Hurricanes' power play finally comes through with season on the line
The Carolina Hurricanes are not finished just yet.
Thanks to their 4-3 win over the New York Rangers on Saturday night, the Hurricanes were able to fight off elimination and stay in their second-round playoff series for at least one more game.
The difference in Saturday's game ended up being the one aspect of their game that forced them into a 3-0 series hole -- the power play.
After failing to score on their first 15 power plays of the series, while also allowing a shorthanded goal, the Hurricanes finally struck on the man advantage with just under four minutes to play in regulation when Brady Skjei beat Igor Shesterkin for the game-winning goal.
Have a look at the goal.
Even though the Rangers entered play on Saturday owning a commanding 3-0 lead in the series, it has been significantly closer than that on the ice.
Every game has been decided by a single goal, including Games 2 and 3 where the Rangers won in overtime.
When the game has been played at even-strength the two teams have pretty much matched each other goal-for-goal. The difference was entirely on special teams and goaltending. While the Rangers had scored four power-play goals in the first three games, they also added a shorthanded goal and kept the Hurricanes' power play -- one of the league's best during the regular season -- entirely off the scoreboard. That 5-0 special teams advantage was quite literally the difference in the series.
On Saturday, the Hurricanes finally flipped that around by keeping the Rangers power play off the board -- and off the ice by playing a mostly disciplined game -- and finally took advantage of their own.
It keeps them in it now. Now they just have to do it three more times in a row. The series continues for Game 5 at Madison Square Garden in New York City on Monday night.
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