*** 2021-22, 2nd Round SC Playoffs: New York Rangers (M2) at Carolina Hurricanes (M1) - (NYR Win 4-3) ***

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

Rangers and Hurricanes about to get things started...and oh cool... Mike Smith doing the anthem in Raleigh!! 

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

Rangers off n running with a PP goal by Adam Fox!

1-0 Blueshirts.
And it seems lots of Ranger fans in NC tonight.

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

Well now...

Antti Raanta may have finished the season strong, but I do believe I was right initially (and because he is a career streaky goalie anyways), when I thought the Canes would be in trouble without Frederik Anderson in net.

Raanta has had some very good games, but G6 he looked very mortal, and in this crucial, must win G7, he is looking like Finnish cheese with holes bigger than any Swiss has!

2-0 NY, and for all intents and purposes, it appears all the Rangers have to do is put pucks on net....and their chances of one going through are good!

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

Alright now...
Raanta looking more like an NHL goalie again!

If his skaters can get that anemic PP going, and if continues to make good stops like he did the last few, he has a shot get a win for his team, and push them through to the East Finals!

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

Looking at the Canes on the man advantage...
If they somehow manage a comeback and squeak by NY, and STILL show up with this kind of efficiency on the PP, Tampa Bay will absolutely have these guys for breakfast, lunch and dinner!

With not much to fear from the Carolina PP, Lightning defenders would be more aggressive than ever.
Sergachev, Cernak, McDonagh, Bogosian, even Hedman when he decides  he's gonna go that route...all those boys will absolutely take extra liberties on smashing Canes forwards, even if they might take a 'late hit' or 'roughing' penalty, if they don't believe Carolina can do anything about it on their PP.
They can ask Florida about that.

Right now, I would credit the Ranger PK'ers for excellent positioning and reading of the Canes' players.
Still though, Carolina, despite the good offensive players they have, just look so inept on the man advantage and have been for quite a while, so perhaps the Rangers reading the Canes isn't that hard to do.

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

Oh man...
Raanta down!

And it won't take much to physically "break him".
Hope he is ok, but he went down like someone shot him....then was holding onto some part of his lower body.

The rookie backup may be called upon for the Canes....talk about a trial by fire for the young man.

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

Replay shows NO ONE hit Raanta....
Injured himself (to the surprise of no one) trying to make a save.

Looks pretty bad for him.
This game rests on their rookie backup for sure now.

And the Carolina skaters better get their heads out of their storm surges and start with some more offense.

And as I finish this, the Rangers put another on the board. 
3-0

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

Bolts' travel managers on the phones checking on flights to La Guardia or Kennedy airports....

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

And top all this off, Igor Shesterkin looks razor sharp tonight.

[mojo1917]

11 minutes ago, TropicalFruitGirl26 said:

Replay shows NO ONE hit Raanta....
Injured himself (to the surprise of no one) trying to make a save.

Looks pretty bad for him.
This game rests on their rookie backup for sure now.

And the Carolina skaters better get their heads out of their storm surges and start with some more offense.

And as I finish this, the Rangers put another on the board. 
3-0

I think the goalie is in their heads every Cane seems to be trying to pass the puck into the net...and we all know that never works.

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

1 minute ago, mojo1917 said:

I think the goalie is in their heads every Cane seems to be trying to pass the puck into the net...and we all know that never works.

 

Canes skaters need to do a better job of moving the puck.
With some of the slow-to-develop plays they've been running, it's no wonder Ranger defenders are having a relatively easy time blocking shots.

The few times Carolina DID get off some quick shots, Shesterkin HAD to be paying attention...or else.
If Carolina can pepper Shester with some more instant offense, maybe they have a chance.
Big "if" and big "maybe" though, from the looks of things at this point.

And if the Hurricanes seek to try "sheltering" the young Russian goalie they have in net, they will finish off themselves way before the Rangers do!
They can't afford conservative play either!

[CorkyM]

Neither team a favorite but I have some friends that are Ranger’s fans so I would like to see them take this, especially in Carolina, and go on in the playoffs. 

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

Heh...
Emily Kaplan still up to her shenanigans.

Approaches Rangers players and the bench with positive vibes and questions.... shows up to the Canes when they are down and almost out.

She didn't troll Brindy directly this time, but manage to corner Jordan Martinook.
Guy looked exasperated trying to answer her "Whatcha gonna do now?" questions. 

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

Third period now underway with the Canes down by 3.
Is this the last 20 minutes of the Carolina season?

Oh, and look...a decent scoring chance because..... the Canes actually fired off a quick shot towards Shesterkin.
Martinook too.
Probably still grumpy over having to deal with that masked marauder, Emily Kaplan.  

[SaucyJack]

I’ve only just tuned in at start of the 3rd.  Thought I’d lend Carolina my ‘viewer juju’  but that failure to bury the shot right in front of Shesterkin a minute in suggests they are doomed to finally lose a home game.  Tough sledding ahead…

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

2 minutes ago, SaucyJack said:

I’ve only just tuned in at start of the 3rd.  Thought I’d lend Carolina my ‘viewer juju’  but that failure to bury the shot right in front of Shesterkin a minute in suggests they are doomed to finally lose a home game.  Tough sledding ahead…

 

Well, 4-0 NY now.

Turn out the lights...the party is overrrrrrrr.
There is no joy in Tobacco Ville tonight.

[mojo1917]

 Chris Krieder is a big game player apparently...he's been money tonite.

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

Just now, mojo1917 said:

 Chris Krieder is a big game player apparently...he's been money tonite.

 

And to think, some hair brained executive some years ago entertained the idea of trading him away.

[SaucyJack]

2 minutes ago, TropicalFruitGirl26 said:

Turn out the lights...the party is overrrrrrrr.

Wait…don’t the Canes still use cheerleaders in the aisles?  Maybe they can instill that extra dash of desire and hope to get the lads to close the huge gap.    

[SaucyJack]

SIS! BOOM! BAH!

 

(well that little momentum boost had the kind of half-life typically seen in large particle accelerator collisions.)

Edited May 31, 2022 by SaucyJack

[SaucyJack]

Sorry, nurses, we have to call it.

 

Time of Death:  17:08, 3rd period.

[Dumpster Hockey]

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

Bolts will be seeing the bright lights of NYC for the East Finals.
Should be a really great series with LOTS of cool storylines between TB and the NYR.

As for the Canes...great season, good playoffs, disappointing end for sure.
Still room to grow for those guys.

Better luck next year?
Yea, that's gonna have to do for now...

 

[ClusterChuck]

Have to give the Canes credit for getting so far with their 2nd string goalie Raanta. Obviously might have been a different story if Anderson was in goal.
So NYR beat the Bolts 3 times during the season...TB wasn't the same then as they are now. Should be a solid series.

[SaucyJack]

And the early line has Tampa Bay’s odds for Eastern Conference Winners improve even more with the Rangers upset victory:  -185

 

Rangers are +155 so the odds-meisters give them a likelier upset chance next round than they do Edmonton.