It’s been hard to get ahold of anything against the Rangers, who won the Presidents’ Trophy this season for having the best record in the NHL and have won their first seven postseason games, including three one-goal victories against the Hurricanes. The Rangers won 3-2 in overtime in Game 3 on Thursday to put a stranglehold on this series.
“[The Rangers] are one of the best teams in the League,” Carolina captain Jordan Staal said. “It’s tough to string together that many games against a really good team, but it’s a matter of playing free with nothing to lose and playing our best hockey and seeing what happens.
“I’ve watched this team fight for years, and we’re going to continue to fight until all is said and done.”
The Hurricanes gathered at PNC Arena on Friday, going through a spirited practice in much the same way they have done throughout their careers.
And there was solace in the familiar, helping make the uncomfortable a little more tolerable.
“It’s something you can rely on,” Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour said. “It’s always the next-day mentality we have in this league. What’s done is done. You need to worry about the next thing that is on your plate. That’s a good way to look at it.”
It’s not blind or misguided faith, though.
The Hurricanes know there are issues.
They know that if they don’t address a power play that has been so woefully ineffective (0-for-15 with a short-handed goal allowed) that it has been a boon to their opponent this round, they will have little hope.
They tinkered with the power-play units Friday, flopping defensemen Brady Skjei and Brent Burns and forwards Andrei Svechnikov and Teuvo Teravainen.
Brind’Amour also has to choose a goalie.
Frederik Andersen started the first seven games this postseason, but Pyotr Kochetkov was sharp in Game 3, making 22 saves and looking confident in his debut in this season’s playoffs.
In the end, the personnel won’t matter as much as the execution. The Hurricanes need to be one goal better than the Rangers to stay alive.
They welcome the challenge, as hard as it is.
“Last night, leaving the rink, there was a really bad taste in your mouth; not the best feeling,” Carolina forward Sebastian Aho said. “Today, coming into the rink, you build a new energy. We’re still alive.
“You have to be happy and be excited about this challenge we have coming up here. Take It day by day and enjoy it. It’s as simple as that.”
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