In New York, there was nothing pretty about Game 2 for the Rangers. 
They surrendered 57 shots on goal to the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday night.
They also trailed 2-1 after the first period, and 3-2 after the second period.
The Rangers needed two power play goals to take a 4-3 win in double overtime.
Chris Kreider scored off a power play at 6:07 of the third period to tie the game, 3-3.
Kreider scored off a rebound of a shot by Vincent Trocheck, he collected the puck on the right side of the cage and snapped it home for the tie, and forced extra time with the goal.
After a scoreless first extra session, Trocheck scored from the left side of the cage at 7:24 of the second session for the 4-3 win.
“On the goal, I couldn’t tell you what happened,” Trocheck said. “It went in. I don’t know. I’ll watch it and let you know tomorrow. … Typically in those games, whenever they go into overtime, double overtime, anybody can win those games. … Just thankful it was us tonight.”
Mika Zibanejad sent a shot on the net from the left boards, it bounced clear to Trocheck on the left side for a quick writer and the winner.
Brady Skjei had been called for a cross check out at the blue line on Trocheck, knocking him down. There was much discussion on the call.
Igor Shesterkin made 54 saves in the win.
“We talk about it every game,” Fox said. “Not that he doesn’t deserve that praise. He’s the backbone of our team. I think especially if you’re not on your A game for parts of it, he’ll back you up and makes a huge difference, obviously, in any game, especially this time of year.”
The Rangers were 2-for-7 on the power play.
The Hurricanes were scoreless in five chances with the extra skater, and are scoreless in 11 chances in the series.
Alexis Lafreniere hit for double in the win.
Artemi Panarin added three assists in the victory.
Lafreniere scored his first of the playoffs, midway through the opening stanza with a wrister through a maze of bodies, sticks, and legs for a 1-0 lead to the Rangers.
“It was good,” Lafreniere said. “It’s always fun to score, but just trying to play a complete game, and playing with ‘Troch’ and [Panarin] obviously helps a lot. Just trying to get open and when I get a chance, try to finish.”
Carolina replied with a pair of goals to take a 2-1 lead through the first 20 minutes of play.
Jake Guentzel scored the first of a pair on the night at at 15:07 of the first, tying the game, 1-1. He scored off a deflection of a shot form the point.
“We’re right there,” Guentzel said. “It’s a small margin for error in the playoffs. …We got to buckle down on the power play and find a way to get one there. So, go home, play in front of our fans and move on.”
Dmitry Orlov scored with six seconds left in the first, deflecting a shot from Skjei from the left point. The goal came on a 4-on-4.
Lafreniere picked up his double in the middle frame to tie the game, 2-2.
Lafreniere skated to the left side of the crease and tipped in a nifty pass from Adam Fox at 7:32,
“For me, it’s just a continuation of his regular season,” Rangers coach Peter Laviolette said of Lafreniere, who set career highs in goals (28), assists (29) and points (57). “There’s good chemistry on that line and it’s not been touched the entire year. … I think he’s taken the regular season and the confidence he got from that into the playoffs.”
Guentzel collected his double at 18:18. He scored off a shot form the slot to give the Canes a 3-2 lead headed to the third period.
“Not much else to talk about today,” the Hurricanes’ Jordan Staal said. “It’s pretty evident. The PK has got to kill and the power play has got to convert on just probably one and we would have found a way to win. I thought our 5-on-5 game was great. It was a hard-fought game. It’s going to sting but we got a find a way to get it done at home.”
Frederik Andersen made 35 saves in the loss.
Carolina’s Evgeny Kuznetsov was a healthy scratch.;
“At the end of the day, we know what we have to do to win,” Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour said. “So, we’re going to just have to find a way to do that. … They believe in there. … I think they understand what we have to do and they feel capable of it.”
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