Hurricanes-Rangers updates: Carolina forces OT, tops Rangers on Ian Cole wrister

The Carolina Hurricanes are back at it against the New York Rangers in Game 1 of their second-round NHL playoff series Wednesday night at PNC Arena after closing out the Boston Bruins with a Game 7 win on Saturday.

Game 2 is 8 p.m. Friday at PNC Arena while the series moves to Madison Square Garden on Sunday (3:30 p.m.) and Tuesday (7 p.m.).

The News & Observer’s Chip Alexander, Luke DeCock and Justin Pelletier are PNC Arena and will have live observations from the scene, along with photographer Robert Willett.

How to watch

Wednesday game — and the rest of the series — is available only on ESPN (Sean McDonough, Ray Ferraro, Emily Kaplan). Bally Sports South will broadcast Hurricanes-focused pre- and post-game shows featuring Abby Labar and Shane Willis. Mike Maniscalco and Willis have the call on the Hurricanes Radio Network (WCMC-99.9 in the Triangle).

Overtime

Ian Cole wins it: Turnaround shot from the top of the right circle. Shot beats Igor Shesterkin.

No breaks: As is customary in NHL playoff overtime, there are no media breaks as there are in regulation, because networks can’t sell ads on speculation. As such, overtimes tend to move a bit more quickly if they last a bit longer.

Third period

On to overtime: After being outplayed for much of the first two periods, the Hurricanes pushed the issue in the third, getting 10 shots on Igor Shesterkin (after only 14 through 2). The last one of those, a rebound by Sebastian Aho, sent the game into overtime.

Canes score: With 2:23 to play in the third period, Sebastian Aho finally beats Shesterkin, grabbing a rebound in front and tucking a backhand past the prone Rangers keeper after he initially made a stellar save along the ice with his glove. Canes have been the better team in the third to this point.

Big Clanger: Nino Niederreiter gets a clear breakaway and rings it off the crossbar, beating Shesterkin, but not the iron. That close to a tie game here with about 6 minutes to play.

Line changes abound: In an effort to shake things up (and it’s working), Rod Brind’Amour has shifted personnel around a bit. Svechnikov now playing with Trocheck and Necas; Aho and Jarvis slot in with Teravainen. Staal-Niederreiter-Fast remains intact, however.

Canes turn up the pressure: The first five minutes of the third period were spent nearly entirely in the Rangers zone, with several solid chances in on Shesterkin, who made all the saves as the Canes unleashed an onslaught of seven quick shots out of the gate.

Puck is down for the third: The Canes have been a third-period team all season, but got away from that a bit against the Bruins. Can they muster up a few more shots, and maybe a goal, in this one?

Second period

No more scoring, not much of anything: The Hurricanes continue to have trouble generating offense, sitting now at 14 shots through two periods. Not going to beat the best goalie in the NHL that way. One more period to go. Canes trail, 1-0.

Tough to find space: Neither team here has much room to move in the offensive zone, which has made the game drag a bit. Rangers still getting shots, and Raanta in the zone there, but the Canes can’t seem to generate anything against Igor Shesterkin, which is a problem given he’s, you know... good.

Rangers solid in D-zone: The Hurricanes just can’t get anything set up in the offensive zone. The Rangers’ active defense is frustrating the Canes, who appear to be jumpy and out of sorts facing the constant pressure — much like teams often feel playing against Carolina.

First period

Speed difference notable: The biggest takeaway from the first period is that the Rangers are a far faster team than the Bruins were, and some plays where the Canes may have had time and space against Boston, they don’t here. That translated into a lead for the Rangers after one period. Rangers 1, Canes 0.

Raanta with a huge stop: BIG split save to his left at the right side of the cage on Filip Chytil, and then holds his post on a stuff attempt after the puck caromed off the back boards.

Welcome to the game, Igor: Jesperi Kotkaniemi gets a good shot off from the top of the right circle on a 3-on-2 zone entry and fires a shot labeled for the top right corner, but Igor Shesterki flashed the leather and snared the puck. That was the Canes’ sixth shot on goal of the first period, some 14:23 into the game.

First goal to the Rangers: The “kid line” strike first for the Rangers on an atrocious giveaway in the center zone. Filip Chytil one-timed a pass from Alexis Lafreniere after Lafreniere intercepted a poor backward pass to the defense and finished the 3-on-1. Tony DeAngelo was trying to get a reset back to his defensive partner Jaccob Slavin in the neutral zone, instead Lafreniere swiped the puck.

No shots early: The Hurricanes have yet to register an official shot on goal, while the Rangers have three. Both teams have had a few chances, but neither has truly threatened. Antti Raanta made one good pad save to this point. First media timeout, no score.

First penalty to the Canes, second to Rangers: So much for staying out of the box. Nino Niederreter gets his stick up on the forecheck and clips a Rangers defender up high, drawing the first penalty of the game and putting the Rangers on their first power play of the series. AND that lasts all of 27 seconds, when the Rangers’ Strome trips up a pair of Canes in the offensive zone. 4-on-4. Neither team scores on their 5-on-4 for 27 seconds, nor on the 4-on-4.

Pregame

Fourth lines start: The Rangers choose to start their fourth line of Tyler Motte, Kevin Rooney and Ryan Reaves, with Jacob Trouba and K’Andre Miller on defense. The Canes counter with Lorentz, Kotkaniemi and Necas with Smith and Cole on the blue line.

Morning update

Even with Jordan Martinook (ankle) returning to health, Steven Lorentz earned the right to remain in the lineup with his performance on the fourth line in the Game 7 win over the Bruins, Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour said Wednesday morning, indicating his lineup will remain unchanged. Martinook went through the entire morning skate looking like he’s ready to return when called upon.

There was no sign, again, of Frederik Andersen, who apparently skated briefly by himself on Tuesday and Wednesday. Until Andersen can make it through a full solo workout, let alone rejoin the team, there’s no reason to expect him back anytime soon.

Frederic L’Ecuyer and Dan O’Rourke are the referees. O’Rourke worked Game 2 of the first-round series with Boston and L’Ecuyer worked Game 4. Kiel Murchison and Mark Shewchyk are the linesmen.

A win Wednesday night would tie the franchise record for consecutive home victories in a postseason (2006, 2019).

Former Hurricanes defenseman Sean Hill did the honors on the pregame warning siren. Duke women’s basketball coach Kara Lawson was up during the first intermission and PGA Tour pro Chesson Hadley in the second.

Hurricanes defenseman Jaccob Slavin a finalist for the NHL’s Lady Byng Trophy

Pregame reading

• Hurricanes defenseman Slavin again a finalist for Lady Byng Trophy

• DeCock: Why the Hurricanes’ recipe for a victory over the Rangers sings a familiar refrain

• There has been some jersey-swapping since Hurricanes, Rangers last met in postseason

• Can’t buy Canes-Rangers playoff tickets to PNC Arena? Check your address.

• DeCock: A tale of two Domis: A Game 7 hero and a famous father jumping on Hurricanes bandwagon

• Rangers, Hurricanes head coaches have differing memories of their time at PNC Arena

• DeCock: ‘It felt like it was our time’: Hurricanes’ continue on Stanley Cup path, ousting Bruins

• Hurricanes beat Bruins in Game 7 of first round behind unlikely hero Max Domi’s 2 goals

• Carolina Hurricanes’ Antti Raanta turns Game 7 victory over Bruins into family affair

• Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour sets priorities before Game 7 against the Bruins

• DeCock: In role reversal, Hurricanes’ Svechnikov mentoring Kochetkov, who’s 9 months older

• Carolina Hurricanes built a consistent, winning culture by ‘trying to be like Boston’

• DeCock: Carolina Hurricanes owner, NHL commissioner push for arena upgrades — and it’s about time