rangers hurricanes andrei svechnikov hat trick

Andrei Svechnikov’s first career hat trick led the Carolina Hurricanes over the NY Rangers. The loss puts the Rangers in an 0-2 hole and on the brink of elimination. The Rangers are just getting completely outplayed by a deeper, better hockey team. And that is ok. The Hurricanes are a very good team playing playoff hockey. The Rangers are just getting their feet wet.

The Rangers, believe it or not, were pretty decent defensively. The issue is that the haven’t been able to generate anything offensively at all. The Canes are not only suffocating in the defensive zone, but their forecheck is limiting the Rangers’ breakout. The Blueshirts have been unable to exit their own zone for the majority of these games. It’s not pretty, but it was a major concern heading into the series. The better team is winning, and this shouldn’t be a surprise.

Canes 1, Rangers 0 – Three bad things

Ryan Strome released Andre Svechnikov to Marc Staal on the rush. Staal was slow to get over. Tony DeAngelo shouldn’t be allowing that pass from Sebastian Aho get through. Henrik Lundqvist probably should have had that one. Not the best way to start a game.

Rangers 1, Canes 1 – The big 5-on-3 goal

This was a huge one. DeAngelo made up for his folly on the first goal. He made a great head fake to get the puck to Strome down low. He fed the puck through the slot to Artemi Panarin who roofed it. That’s two cross-ice passes leading to a goal.

Canes 2, Rangers 1 – Stop taking penalties

A bad high sticking penalty by Brendan Smith, and two seconds later a rocket from Svechnikov is in the net.

Canes 3, Rangers 1 – A turnover and a whiff

A DeAngelo turnover. A Filip Chytil whiff, and a goal. This was very sloppy.

Canes 4, Rangers 1 – The Svech hat trick

Another turnover. This time it’s Strome at the blue line.

Shot Heatmap

The defense hasn’t been the problem. The problem has been the Rangers can’t generate anything offensively. When you can’t generate anything, then the puck winds up in your end most of the game. This has been an abysmal looking offense, which is surprising.

Skater Results

This is one of the dangers in single-game charts like this. Brendan Smith didn’t really have that great of a game, but he was on the ice for 2 of the Rangers best chances at even strength. He also just happened to not be on the ice for the big chances against (that was for DeAngelo-Staal).

Game 3 is tonight at 8pm. Something needs to change, but perhaps it’s just Carolina is a better team.

Charts from Natural Stat Trick and Evolving-Hockey.

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