The New York Rangers will play the Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference Second Round.
New York, which is the No. 1 seed from the Metropolitan Division, swept the Washington Capitals in the first round. Carolina, the No. 2 seed from the Metropolitan, eliminated the New York Islanders in five games.
Mika Zibanejad (one goal, six assists) led the Rangers in the first round with seven points, and Vincent Trocheck (three goals, three assists) had six. Artemi Panarin and Chris Kreider each had two goals and an assist. Igor Shesterkin started every game, going 4-0 with a 1.75 goals-against average and .931 save percentage.
The Rangers were 2-1-0 against the Hurricanes in the regular season. New York won 2-1 on Nov. 2 and 1-0 on March 12, and lost 6-1 on Jan. 2. Kreider had three points (two goals, one assist), and Panarin and Jacob Trouba had two assists each.
Shesterkin started every game against Carolina. He had a 2.34 GAA, .915 save percentage and one shutout.
Seth Jarvis (three goals, four assists) led the Hurricanes in the first round with seven points. Andrei Svechnikov (one goal, four assists), Brady Skjei (five assists) and Martin Necas (one goal, four assists) each had five points. Frederik Andersen started every game, going 4-1 with a 2.25 GAA and .912 save percentage.
Against the Rangers during the regular season, the Hurricanes were led by Skjei (three assists) and Svechnikov (two goals).
Andersen made 24 saves in the 2-1 loss on Nov. 2. Pyotr Kochetkov went 1-1-0 with a 1.02 GAA and .962 save percentage.
New York and Carolina have played twice in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Rangers defeated the Hurricanes in seven games in the second round in 2022, and the Hurricanes swept the Rangers in the best-of-5 Stanley Cup Qualifiers in 2020.
