The New York Rangers have a tall task ahead of them as they prepare to take on the Carolina Hurricanes in the second round of the 2024 NHL Playoffs. The first round was a breeze for the Blueshirts as they swept the Washington Capitals, but this new challenger will pose a much more formidable opponent. Finding ways to generate offense will be a major key to success, and there is one offensive unit whose abilities are needed more than ever.
The Rangers’ second line has been phenomenal at even strength
One major problem the Blueshirts encountered throughout the regular season was a lack of even-strength production in the offensive zone. Some of the stars like Chris Kreider and Mika Zibanejad seemingly vanished from the scoresheet, leaving a significant decrease in scoring and a strong necessity for the power play to carry. While that issue seemed to affect most of the roster, there was still one unit that was able to find success all year long.
Artemi Panarin, Vincent Trocheck, and Alexis Lafreniere, all members of the Rangers’ second line, are the top three players at even strength point scoring throughout the regular season and the playoffs so far. Panarin leads the team with 76 even strength points, which is over half of his 120 regular season point total. Trocheck is second on the roster with 54, and Lafreniere close behind at third with 52. The second line has been elite when it comes to even-strength production, and that must continue moving forward.
The second line’s success will play a major role in determining the winner of the Rangers-Hurricanes matchup
The Rangers’ special teams were incredible in the regular season, as they finished third overall in both power play and penalty kill percentages. It might seem hard to find a team that was statistically better than them, but the Hurricanes managed to beat the Blueshirts in both categories. Carolina’s power play finished second, and the penalty kill first.
It will be difficult to maintain consistent special teams success against a team like the Canes, making even strength production a major key in advancing further into the postseason. If Panarin, Trocheck, and Lafreniere can continue scoring at the rate they’ve been at against Carolina, it will make this upcoming series lean much closer in the Rangers’ favor.