Mika Zibanejad’s two goals and an assist, along with Artemi Panarin’s goal, propelled the New York Rangers to a 4-3 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 1 of their second-round series on Sunday.
Vincent Trocheck contributed a goal and an assist, while Chris Kreider provided two assists for the Rangers. This win marked the Rangers’ seventh consecutive victory, including their first-round sweep of the Washington Capitals.
Igor Shesterkin’s solid goaltending performance, stopping 22 shots, helped him become the third goalie in franchise history to open a postseason with five straight wins, joining Dave Kerr (1937) and Mike Richter (1994).
Carolina’s goals came from Jaccob Slavin, Martin Necas, and Seth Jarvis. Frederik Andersen made 19 saves for the Hurricanes.
Despite Carolina’s strong power play and penalty-killing units during the regular season, they struggled in Game 1, going 0 for 5 on the advantage, while the Rangers capitalized on their power plays, scoring twice in just 23 seconds.
The game remained fast-paced, with both teams exchanging scoring opportunities throughout. Necas and Panarin traded goals early in the third period, but the Rangers held on for the win.
With Game 2 of the series scheduled for Tuesday night, both teams will look to make adjustments and build on their performances.
