Mika Zibanejad scored two first-period goals, and Igor Shesterkin‘s 19 saves helped lead the Rangers to a 4-3 victory over the Hurricanes in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference Semifinals best-of-seven series on Sunday afternoon in front of a sellout crowd of 18,006 at Madison Square Garden.
Zibanejad (four) tied the Rangers’ mark for the longest multi-point streak in the playoffs. Adam Fox (2021-22), Pierre Larouche (1985-86) and Don Maloney (1978-79) also scored in four consecutive games for the Rangers.
Shesterkin was fifth in save percentage entering the first game of the series. He continued his strong play by allowing just two goals, and one came on a deflection off a Ranger player’s stick.
With his fifth win of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs, Shesterkin became the third goaltender in Rangers history — following Mike Richter and Dave Kerr — to record wins in his first five postseason games. Shesterkin’s play was so strong that after a Jordan Staal breakaway save in the second period, the Ranger fans shouted Igor in support of the 28-year-old.
Hurricanes goalie Frederik Andersen, who allowed 2.25 goals per game in the playoffs stopped 19 of 23 shots.
Early on, both teams played a physical, fast style on both ends of the ice, which led to six penalties in the first period.
The Rangers’ power play made a big difference early in the game. They converted each of their power-play opportunities in the first period, scoring nine and 14 seconds on their two power-play goals.
Conversely, the Hurricanes were 0 for 2 on the power play chances during the first 20 minutes. Carolina had multiple scoring opportunities in the first period and only scored one goal.
The Hurricanes entered Game 1 10th in penalty kill percentage during this postseason (72.7%). They also were also fifth in power play percentage (33.3%).
It didn’t take long for either team to score their first goal. Just 2:46 into the first period, Jack Roslovic skated around the Hurricanes net and dished a pass to Zibanejad, who scored his second goal this postseason. Fox also was on the assist.
A little more than a minute later, at the 3:48 mark, Hurricanes defenseman Jaccob Slavin scored his first goal of the playoffs on a blast that deflected off the Rangers player’s stick. Sebastian Aho and Jake Guentze assisted on the goal.
At the 9:56 mark, Hurricanes defenseman Tony DeAngelo was given a two-minute roughing penalty for hitting Will Cuylle. Six seconds into the Rangers’ power play (10:05), Zibanejad buried his second goal of the game on a play in which everyone on the ice touched the puck, including Chris Kreider and Vincent Trocheck, who received assist credits.
With 16:14 into the first period, Hurricanes forward Evgeny Kuznetsov cross-checked Fox in the face. 14 seconds later (16:28), Trocheck cleaned up a rebound and scored his fourth goal of the playoffs to put the Rangers up 3-1. He became the 10th player in Rangers history to register a four-game goal streak in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The last player to do so was Zibanejad, who scored three goals in the Game 1 victory against the Capitals.
The second period was much more wide-open and less physical than the first. However, neither team could find the net after both teams combined to have 17 shots on goals in that period.
Carolina scored its second goal of the game early in the third period following passes from Jordan Martinook and Dmitry Orlov. That made the score 3-2 Rangers with 17:12 left in regulation.
The Rangers counted and made the game 4-2 with 11:39 left after Artemi Panarin displayed his speed and put a shot in the back of the net against Andersen.
With 1:45 left in the game, Carolina’s Seth Jarvis scored his fourth postseason goal to make the game 4-3. Andersen came off the ice on a 6-on-5 so the team could have an extra attacker late. But the Rangers were able to hang on for the one-goal victory.
Game 2 against the Hurricanes will be Tuesday night at The Garden. The time has not been announced.