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WATCH: Rangers-Canes chaos ensues as Igor Shesterkin goes berserk after Andrei Svechnikov trips his skate
Rangers netminder Igor Shesterkin went berserk following an incident with Hurricanes’ forward Andrei Svechnikov. Svechnikov clipped Shesterkin as he was playing the puck behind the net. Svechnikov went hard after the puck, tumbling the Ranger’s goalie in the air.
Shesterkin hit the ice hard, but quickly bounced back up to look for Svechnikov. The pandemonium broke loose as the Rangers’ players immediately reacted to the play. The Canes' players jumped into the fray, leading to an all-out melee.
Catch the action here:
The incident took place during Game 2 of the Rangers-Hurricanes playoff matchup. The chaos happened with a little under eight minutes to play in the first period.
Multiple Rangers players went after Svechnikov, leading to a wild scrum along the boards. The officials had to separate the players to avoid further chaos. At the center of the scrum was Igor Shesterkin himself. He wanted a piece of Svechnikov, though he didn’t quite get the chance to fight back.
After the dust settled, Svechnikov got to the gate. He served a two-minute minor for tripping against Igor Shesterkin. The Hurricanes killed off the ensuing powerplay.
Thus far, this Rangers-Hurricanes series has proven physical, with both sides trading hits. However, touching a goalie while playing the puck is an automatic call, given a goaltender’s vulnerable position.
Svechnikov might face disciplinary action for the hit. Earlier this year, the NHL’s Department of Player Safety suspended Florida Panthers forward Will Lockwood for three games following a similar incident with Minnesota Wild goaltender Marc-André Fleury.
The league deemed Lockwood’s hit “reckless.” Svechnikov’s hit on Igor Shesterkin qualifies as "reckless." Whether the league chooses to hand out disciplinary action remains to be seen.
Igor Shesterkin and Rangers playing strong against the Canes
The Rangers trailed the Hurricanes 3-2 in the late stages of the second period. The Canes entered the first intermission, leading 2-1, with goals from Jake Guentzel and Dmitri Orlov. Both Hurricanes’ players netted their second marker of the postseason.
The Rangers opened the scoring with Alexis Lafreniere notching his first of the playoffs at 10:53. Lafreniere would tie the game early in the second. His two goals come at a welcome time. He didn’t register a goal in the Rangers’ first-round series.
Guentzel added his second of the game at the 18-minute mark, giving the Canes a 3-2 lead.
Fans can expect a tight-checking contest as the game heads into the third. Both teams will try to avoid costly mistakes, making for a hard-hitting period.
The Rangers hope to take a 2-0 series lead to Raleigh, while the Canes hope to even the series. Game 3 is scheduled for Thursday night at the PNC Arena. The Canes hope home-ice advantage will help them get the edge in the series.
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