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Rangers' Lackluster Power Play Slammed by Fans in Game 2 Loss to Hurricanes

Erin WalshMay 21, 2022

RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA - MAY 20: Frank Vatrano #77 and Mika Zibanejad #93 of the New York Rangers confer during the first period in Game Two of the Second Round of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs at PNC Arena on May 20, 2022 in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

The New York Rangers are now down 2-0 to the Carolina Hurricanes in their second-round playoff matchup following a 2-0 loss Friday at PNC Arena and face an uphill battle when the series shifts to Madison Square Garden on Sunday.

Throughout the game, the Blueshirts were slammed for their struggles on the power play. The team went 0-for-4 with a man advantage and also allowed Hurricanes defenseman Brendan Smith to score a shorthanded goal in the second period. 

Carolina Hurricanes @Canes

WHAT A MOMENT <a href="https://t.co/mwMFLPCcEt">pic.twitter.com/mwMFLPCcEt</a>

Smith's goal ended up being the game-winner, though Sebastian Aho added another goal with just two seconds remaining in Game 2 to seal the victory. 

Pat Boyle @PatBoyle44

Rangers 0/4 &amp; pathetic on the Power Play, and Carolina scores a shortie. And the Rangers couldn’t win a face off in the offensive zone to save their lives<br><br>That’s your Game 2 in a nutshell folks

Chris Anastasio @cjanastasio

<a href="https://twitter.com/NYRangers?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NYRangers</a> are outmanned when they’re on the power play.

John Flynn @JohnFlynn97

0-for-5 on the power play so far in this series for the Rangers. Not good.

Da🅿️🅿️ur @DappurDudz

Rangers on a power play <a href="https://t.co/NYKWo7TUNq">pic.twitter.com/NYKWo7TUNq</a>

Ion 👨🏻‍🔧"Former Fixer"👨🏾‍🔧Amel @BlueReesesPcs

<a href="https://twitter.com/NYRangers?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NYRangers</a> special teams is a joke. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NYRvsCAR?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NYRvsCAR</a>

FloridaBuckeye21 @BuckeyeChi5

That is the worst PP I have seen this year in the playoffs and honestly in years. What a disgrace the Rangers are

Matt || currently watching Naruto || @adoringshuri

The New York Rangers are actually getting outplayed while having a powerplay... this is just sad.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NYR?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NYR</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NoQuitInNY?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NoQuitInNY</a>

Laffy Taffy @AlexisLafrieNYR

The rangers one million percent deserved to get scored on shorthanded. A horrendous effort on the powerplay all game. Figure it out. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NYR?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NYR</a>

Chris Watson @IAMCWAT62

Rangers PP has been 💩!!

Gabby Carr @gabbyc2010

The Rangers really need to figure out their power play.

fivepointsvids @FivePointsVids

Some scalper sold me tickets but just like the Rangers power play nobody is here <a href="https://t.co/mOuIrEyMaQ">pic.twitter.com/mOuIrEyMaQ</a>

Samit Sarkar @SamitSarkar

The Rangers had the #4 power play in the league during the regular season. They've played better at 5-on-5 in this series than on the power play. <a href="https://t.co/FclPNQM9IQ">https://t.co/FclPNQM9IQ</a>

Stevie 🇬🇷 @StevenPsihogios

Rangers just put forward a great nomination for worst power play ever.

Jimmy Brunn @BRUNN_DMC

The Rangers had a 4 minute power play &amp; did not register a single shot on goal lol.

Brandon @BongTheRipper_

Letting Brendan Smith score on a 2 on 1 while on the Power Play is the most Rangers thing to happen so far

The Rangers finished the regular season with the fourth-best power play in the NHL at 25.2 percent, and Chris Kreider led the league with 26 power-play goals. They're 5-on-5 play wasn't nearly as effective and they relied heavily on the PP.

They're still scoring 25 percent of the time on the power play this postseason, but through two games against the Hurricanes, the Blueshirts have yet to find the back of the net on the man-advantage. 

With these past two games against the Hurricanes being pretty tight, the Rangers will need to find their footing on the power play when they return home to New York, otherwise they risk being swept by the team that finished first in the Metropolitan Division this season.