The New York Rangers, who entered last night's contest against the Carolina Hurricanes in Raleigh 4-0 in elimination games, are now 5-0. Next stop, Tampa.
The most resilient team in the NHL not only defeated what on paper was their toughest opponent, they did it going away. The 6-2 rout represented their biggest margin of victory in a road game seven since they shut out the Washington Capitals 5-0 in 2013.
Playing with the lead proved to be the difference, that and a potent power play. With the exception of game one, the team that scored first in this series won each game. And just like they had done in games four and six, the Hurricanes took stupid, undisciplined penalties that proved costly.
Adam Fox and Chris Kreider - who had been held to only one goal thru six games - scored with the man advantage; Igor Shesterkin continued to make everyone who voted for Auston Matthews for the Hart trophy look foolish by stopping all 16 shots that the Canes threw at him in the first period; and the Blueshirts took a 2-0 lead into the first intermission.
Ryan Strome padded the lead in the second period before Kreider - second of the night - and Filip Chytil broke it open in the third. Andrew Copp added an empty netter for good measure. You know the hockey gods are smiling on this team when Strome scores a goal.
The Rangers bent but didn't break. According to Clear Sight Analytics, while Carolina had more scoring chances in the game, most of them were mid and low quality. For once, it was the team from New York that had the better opportunities, and they cashed in.
But lest you think the outcome was in the bag, there were a couple of close calls that had they gone the other way might've made this "laugher" a barn burner. The first occurred in the first period seconds after Kreider's power play goal put the Rangers ahead 2-0. Teuvo Teravainen fired a one timer that Shesterkin barely got his shake blade on. The second occurred late in the second period with the Rangers still clinging to that 2-0 lead. Copp broke up a potential goal by Andrei Svechnikov, and seconds later Strome buried the puck short side.
But apart from those, admittedly, scary moments, the Rangers were very disciplined in their own end. They capitalized on their scoring chances, they blocked shots - 25 in all - and when they made the odd mistake or two, Shesterkin was there to make the save. You couldn't have choreographed this game any better if you tried.
The stars came through last night: Mika Zibanaejad, Fox, Kreider, Jacob Trouba, who's devastating check on Seth Jarvis inadvertently led to the second power play goal when Jarvis couldn't make it back to the bench and the Canes were called for having too many men on the ice. Even Artemi Panarin had an assist.
I thought there was a chance they could pull out a squeaker late, but even I couldn't have foreseen this. Credit Gerard Gallant, who kept this team together after they were humiliated by the Pittsburgh Penguins twice in games three and four in the first round. If this guy doesn't win the Jack Adams award, there's no justice. And credit Chris Drury, whose trade deadline acquisitions have paid off big time in these playoffs.
The Rangers are in the Eastern Conference finals. Seriously, if you had this team half way to a Stanley Cup championship before the start of the season, you're a better person than me.
This crazy ride continues. Where it will end, no one knows.
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