NEW YORK (NY) – After yet another slow start, the New York Rangers rallied in the third to take down the Carolina Hurricanes. Goaltender Henrik Lundqvist finished with 26 saves on 28 shots for the win while opposite net minder Cam Ward stopped 18 of 21 shots.
Goalie Henrik Lundqvist (#30) – file photo by Lewis Bleiman
It didn’t take long for ex-Ranger Viktor Stalberg to feel back at home, as he scored against his former team just 5:22 into the game. His shot came when a poor clearing attempt hit his stick in the slot and he fired it on goal, clipping Holden’s stick for the first tally of the game.
The good luck kept rolling for Stalberg when he once again tested his former goalie, beating him for the second time at 12:55.
After a scorching start to the year, the Rangers as of late have slowed down, recoding fewer shots and more losses than they did in October. Tuesday night against the Hurricanes, the Rangers recorded 12 shots in the first two periods, 5 of them coming in the second period. Fortunately one of those shots went in from defensemen Nick Holden for his third of the year.
The Rangers second and third period were night and day, as they controlled almost all of the last twenty minutes. They came out quick with a bang when Rick Nash scored off a back-hand that went bar down just 24 seconds into the third.
“I kind of stuttered a bit,” he said. “I kind of wanted to get my eyes up and see what I had. I sensed I had a step on their two D-men and took it to the net.”
The cycling and puck possession kept on rolling as defensemen Ryan McDonagh drove hard to the net and got clipped by Hurricane Ron Hainsey, who then proceeded to get another two minute minor for unsportsmanlike conduct after losing his cool at the linesman.
What proceeded was a power-play goal by Jimmy Vesey, who recorded his eighth goal of the year.
The Rangers showed grit at the end of the game, controlling play and winning the battles in the corners. Nash’s play seems to have picked up great as of late and his leadership was in full force.
“I sit next to him in the locker room and played several games with him this year now,” said Vesey of Nash. “He’s got 400 goals in almost 1,000 games, so I think he’s a really big mentor for me and I’m trying to observe him as much as I can.”
The Rangers next game is against Jack Eichel and the Sabres in Buffalo on Thursday at 7pm.
The Hurricanes will travel to Boston on Thursday to play the Bruins at 7pm.
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