Rangers’ resiliency on full display in Stanley Cup Playoffs

GREENBURGH, N.Y. -- The New York Rangers didn't need to prove to themselves that they could overcome adversity by rallying to win a Stanley Cup Playoff game in double overtime.

But it sure didn’t hurt to win in such fashion heading into Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Second Round against the Carolina Hurricanes at PNC Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina, on Thursday (7 p.m. ET; MAX, truTV, TNT, SN, TVAS, CBC).

The Rangers have a 2-0 lead in the best-of-7 series thanks to confidence they gained and resiliency they had during regular season, both on full display in a 4-3 victory in Game 2 at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday.

"We had more than a couple comeback wins this year," captain Jacob Trouba said after the game. "That's something you build throughout the year. It's not like we're grasping for something we've never done or don't know how to do."

New York set a team record for most comeback wins in a single regular season with 28. It went 20-15-1 when the opponent scores the first goal (that didn't happen in Game 2) and won 10 games when trailing after two periods (that did happen).

But doing it the way the Rangers did in Game 2 -- coming back twice, not letting goals against late in the first and second periods have a negative carryover effect, tying the game in the third period, killing two penalties in overtime, relying on goalie Igor Shesterkin to be on his game, relying on their power play to make the difference, which it did on the game-tying and game-winning goals -- it all plays a role going into Game 3.

Why?

Because all of it is proof to the Rangers that their blueprint to consistent success in the regular season on their way to setting team records with 55 wins and 114 points is the exact same blueprint they can follow to find consistent success in the playoffs.

That's exactly what they've done to win six games in a row to start the postseason.

"Nothing is going to change," forward Barclay Goodrow said.

The Rangers’ special teams were elite in the regular season, third in the League on both the penalty kill (84.5 percent) and power play (26.4 percent).

They're still elite in the playoffs, and easily the biggest reason, aside from Shesterkin, they have a 2-0 lead on the Hurricanes.

New York's power play is 4-for-9, with two goals in each of the first two games.

In Game 2, Chris Kreider's game-tying goal at 6:07 of the third period and Vincent Trocheck's winner at 7:24 of the second overtime both came on the power play.

In Game 1, the Rangers took a 2-1 lead on Mika Zibanejad's power-play goal at 10:05 of the first period and made it 3-1 on Trocheck's power-play goal 6:23 later at 16:28.

"We're confident for sure," Trocheck said. "I think we do expect to score. Obviously, it's not going to happen every single time, but we feel like as a unit the team relies on us to score on the power play. Especially so far this playoffs, special teams have been so big so power play, penalty kill are huge in these games. We know we're relied on a lot and there's a lot of pressure in that. When we have this confidence, this rhythm, we just want to keep doing the same things to keep it going."

It's the same feeling on the penalty kill.

The Rangers were 5-for-5 in 6:53 of short-handed ice time in Game 2. Shesterkin made six saves. They were 5-for-5 in 8:06 in Game 1. Shesterkin made four saves.

"There's a confidence throughout the penalty kill," Goodrow said. "A big part of that is obviously [Shesterkin]. He was making incredible saves [Tuesday] night when there were breakdowns. When you have a goalie like that, that's kind of anchoring the whole unit that provides an extra sense of comfort and confidence throughout everyone.

“It's a group effort. It's everyone buying in, blocking shots, clearing pucks, trying to make it as ugly as possible and doing whatever it takes to get the job done."

Shesterkin finished the regular season as arguably the best goalie in the League in the second half, going 17-5-1 with a 2.20 goals-against average, .930 save percentage and four shutouts from Feb. 9 to April 15.

He's been at least the second-best goalie in the League in the playoffs behind Jeremy Swayman of the Boston Bruins, winning six straight games with a 2.01 GAA and .929 save percentage.

"That's Igor," Trouba said. "There's not much else you can say. You know the effort, the tenacity, everything that he brings every night and how bad he wants to win and what he brings to the team. You can't really put a measurement on it."

New York's ability to comeback in the regular season was elite. Nothing changed when put to the test for the first time in the playoffs Tuesday.

"As our game went on, I thought we stayed with it, maybe even got better through the overtimes," coach Peter Laviolette said. "Had to kill a couple penalties in the overtimes, so you've got to fight through that and then get the power play opportunity. It was a roller coaster for a little bit and for the guys to stay in there, locked in and focused like that, it was a pretty big effort."

It was what the Rangers have been doing all season. It's just that it's the playoffs so it's magnified.

"You build that confidence throughout the regular season," Goodrow said. "You build that foundation to have the belief that no matter what the situation is in the game we're not out of it. I don't know if that necessarily needs to be renewed in the playoffs. I don't think that's ever wavered."