3 things Carolina Hurricanes did wrong in Game 6 loss to New York Rangers

By Nestor Quixtan

Modified May 17, 2024 03:03 GMT

The Carolina Hurricanes squandered a 3-1 lead in game 6, dropping the decisive contest 5-3 on Thursday against the New York Rangers. The Rangers scored four unanswered goals in the third period to send the Canes packing for the summer.

The game was a sour disappointment for the Carolina Hurricanes, who had fought hard to force a game 6. With the Rangers now officially in the Conference Finals, it’s worth taking a look at what went wrong for the Hurricanes in game 6.

3 things the Carolina Hurricanes got wrong in game 6

#1: Frederik Andersen faltered at the worst possible time

Frederik Andersen had played well since returning from injury late in the season. In the playoffs, he provided steady goaltending for the Carolina Hurricanes in the first round.

While he didn’t steal any games in the second round, he kept the Canes in most games. But, he picked the worst possible time to falter.

Andersen had allowed one goal through two periods. But then, allowed three goals on eight shots, allowing the Rangers to take the lead.

The Rangers added an empty netter to seal the victory. In total, Andersen gave up four goals on 23 shots. Andersen’s lackluster performance stands out as one of the main reasons the Carolina Hurricanes could not make it past the second round.

#2: The Canes ran out of gas

Throughout the series, the Canes dictated much of the pace. However, it seemed like Carolina ran out of gas in the third. The Rangers turned up the heat in the third, with the Hurricanes unable to keep up. As a result, the Canes could not hold on to the lead.

Even though the Hurricanes outshot the Rangers 36-24 and controlled puck possession for extended periods, the Canes simply could not hold the lead.

A good example was Chris Kreider’s go-ahead goal. Kreider got a step on Canes’ Jalen Chatfield, allowing him to tip in Ryan Lindgren’s wraparound shot.

The goal seemed to stun the Carolina Hurricanes, leaving them out of the game.

#3: The Canes failed to step Chris Kreider

Chris Kreider ran amok in the third period, notching a hat trick, including a powerplay marker at 11:54. The goal tied the game, setting the stage for the go-ahead goal three minutes later.

Going into game 6, Kreider had scored four goals throughout the postseason. But Kreider saved his best for Thursday's contest. He’s now registered seven goals this postseason, giving him the team lead.

It’s also worth noting that Breadman, Artemi Panarin, played a much more up-tempo game. He registered four shots on goal and two assists on the night. Panarin got the primary assist on Kreider’s game-tying goal, bringing up his postseason point total to 11.