The 2023-24 season has ended for the Carolina Hurricanes. After rebounding from a 3-0 series deficit versus the New York Rangers in Round 2, they managed to force a Game 6 after clutch wins in Games 4 and 5. However, their luck ran out after losing 5-3 to be eliminated from the 2024 NHL Playoffs.
It is a loss that will sting for a while or at least until next season. A plethora of questions need to be answered this summer along with making some tough decisions about the roster. However, this will all come later, since it’s not been 24 hours since the Hurricanes’ season ended. Here’s a look at the Hurricanes’ final game, Game 6.
Hurricanes Up Through 40 Minutes
The Hurricanes led the way in the first two periods with three goals. A first-period goal by Martin Necas kicked off the game for Carolina after Jordan Martinook made a big play behind the net. He got the puck after a board battle behind the Rangers’ net and had the awareness to backhand a pass to Necas, who was crashing in on goaltender Igor Shesterkin. A perfect pass became a great shot that went into the net to put the Hurricanes up 1-0 in the first.
The second period saw more magic from Carolina with a second net-front goal. Seth Jarvis grabbed a loose rebound after a Sebastian Aho shot that went off Shesterkin on a power play that had struggled in the series. It was Jarvis’ fifth goal of the postseason, which led the team.
Related: Seth Jarvis Is Playing Otherworldly for the Hurricanes
The backhand pass to Necas was not Martinook’s only big play of the game. While the Hurricanes were up 3-1 after an Aho goal, the Rangers had a chance to get one back when the puck slid through Frederik Andersen’s legs. The puck seemed destined to go in, but, while already on his stomach, Martinook slid toward the net with his stick out in front of him. In an act of desperation, he started to sweep his stick to try to get the puck. Thankfully, his momentum carried him far enough to get the puck off the goal line before it went into the net. The hockey world exploded after that last-second save to preserve the Hurricanes’ two-goal lead. Some analysts were already calling it the save of the postseason, and deservedly so.
Martinook has been clutch in the postseason for the…
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