Rangers' Vincent Trocheck expecting tough game against Hurricanes on Tuesday
New York Rangers center Vincent Trocheck looks on before a face off against the Washington Capitals in the first period of an NHL hockey game at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday, Dec. 27, 2023. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
GREENBURGH — To Vincent Trocheck’s eye, nothing has changed with the Carolina Hurricanes.
They are still the same aggressive, attacking team they were when he played there for a little more than two seasons (2019-20 through 2021-22).
As such, he is not expecting any surprises Tuesday when Carolina visits the Garden.
“[Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour] does a really good job of making sure no matter who is the personnel getting on the ice, they play that same style of hockey,” Trocheck said after practice at the MSG Training Center. “You know what you are getting out of that team pretty much every year no matter who is turning in and out. They have that same core so they play a tough game.”
Entering the second of three regular-season matchups against Carolina, the Rangers have a seven-point lead over the second-place Hurricanes in the Metropolitan Division (51-44).
This despite Carolina having a revolving door in goal.
Nominal No. 1 goaltender Frederik Andersen has played in only six games because of blood clots, and it is unknown if or when he will play again. In his six games, Andersen was 4-1-0 with a 2.87 goals-against average and .894 save percentage.
Andersen’s backup, Antti Raanta, struggled as the de facto No. 1 goalie. The former Ranger has compiled a 13-7-5 record with a 3.56 goals-against average and an .855 save percentage in 15 games and was sent down to AHL Chicago to find his game before being recalled on Dec. 26.
With Raanta’s suboptimal play and Andersen’s return an open question, the Hurricanes turned to Pyotr Kochetkov. Called up from AHL Syracuse on Nov. 6 — the Hurricanes do not have an exclusive AHL affiliate — Kochetkov has a 9-7-3 record, a 2.61 goals-against average and a .900 save percentage in 20 games.
So no, goaltending is not the Hurricanes’ strength.
Putting pressure on opponents is.
Carolina, which has won three straight games, has long been a favorite of the hockey analytics community for its puck-possession game. According to data culled by NaturalStatTrick.com, the Hurricanes lead the NHL in Corsi For percentage (59.82) and Fenwick For (58.25) and are second in Shots For percentage (56.22).
“They’re a good team,” Rangers coach Peter Laviolette said. “Shot volume, they’re [hard] to play against, forecheck heavy, on the puck, good skating team. We’re [going] to have to be on top of our game.”
Which is something of a subplot. Tuesday’s matchup is the first between the teams since the Rangers’ 2-1 win on Nov. 2 in which Adam Fox (lower body) and Filip Chytil (upper body, suspected to be a concussion) suffered injuries.
Fox missed 10 games recuperating from a hit from Hurricanes center Sebastian Aho, whom the NHL named its first star of the week Monday. After colliding with former Ranger Jesper Fast in the first period, Chytil took four shifts in the second period and did not play at all in the third.
Chytil has been skating on his own, but the Rangers announced during last weekend’s two-game road trip in Florida that he has returned to his home country of Czechia for treatment. There is no timetable for his return.
