Rangers swept out of qualifying round by Hurricanes

Everything, it seemed, was different for the Rangers on Tuesday.

Everything except the result.

Pushed to the brink of elimination in this best-of-five series against the Carolina Hurricanes after losses in the first two games, the Rangers changed things up in Game 3, starting Igor Shesterkin in goal and pumping shots at Carolina goalie James Reimer at a rate they had not done against Peter Mrazek in the first two games.

But the long, strange, coronavirus-tainted 2019-20 season ended for the Rangers Tuesday, when they fell to the Hurricanes, 4-1, and were swept out of their qualifying series, 3-0. The Hurricanes, whom the Rangers had swept in four games in the regular season, advance to the NHL’s 16-team playoffs against an opponent to be determined.

"First time the three games that we started playing hockey. we actually looked like the Rangers for a little bit there in the first period," Chris Kreider said. "We let one minute beginning of game one [when Brady Skjei hit Jesper Fast and the Hurricanes scored 61 seconds into the game] affect two games. You know, I did personally. Because we thought the playoffs are bloodsport and we're out there for a run around and to hit, instead of play the puck possession style that we play . . . Obviously, we have to snap out of that sooner."

Carolina forward Warren Foegele broke a 1-1 tie at 5:07 of the third period, deflecting in a shot from ex-Rangers defenseman Brady Skjei for his first goal of the postseason. Sebastian Aho created an insurance goal at 10:26 of the period with a brilliant piece of individual play when he stripped Rangers defenseman Jacob Trouba of the puck near the blue line, then beat defenseman Tony DeAngelo one-on-one in the slot, before lifting a backhander over Shesterkin and into the roof of the net.

Aho added an empty-net goal at 19:29 to close up the scoresheet.

"I give them credit they really did a great job locking things down on them, you know just the better team won the series let's just call a spade a spade," said coach David Quinn. "You know you play three games and they unfold the way they did the best team won.

"Igor played well, I mean certainly our goaltending wasn't a problem in the series. I mean our offense, we scored four goals. Four goals in three games, you're not going to win a series doing that. So, our goaltending was the least of our problems."

Shesterkin (27 saves) was back in the net, or maybe adding the physical Brendan Lemieux had something to do with it, or perhaps they were just loose because they believed they had nothing to lose. But, wearing their blue shirts as the designated “home’’ team in Scotiabank Arena, the Rangers looked like a different — and better — team than they were in the first two games of the series.

They outshot Carolina 14-6 in a scoreless first period and then took their first lead of the series 12 seconds into the second when Kreider powered his way past Carolina defenseman Sami Vatanen and beat Reimer for his first goal of the postseason. It was the fastest goal from the start of a period in Rangers playoff history, but it ended up being the only goal the Rangers would get against Reimer, a surprise starter after Mrazek had won the first two games. Reimer was tremendous in making 37 saves, many of them nearly unbelievable.

The Hurricanes tied the score relatively quickly, though. With the puck in the Rangers’ zone, Ranger defenseman Marc Staal broke his stick and none of the forwards on the ice gave him theirs. The puck remained in the zone with the Rangers’ fourth line caught on while the Hurricanes were able to make a change and get their first line on the ice. Eventually, Teuvo Teravainen scored to tie the score at 3:18.

An unexpected injury (or illness) to Shesterkin had forced Quinn to start Henrik Lundqvist in goal for the first two games, and Lundqvist was good – though not good enough – in losing Game 1, 3-2, and then just OK in the 4-1 loss in Game 2. Shesterkin, as he always is, was cool and calm making saves and his ability to play the puck clearly made a difference in the defensive zone.

Other players seemed to have jump they’d lacked in the first two games as well. Adam Fox seemed to have a little more room to create offense, and Kreider – dropped down to the second line, as Artemi Panarin was elevated to the first line, with Mika Zibanejad – was noticeably more forceful.

"They were structured; they were patient the whole series," Zibanejad said. "We, ah, I don't know, it's so hard to kind of analyze it now, but, I just thought they were a lot more patient. We tried to do too much, we didn't really play as a five-man unit out there, and ultimately they deserved to win the series. Honestly it just sucks that it's done."

By Colin Stephenson

colin.stephenson@newsday.comColinSNewsday

Colin Stephenson covers the Rangers for Newsday. He has spent more than two decades covering the NHL and just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.