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The New York Rangers are riding high after escaping the first round against the Pittsburgh Penguins despite trailing 3-1 at one point in the series. Their next task will be the defensive-minded Carolina Hurricanes, who await them in the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. We'll be making some bold Rangers-Hurricanes predictions for their upcoming matchup in the NHL Playoffs.
The Rangers appeared to be on their way out after a slow start in the first round including two ugly games from goaltender Igor Shesterkin. The Hart Trophy candidate was struggling to find his form at the start of the series, but managed to rebound and close out strong. The Rangers overcame a 3-1 deficit and won the final three games of the series to send the Penguins packing, and they'll look to keep the momentum ahead of the matchup with Carolina.
The Canes managed to thwart the Boston Bruins in the first round, winning all four of the games at home in the seven-game series. The Rangers could use the atmosphere at Madison Square Garden to their advantage, as clearly, the Canes were not as effective when playing on the road. The likes of Mika Zibanejad, Artemi Panarin, and Chris Kreider will look to find goalscoring opportunities against a Canes team that was the single most sound defensive team in hockey this year.
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3 bold Rangers predictions vs. Hurricanes in 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs
3. Chris Kreider leads the series in scoring
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Chris Kreider enjoyed his best regular season to date and that success carried over into the playoffs. In the first round against the Penguins, Kreider scored 5 goals and added 2 assists for a total of 7 points in as many games. He had a big goal in Game 7, and two goals in Game 6 as the Rangers fended off elimination to reach the second round. While Carolina's defense is certainly an improvement over Pittsburgh's, Kreider is still the most capable goalscorer in this series. After netting 52 times in the regular season, Kreider will look to further his goalscoring exploits and lead the charge against the Canes.
2. Artemi Panarin records 10+ points
Artemi Panarin played the role of the hero in Game 7 after an overall underwhelming series against Penguins. He managed to lift the Rangers in overtime with his game-winning goal at Madison Square Garden in Game 7, lifting the team into the second round. Now, he'll look to ride that high and pick up where he left off against Carolina. Panarin registered 96 points in the regular season and remains one of the most reliable passers in all of hockey. He's good for 20+ goals a year but is extremely unselfish and will frequently look to provide his teammates with solid looks at the net. Panarin will be a major difference-maker in this series and it's entirely possible the Bread Man leads the charge offensively, once again.
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1. Rangers “Kid Line” comes up huge
The Rangers' “Kid Line” came up clutch for the team against the Penguins and practically saved their entire season. Alexis LaFreniere, Kaapo Kakko, and Filip Chytil have become beloved by Rangers fans, with the three young talents sharing a line together. All three possess massive potential which they have displayed in glimpses throughout the season. They helped fuel the 5-3 comeback win in Game 5 at the Garden and their overall excellent performance in the playoffs will have them oozing with confidence heading into what should be a gritty matchup against the Hurricanes.
