Carolina collapses in third period: Rangers eliminate Hurricanes from playoffs in Game 6

A season that had much success ended in disappointment Thursday for the Carolina Hurricanes, the Canes losing 5-3 to the New York Rangers at PNC Arena in Game 6 of their Stanley Cup playoff series.

Chris Kreider’s natural hat trick in the third period was the difference, giving the Rangers the lead after the Canes had taken a 3-1 lead into the final period. Barlclay Goodrow added a late empty-net score to seal it.

The Rangers, who won the first three games of the second-round series, move on to play the winner of the Florida-Boston semifinal series in the Eastern Conference final.

It was a bitter end for the Hurricanes. They battled back from the 3-0 deficit to win two elimination games and force a Game 6 at PNC Arena, then had a lead in the third as they sought to take the series to a Game 7.

But Kreider scored three times in the third, the second on a power play for a 3-3 tie, as the Rangers scored four times.

On Kreider’s first goal, Mika Zibanejad’s short shot stopped near the post as goalie Frederik Andersen tried to find the puck and smother it. Kreider poked it past Andersen’s left skate and into the net at 6:43 of the third.

Kreider then tipped a shot by Artemi Panarin for the 3-3 tie on the power play at 11:54 after Canes captain Jordan Staal was called for cross-checking.

The Rangers kept pressing and Kreider scored again to complete a natural hat trick with 4:19 left in regulation as New York fought back from a 3-1 deficit.

Before Kreider’s first score, Jordan Martinook had a shot loudly ring the crossbar. Moments later, Jake Guentzel had a shot hit the iron, Igor Shesterkin’s goalie stick and Shesterkin before the puck fell just wide of the net.

Staal, who has scored 10 goals in 21 career elimination playoff games, twice was stopped by Shesterkin on short shots. Staal had a tip off the rush and later a good look from the low slot but Shesterkin made the saves.

Sebastian Aho skated in alone on Shesterkin but missed on a backhand.

After two periods: Canes 3-1

The Canes, after taking a 1-0 lead in the opening period, opened up a 3-1 lead after the second as Seth Jarvis and Sebastian Aho scored.

Only a great hustle play by Martinook kept it from being a one-goal game.

Andersen had the puck slip through his pads off a Ryan Lindgren shot. But Martinook, sliding across the ice, stretched out his stick and knocked the puck away an inch from crossing the goal line.

Jarvis punched in a rebound on a power play for a 2-0 lead after Andrei Svechnikov got off a shot from the slot and Aho got a piece of the puck in front of Shesterkin.

Martinook was called for the first penalty of the game — high-sticking — but Kreider then was called for cross-checking Jarvis into Shesterkin. It was 4 on 4 until Jarvis converted on the power play after the Martinook penalty expired.

The Rangers bounced back. Vincent Trocheck scored off a redirection as Andersen lost his footing in the net and fell.

But the Canes then answered. Svechnikov made a stretch pass off the wall to Aho breaking into the Rangers zone. Aho beat Shesterkin off the rush for the 3-1 lead midway through the period.

Another hustle play: Canes defenseman Jalen Chatfield raced back to stop Panarin on a partial breakaway, getting stick on stick and preventing a shot.

First period: Necas scores for 1-0 lead

After a lot of back-and-forth, turnovers and bobbled pucks much of the first period, Martin Necas has given the Canes a 1-0 lead in Game 6 at PNC Arena.

Martinook grabbed the puck behind the New York net and got it to Necas at the post to Shesterkin’s right. Necas quickly lifted the puck in with 1:22 left in the opening period — his fourth goal of the playoffs — as Canes fans thundered.

It was Necas who set Martinook up for the Canes’ third goal in the third period of Carolina’s 4-1 win in Game 5 in New York. Martinook, taking a pass from Dmitry Orlov, returned the favor and the Canes had the lead after 20 minutes.

The Rangers, after losing the past two games to see their series lead dwindle to 3-2, managed three shots in the first period, being outshot 8-3. The Rangers had nine shot attempts blocked.

The Canes had a tremendous scoring chance midway through the first. After Rangers defenseman Jacob Trouba fell in the New York zone, Jesperi Kotkaniemi skated in on a two-on-one with Stefan Noesen but Noesen could not convert off Kotkaniemi’s pass.

The Rangers had a long forechecking shift late in the period but Chatfield helped out Andersen by knocking away the puck near the post.

No penalties were called in the opening period.