(1M) Rangers at (2M) Hurricanes
Eastern Conference Second Round, Game 6
7 p.m. ET; MAX, truTV, TNT, SNO, SNE, SN360, TVAS, CBC
New York leads best-of-7 series 3-2
RALEIGH, N.C. -- The Carolina Hurricanes will try to become the 10th team in NHL history to force a Game 7 after losing the first three of a best-of-7 series when they play Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Second Round against the New York Rangers at PNC Arena on Thursday.
The Hurricanes first avoided elimination with a 4-3 win in Game 4 at home Saturday, and again with a 4-1 victory in Game 5 at Madison Square Garden on Monday.
The Rangers won the first three games, each by one goal, including Game 2 in double overtime and Game 3 in overtime.
"I think we feel like we have some momentum right now in my opinion at least, but each game is so different," Carolina defenseman Tony DeAngelo said. "They're still up 3-2, so they might feel the same way we do. They're still in the driver's seat. Each game brings something different, but [being] home tonight, it's a big thing for us. I think that'll help, and we just have to get off to a good start."
New York is taking its third crack at advancing to the Eastern Conference Final for the second time in three seasons.
The Rangers are hoping for a better performance than Game 5, when defenseman Jacob Trouba's short-handed goal in the second period was their only offense and they were limited to 15 shots on goal at even strength and went 0-for-3 on the power play.
"There's an identity that we have that's fast, that's physical, a little bit of tenaciousness," said Trouba, the Rangers captain. "I think that's when we're at our best. You don't want to try to change your game to the position you're in. You want to play the same game that you've built, that you trust, that you believe in. We know in this room what that game is, and that's the game we want to play."
New York is 16-2 all-time in best-of-7 series it leads 3-2; Carolina is 2-8 all-time when down 3-2.
"It's been a resilient group all year," Rangers forward Chris Kreider said. "Something I think that we've taken pride in, especially when we haven't been particularly at our best, we're been able to respond. So, we have an opportunity to respond."
Here are 3 keys to Game 6:
1. Rediscovering power play mojo
New York is 0-for-8 with 10 shots on goal on the power play in the past three games, including 0-for-3 with five shots in Game 5. It started the series 4-for-9, including scoring twice in 23 seconds of power-play time in Game 1.
Center Vincent Trocheck said he thinks the Hurricanes have been less aggressive on the penalty kill and that might be throwing off the Rangers, who have been slow to attack and unable to get quality setups in the offensive zone to generate.
"Their penalty kill has been one of the best in the League for the last three years," Trocheck said. "It's not something we can just make light work of, but we do have to take onus on ourselves. We know we have to help our team win the game. … It's time for the power play to get back to where we were."
2. Aho's line starting quickly
In another must-win game, it would be impactful for Carolina to get some production from its top line of Sebastian Aho, Jake Guentzel and Andrei Svechnikov in Game 6, and preferably early if possible.
The Hurricanes won Game 5 without any of the three getting a point; their second, third and fourth lines did the damage instead.
"Obviously, I think they have played well and certainly, in certain stretches, have had some opportunities," Carolina coach Rod Brind'Amour said. " 'Guentz' had another breakaway the other night and kind of been around it. I mean, obviously, they get the bulk of the looks and the ice time, etc., so we probably do need them on the score sheet."
3. Rangers' pace, aggression at 5-on-5
New York can't be content with flipping the puck out of the defensive zone.
"We've got to be more aggressive," Trocheck said. "That's the gist of it."
There are times when flipping it out is the right play and might be the only play against the Hurricanes' aggressive, in-your-face forecheck, but for the Rangers to play their game with pace and an attack mentality, they have to connect on short passes in the defensive zone and push ahead with their forwards moving up the ice to get through the neutral zone.
That's their game and they didn't play it in Game 5. Carolina's play obviously was a big reason why, but New York has to get back to it in order to avoid a Game 7.
"They forecheck really hard," Rangers defenseman Ryan Lindgren said. "They've got their [defensem*n] coming down the wall and it makes it really hard to go from the [defense] to the wing. They do a good job of slamming that. They're a good team. we have to do a good job of working together and getting pucks out. We've got to be talking, got to be helping each other out and figuring out a way to get the puck out."
Rangers projected lineup
Chris Kreider -- Mika Zibanejad -- Jack Roslovic
Artemi Panarin -- Vincent Trocheck -- Alexis Lafreniere
Will Cuylle -- Alex Wennberg -- Kaapo Kakko
Jimmy Vesey -- Barclay Goodrow -- Jonny Brodzinski
Ryan Lindgren -- Adam Fox
K'Andre Miller -- Jacob Trouba
Erik Gustafsson -- Braden Schneider
Igor Shesterkin
Jonathan Quick
Scratched: Zac Jones, Chad Ruhwedel, Louis Domingue, Adam Edstrom, Matt Rempe, Filip Chytil
Injured: Blake Wheeler (lower body)
Hurricanes projected lineup
Jake Guentzel -- Sebastian Aho -- Andrei Svechnikov
Jordan Martinook -- Jack Drury -- Martin Necas
Teuvo Teravainen -- Jordan Staal -- Seth Jarvis
Jesperi Kotkaniemi -- Evgeny Kuznetsov -- Stefan Noesen
Jaccob Slavin -- Brent Burns
Brady Skjei -- Tony DeAngelo
Dmitry Orlov -- Jalen Chatfield
Frederik Andersen
Pyotr Kochetkov
Scratched: Maxime Comtois, Jackson Blake, Brendan Lemieux, Scott Morrow, Bradly Nadeau, Spencer Martin, Dylan Coghlan, Ryan Suzuki, Ronan Seeley
Injured: Jesper Fast (upper body), Brett Pesce (lower body)
Status report
Kreider, who did not practice Wednesday, participated in the Rangers' optional morning skate Thursday and confirmed he will play. … New York swapped its second and third defense pairs in practice Wednesday, reuniting Miller with Trouba and Gustafsson with Schneider. … Brodzinski will replace Rempe on the fourth line. … The Hurricanes did not hold a morning skate Thursday. … Pesce returned to practice Wednesday, but the defenseman will miss his ninth straight game.
NHL.com independent correspondent Kurt Dusterberg contributed to this report
