The New York Rangers are set to take on the Carolina Hurricanes in the second round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs. This series will undoubtedly be a longer, tougher battle for both teams, as the Rangers swept in the first round while the Hurricanes advanced in five games. This matchup could potentially be the best of the entire postseason with both teams being some of the best in the NHL, but only one will prevail and advance farther.
Team comparisons from the regular season
During the regular season, both of these teams were elite juggernauts. The Blueshirts’ 55-23-4 record was the best in the entire league, but the Hurricanes were close behind at 52-23-7. The Rangers have them narrowly beaten in GF/60 with 3.39, as well as GF overall with 282. The Presidents Trophy winners were beaten in some categories as well, as Carolina edged them on the power play, penalty kill, and goals against.
The two teams faced each other three times throughout the regular season this year, with the Rangers going 2-1-0 against their divisional rivals. That’s no clear indication of how this seven-game series will pan out, but it’s a good sight to see that the Blueshirts know what needs to be done to beat the Hurricanes.
Who will be the Rangers MVP in this series?
Whether or not New York is able to advance past Carolina, Igor Shesterkin will undoubtedly be the MVP of this series. The Hurricanes have arguably the best offensive corps in the NHL, making the goaltender’s performance crucial for success.
Shesterkin is no stranger to the Hurricanes, as he shut them out in his most recent matchup against them. He’s gone undefeated so far in these playoffs, recording a 1.75 GAA and .931 SV% thus far. It will be difficult to keep those numbers up against the Hurricanes, but Shesterkin’s abilities are easily the key to advancing further.
Final series prediction: Rangers take down the Hurricanes in six
With both teams being as elite as they are, this second-round series could honestly come down to the flip of a coin. But the Rangers do have home-ice advantage thanks to their Presidents Trophy win, and that might be the factor that leads to them beating the Hurricanes.
This series will be a long, grueling battle between two giants, but as long as the Rangers continue to perform like they did all season long, they could be able to take down the Hurricanes in six games.