a hump pass to Panarin in stride over the Carolina line. Panarin fired a pass and Alexis Lafrenière fired a one-timer by Brady Skjei past Pyotr Kochetkov to give the Rangers their first lead of the game at 6:25 of the third.
But Carolina showed its mettle by tying the score with the net empty and 1:36 remaining before falling into a 3-0 series hole. Sebastian Aho’s net try broke his own stick and Aho’s puck and stick blade went back into the slot, where Andrei Svechnikov took control and beat Shesterkin over his right shoulder to send the match in overtime.
Panarin went BETWEEN THE LEGS for the OT winner 🤯 pic.twitter.com/JUgZdcBiaQ
– B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) May 10, 2024
Rod Brind’Amour went to Kochetkov, the 24-year-old rookie who has now seen time in three straight playoffs, after deciding that Frederik Andersen would need some rest following the double-overtime loss in the second game. Kochetkov had a solid night for the Canes, but it wasn’t enough.
Jake Guentzel scored his third goal in two games to put the Canes on the board first, deflecting Dmitri Orlov’s pass off Shesterkin at 10:14 of the first. Carolina made several shots, but failed to score that key second goal. Instead, it was Chris Kreider who scored a shorthanded goal from Kochetkov at 8:30 of the second to tie the game.
Filip Chytil returned to the Rangers lineup for the first time since November 3 and more than three months after his season ended. He replaced Matt Rempe and Rangers were still feisty, but also benefited from the arrival of Chytil along with Alex Wennberg and Kaapo Kakko.
Artemi Panarin, hero of the OT
Panarin had a relatively quiet night, but that didn’t matter when he scored as nice a winner in overtime as you’ll see. Trocheck alertly turned Orlov’s misplayed puck toward the net and Panarin tipped it between his legs and for his third career overtime winner, his second as a Ranger – this one goes with his late goal Game 7 series to eliminate the Penguins in the 2022 First Round.
Igor Igors again
It’s no surprise that Shesterkin played again on Thursday. Carolina threw a ton of shots on goal, but not many with really high danger, which is what most goaltenders like — it helps them warm up and get into the game.
His biggest save of Game 3 came early in the second period. Following a Mika Zibanejad turnover, Jordan Staal had a good look and Shesterkin moved; the goalie stopped Staal with the handle of his stick, avoiding a 2-0 deficit. The Canes had 21 shots midway through the period and Shesterkin stopped them all, although this Staal chance was by far the best.
The Rangers were stingier in the third period and Shesterkin made 44 saves before overtime for a second consecutive game. All he had to do was make an easy one in the brief OT.
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Shorthanded Kings
The Rangers didn’t dominate Game 3 on the power play like they did in the first two games. Instead, it was their penalty kill, which took a lot of work as the Canes got five power play opportunities for the third straight game and once again went 0-of-5.
Carolina had three power plays in the second period and only managed to give the Rangers one chance after another. Panarin missed the net on a breakaway out of the penalty box after his first minor expired. It was on the second Canes advantage that the Rangers got to work.
Zibanejad knocked down Brent Burns just inside the Rangers’ line and knocked the puck out, rushing on it just as Kreider ran up the middle in front of Burns to tip in Zibanejad’s pass. During that same kill, Trocheck had an escape and Kochetkov stoned that one.
The Rangers came back to score a few minutes later in the second and Kreider narrowly missed the net on another two-on-one.
Filip Chytil returns
Chytil found out Thursday morning that he would be playing his first match in more than six months. After the initial concussion suffered in a high-speed collision with Jesper Fast against those same Hurricanes on November 2 and a setback following an optional practice at Madison Square Garden on January 26, a return this season seemed unlikely.
But after almost a full month of unrestricted practice, Chytil returned for Game 3. There was sure to be some rust and he was among the least used Rangers in a game that featured plenty of time on special teams and Nothing of the sort. for Chytil, who in recent years was part of the second power play unit. But it was certainly a boost to have the popular Ranger back in a match after so much time away, some of it in his native Czech Republic.
It would have been a spectacular return to action if Chytil had converted a nice move to the net on a power play in the third period, but Kochetkov denied Chytil’s backhand. It was yet another reminder of what Chytil can do and how much the Rangers lacked his skills and speed.
Shenanigans
The Rangers had a clear intention from the start of Game 3: to get as close to Kochetkov as possible, either during the game or right after the whistle. This naturally led to a few hiccups, particularly in the opening period, as the Rangers also attempted to disrupt Carolina’s expected adrenaline rush at home.
Ryan Lindgren had the first flurry for Kochetkov in the first and Tony DeAngelo, unsurprisingly, was the exception, loudly challenging Lindgren as players gathered to shove each other. Shortly after, it was Barclay Goodrow who closed in on Kochetkov after the young goalkeeper took a shot and covered it.
This one provided a greater response. Dmitri Orlov punched Goodrow then executed a wrestling takedown on Jimmy Vesey; Vesey came out of it and delivered a glove shot to Martin Necas’ face after Necas turned over Vesey’s stick. Vesey then looked ready to fight any Cane that approached and had a quick fight with Jesperi Kotkaniemi.
Things calmed down afterward as far as the show was concerned, although both teams had several opportunities on the power play. During the televised timeout following Vesey’s scrimmage, DeAngelo maintained a steady stream of chatter with Goodrow and Will Cuylle near the benches, eventually dropping his stick and gloves in a hockey version of an 18th-century Duke challenging a fellow elite to a duel. Nobody took it into account.
Tony DeAngelo drops his gloves against… the air? 🧐 pic.twitter.com/pcGyKvmNb0
– B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) May 9, 2024
(Top photo: Josh Lavallée / NHLI via Getty Images)