Preview: Round 2, Game 6 vs. NYR

RALEIGH, NC. - The Carolina Hurricanes are going to try and force a Game 7 on Thursday, as they host the New York Rangers once again at PNC Arena.

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When: Thursday, May 16

Puck Drop: 7 p.m. ET

Series: Rangers Lead 3-2

Watch: TNT, Max, TruTV, Sportsnet East, Sportsnet 360, Sportsnet Ontario, CBC and TVA Sports

Listen: 99.9 The Fan, Hurricanes App

Odds at Time of Publishing, Provided By Fanatics Sportsbook: Canes -160

The Series So Far

• Game 1: New York goes a perfect 7/7 on special teams, leading the way to a 4-3 series-opening victory.
• Game 2: Vincent Trocheck scores the game-winner in 2OT, securing another 4-3 win for the Presidents' Trophy winners.
• Game 3: Artemi Panarin gives New York another overtime victory, leading his team to a 3-0 series advantage.
• Game 4: The Canes stave off elimination thanks to a late power play goal from Brady Skjei.
• Game 5: Carolina scores four unanswered in the third to force a Game 6 in Raleigh.

Last Time Out

• The Canes had trouble on special teams once again on Monday, allowing a shorthanded goal to Jacob Trouba and going 0/3 on the power play.
• However, the better team on five-on-five throughout, the Canes were able to come from behind despite trailing 1-0 after 40 minutes.
• Led by an outstanding individual effort from Jordan Staal to start the scoring, the team scored four unanswered to stun the MSG crowd and force a Game 6 in Raleigh.

Captain Clutch

• Staal netted his first goal of the postseason in Game 5, tying the contest just 3:33 into the third period.
• He has now earned 13 points in 21 potential elimination games during his career, and his 10 such goals are tied for the third-most of any active skater, behind only Chris Kreider (16) and Alex Ovechkin (13). 

The Eagle Has Landed

• Evgeny Kuznetsov scored the eventual game-winning goal in Game 5, as Carolina improved to 4-0 when he scores a goal in these playoffs.
• He ranks tied for the team-high in goals (4) through nine games this postseason, and he is one of six different Canes skaters with a game-winning goal in these playoffs, the most of any team competing for the Stanley Cup.

Skjeisy Baby

• Brady Skjei registered an assist in Game 5 to extend his point streak to four games, marking the longest such streak of his playoff career.
• He has now tied for the longest point streak by any defenseman in franchise playoff history, matching runs by Frantisek Kaberle and Jaccob Slavin.

History Says

• The Canes are looking to become just the 10th team in NHL history to force a deciding Game 7 after trailing 3-0 in a playoff series.  Each of the last six teams to come back and force a Game 7 also started the series on the road.
• The franchise (Hartford included) has earned a 17-17 record when facing elimination.

In Net

• Frederik Andersen earned a second consecutive victory on Monday, stopping 20 out of 21 in Game 5.
• A relatively light evening of work, it was exactly what the doctor ordered for Andersen, who has now played nine out of the team's 10 games this postseason.
• Given the two-day gap between games and the information available from Wednesday's practice, it feels likely that the team will go back to the veteran backstop again tonight.

On The Other Side

• Head Coach Peter Laviolette said his team was "not sharp" on Monday in their Game 5 loss.
• As a result, it was the first time Igor Shesterkin allowed more than three goals this postseason.
• New York's top dogs had been their best players in the first three games of the series, but they finally cooled off in Games 4 & 5.
• In the first three games of the series, the Rangers' stars led the way, as Artemi Panarin, Vincent Trocheck, Mika Zibanejad, and Chris Kreider combined for 21 points. In the last two games, they've totaled just one, a Game 3 Zibanejad assist.
• Kreider was a surprise absence at Wednesday's practice for the team, as Laviolette said that he'd hoped it was just a normal playoff maintenance day.

Injury Updates

• Forward Jesper Fast suffered an upper-body injury in the team's regular season finale on Tuesday, April 16. On Thursday, April 25, Rod Brind'Amour said that he is likely out for the entire postseason.
• Defenseman Brett Pesce suffered a lower-body injury during Round 1, Game 2. Brind'Amour said he's not counting on #22 being available this series, but he remains hopeful he may be able to get in at some point. Pesce returned to practice on Wednesday, May 15, but Brind'Amour said that his status remains unchanged.

What Are We Wearing?

• The team will be wearing their black sweaters for all home games during the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs, and white for all road games.

Additional Game Information

• Coming to tonight's game? Save $15 on parking by purchasing in advance. Click here to buy.
• Want to remember tonight forever? Purchase a commemorative ticket here.

Where To Watch

• Can't make it to PNC Arena, or looking for a place to watch the road games in the series?
• Visit any Carolina Ale House in the state to watch the Canes throughout the playoffs.

What's Next After This Game?

• If the Canes win, they are scheduled to practice on Friday before flying to NYC ahead of Saturday's Game 7.
• If the Canes lose, information regarding exit interviews will be distributed in the following days.

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