Artemi Panarin scored 1:43 into overtime and the New York Rangers beat the Carolina Hurricanes 3-2 on Thursday to take a 3-0 lead in their second-round series.
Panarin was the hero, deflecting a Vincent Trocheck pass into the front of the net behind the goal line. The Hurricanes had previously forced an overtime period with 96 seconds left in the third period.
“It’s a resilient group that’s been in this situation before,” Rangers head coach Peter Laviolette said of his squad’s mindset heading into overtime.
The Rangers have won their first seven playoff games for the first time since 1994, when they last won the Stanley Cup. Game 4 is Saturday in Raleigh.
Chris Kreider and Alexis Lafreniere scored in regulation for the Rangers. Igor Shesterkin stopped 45 shots.
Jake Guentzel and Andrei Svechnikov replied for the Hurricanes. Pyotr Kochetkov made 25 saves.
Kochetkov was making his playoff debut this spring. Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour said No. 1 goaltender Frederik Andersen needed a rest.
Andersen has allowed eight goals on 62 shots in the first two games of the series against the Rangers. The 34-year-old Dane has played 17 games since returning to action in March after being affected by blood clots.
Kochetkov, who is still a rookie despite being 24, had not played since April 14.
His compatriot Evgeny Kuznetsov was also back in the game after being scratched from the starting lineup in Game 2.
In the Rangers camp, Filip Chytil was playing his first match since November 2 due to a head injury. The colossus Matt Rempe was left out.
Guentzel opened the scoring after 10:14 of play, deflecting a shot from Dmitry Orlov into the net.
The action got heated late in the first period after Barclay Goodrow tagged Kochetkov’s glove, who was covering the puck. Jesperi Kotkaniemi even threw his gloves in front of Jimmy Vesey.
Hockey got back to playing in the second period and the Rangers had the best scoring chances.
Panarin just missed the target on a breakaway after more than four minutes of play, having just left the penalty box.
Kreider tied the game 1-1 at 8:30 with the Rangers shorthanded, tipping a pass from Mika Zibanejad past Kochetkov.
The Rangers threatened again on the same penalty kill. Kochetkov closed the gap between his pads and frustrated Trocheck, who had escaped.
Kreider came back on another Rangers man-down later in the period, but his shot during a two-on-one attack hit the post.
Lafreniere finally gave the Rangers the lead 6:25 into the third period, beating Kochetkov with a one-timer on the glove side following a pass from Panarin.
Svechnikov tied the game with 1:36 left, with Kochetkov replaced by an extra attacker. He took advantage of a return to the slot to beat Shesterkin.
Panarin quickly broke the deadlock in overtime.
The Hurricanes’ last eight playoff losses have been decided by a single goal, five of which have come in overtime.
“History is repeating itself,” lamented Hurricanes captain Jordan Staal.
