Even in a second-round series between the two best teams in the Eastern Conference based on their regular-season records, you could see some physicality and tensions coming to the matchup between the New York Rangers and the Carolina Hurricanes.
After a relatively calm Game 1 in which New York took a 1-0 series lead on Monday, things got a little more intense as the Hurricanes moved on to lose the second consecutive game in a double-overtime 4-3 loss to the Rangers in Madison Square Garden.
As the first period of Game 2, played on Tuesday, May 7, went past its halfway point and with Carolina already down one goal, Andrei Svechnikov decided to stir things up and try to spark a reaction from his teammates.
Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin received the puck and controlled it behind the goal with 8:00 minutes left in the first frame. Svechnikov kept skating forward and rushing toward the goalie, ultimately hitting him on his left leg and causing him to fall hard to the ice in a flying motion.
Igor Shesterkin Ready to Fight Svechnikov?
Immediately after Svechnikov’s reckless play on Shesterkin, all of the latter’s teammates caught and swarmed the Hurricanes players trying to confront him.
Even more surprising was Shesterkin’s own response as the goalie left his net and seemed to be willing to fight the offender on the play, something that isn’t quite typical in the NHL when it comes to goalies.
Disorder erupted and a small scuffle formed along the rink boards while the refs tried to separate members of both teams. The officials successfully prevented the situation from escalating further, let alone turning into any single or multi-player fighting.
Svechnikov was penalized for a minor tripping infraction and was subsequently sent to the penalty box. It was an automatic call, considering all hits (even the slightest of touches) on a goalie are prohibited in the game and result in disciplinary action, whether that’s in-game with a penalty or post-game with a fine or a suspension.
Hurricanes goalie Freddie Andersen was on the receiving end of the Rangers’ retaliation for Svechnikov’s reckless actions when rookie Matt Rempe skated toward him and checked him hard, prompting Carolina’sto push him and make him fall. Jack Drury Igor Shesterkin, Rangers’ Star in Game 2
In a game that lasted nearly 88 minutes including the three regulation periods, a full overtime, and more than seven minutes of play of a second extra frame, Rangers goalie Shesterkin was the standout player of the match.
Shesterkin played the full 87:18 minutes, faced a hefty 57 shots, and impressively stopped 54 of them to help New York win its second game of the series and go up 2-0 with the matchup moving to Carolina for Games 3 and 4.
It was Shesterkin’s first overtime win this postseason, and he stopped nearly as many shots as his fellow goalie on the other side of the rink (39) in the third period and two overtimes alone as he prevented 32 shots from finding the Rangers net in those 47 minutes alone.
"Shesterkin told reporters that the MSG crowd chanting his name makes him feel unbelievably every time."
after the Game 2 win. "Almost crying every time." MSG Network "We never give up, so we play until the end. Everyone played our game, so we deserved a win tonight."
Vincent Trocheck
scored the game-winning goal in the second overtime to give New York a 2-0 series lead over the Carolina Hurricanes. The Hurricanes fell 4-3 to the Rangers for the second consecutive game and have now lost three of their last four playoff contests. "Igor played a typical Igor-esque game tonight,"
Trocheck said during his postgame press conference on May 7 . "He was outstanding and kept us in the game."He faced around 55 shots, which is insane. But when he's on like that, it's tough to beat him. And it's tough to beat our team when he's making saves like he did tonight."
Hurricanes' Andrei Svechnikov hit Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin, causing some chaos and sparking a historic performance.
