Yahoo Autos Hurricanes, Rangers face Game 7 for trip to conference final
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The Carolina Hurricanes have the home-ice advantage with the flawless record when playing in front of their rowdy home crowd. The New York Rangers have the resilience proven with a perfect mark in elimination games.
They’re both leaning on those experiences in another Game 7 on Monday night, the second winner-take-all matchup for each in these Stanley Cup playoffs. The winner goes to the Eastern Conference finals to face two-time reigning Cup champion Tampa Bay.
“We feel like we have a recipe for success, but they probably do, too,” Rangers forward Andrew Copp said Sunday, adding: “It's just going to be a matter of who can play the closest to a perfect game tomorrow.”
The Hurricanes edged the Rangers for the Metropolitan Division title in a race that came down to the final week of the regular season. That, along with posting the NHL’s third-best record, secured a second round of home-ice advantage at PNC Arena — where they are 7-0 in the longest streak by any team to start a postseason since 2014.
That proved vital in surviving a first-round series against a Boston team that had twice knocked the Canes out of the playoffs in the past three seasons, with Carolina winning a home Game 7 after losing all three road games.
The Hurricanes are back in that position, holding serve at home but losing all three road games against the Rangers.
“I think we’re dwelling on this home and away thing a little bit too much,” Carolina center Vincent Trocheck said. “I mean, it’s a hockey game. When you get out on the ice, you’re not really focused on whether you’re going to go back to your own bed after the game or if you’re going to go to a hotel.”
Carolina can improve to 7-0 in Game 7s since the former Hartford Whalers relocated to North Carolina in 1997.
The Rangers aren’t fazed by the challenge, even while they’ve managed just one win in six road playoff games. New York clawed back from a 3-1 first-round series deficit against Pittsburgh, including a Game 6 road win, and advanced with a Game 7 home win.
The Rangers have rallied from an 0-2 deficit in this one and forced Game 7 after winning their fourth straight elimination game this postseason with Saturday night's Game 6.
“I just think from Day One we talked about getting up when you're down,” Rangers coach Gerard Gallant said. “We've worked hard. ... We're a young team, we have a lot of fun and they believe in themselves.”
