Rangers face big test versus Hurricanes at MSG
Carolina Hurricanes goalie Antti Raanta (32) celebrates with teammate Jester Kotkaniemi, left, after winning in a shootout in an NHL hockey game against the New Jersey Devils, Sunday, Jan. 1, 2023, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/John Munson) Credit: AP/John Munson
The Rangers were pleased about taking three of a possible four points on their New Year’s weekend trip to Florida, losing a six-round shootout to Tampa Bay on Thursday and beating Florida on Sunday to climb back into a wild-card playoff position.
Their next game, though, represents a clear step up in class.
The Blueshirts will be back at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday night to host the Carolina Hurricanes, winners of 11 straight games, leaders of the Metropolitan Division and owners of the second-best record in the NHL (25-6-6).
“Yeah, they’re a great team,’’ coach Gerard Gallant said after the Rangers’ practice Monday at their Greenburgh training facility. “They’re on a roll, obviously, and the way they play, they play a fast game, faster than probably any team in the NHL.’’
“I liked our Florida trip, but [the Hurricanes are] a hot team. Coming in, they’ve been playing good hockey,’’ Jacob Trouba said. “We know what to expect.
“Every game’s important. You see how tight the standings are [five points separate teams 2 through 6 in the Metropolitan Division]. It’s probably going to be that way the whole way down. We’re looking forward to the challenge. We’ve got to beat the teams in front of us.’’
Carolina has earned points in a franchise-record 17 straight games. The Hurricanes came back to force a shootout and beat the Devils in Newark on New Year’s Day. Former Ranger Derek Stepan, the fourth-line center, had two goals in that one.
The Hurricanes have four solid lines that provide balance, if not so much flash, and they have one of the best coaches in the league in Rod Brind’Amour.
“They’re aggressive in the ‘D’ zone, they’re fast in the neutral zone, [and] in the offensive zone, they put a lot of pucks to the net and a lot of traffic,’’ Gallant said. “So that’s why they’re in the top of the standings. They’re a good team.’’
They’re a good team that the Rangers (20-12-6) beat in the second round of the playoffs last season, winning a seven-game series in which each team won at home until the Rangers won at Carolina in Game 7.
Over the summer, the Rangers signed center Vincent Trocheck away from the Hurricanes as a free agent. Carolina also parted with former Rangers defenseman Tony DeAngelo, trading him to his hometown Philadelphia Flyers. They replaced them by trading for forward Max Pacioretty from Vegas and defenseman Brent Burns from San Jose.
Pacioretty underwent Achilles tendon surgery in October and has yet to play a game for the Hurricanes, though he has been practicing with the team recently.
Trocheck is the Rangers’ fourth-leading scorer (behind Artemi Panarin, Mika Zibanejad and Adam Fox). He has 13 goals and 17 assists in 38 games.
Gallant figures Trocheck is looking forward to playing against his old team.
“He played with those guys the last couple years,’’ Gallant said. “I think he’ll be excited.’’
Notes & quotes: Zibanejad did not practice Monday for “maintenance’’ reasons, the Rangers said.
Colin Stephenson covers the Rangers for Newsday. He has spent more than two decades covering the NHL and just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.
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