Recap: Canes' Postseason Run Ends In Shocking Game 6 Collapse

RALEIGH, NC. - The New York Rangers scored four goals in the third period on Thursday, coming from behind and eliminating the Carolina Hurricanes with a 5-3 victory in Game 6.

Dodged A Bullet Early...

With their backs against the wall for a third consecutive game, the Canes continued their "one day at a time" mantra going into tonight's affair.

Utilizing the same lineup that made them successful in Game 4 and Game 5, the first period would go down as the one where the scoreboard was mildly misleading.

New York was the better team but finished the segment with just three shots. Hemming Carolina in their own end for long periods of time on multiple occasions, the home team managed to evade the fire.

As the period progressed the Canes appeared to be pass-happy on their opportunities but they were able to get one just before going back to their locker room.

With just 1:22 left in the opening stanza, Jordan Martinook set up Martin Necas from behind Igor Shesterkin to give the Canes the first lead of the night.

Adding To The Lead...

Despite having the lead, Carolina had a few adjustments to make before returning to the ice for the second period.

An area where they'd been in search of tweaks all series long was the power play, and therein was where they'd find their first insurance goal of the night.

With the first unit on the ice, including Jake Guentzel once again, Andrei Svechnikov sent a puck to the net and Seth Jarvis cleaned up the scraps.

But then, New York got going again.

With a big pushback, they were able to beat Frederik Andersen for the first time, as Vincent Trocheck tipped home a puck following a bad turnover by Carolina in their own end.

It looked as if New York was knocking on the door of an equalizer as their momentum continued, but a quick strike in transition instead allowed Sebastian Aho to make it 3-1.

Again, the Rangers pushed back following, but a must-see, goal-saving effort from Martinook and a breakaway breakup by Jalen Chatfield preserved the two-goal advantage.

New York's Four-Goal Frame...

Just 20 minutes away from a Game 7 at Madison Square Garden on Saturday, it looked like the Canes were sitting pretty.

Dominating the first segment of the third, both Martinook and Guentzel got shots by Shetserkin, but both times he was saved by the post behind him.

Perhaps that was a sign from the hockey gods though, because after that, things came unraveled for Carolina.

A sharp-angle shot from Mika Zibanejad did not beat Andersen, but an untimely rebound in front was left for Chris Kreider in front, who did put it home.  That made things tense, but what came next was tough to swallow.

5:01 later, with Jordan Staal in the box, New York tied it on the power play.

3-3 thanks to Kreider's second of the period, the Rangers star forward had one more goal in him, the game-winner.

Completing a hat trick in just 8:58, there was no coming back from that for the Canes.  The momentum had swung too far in New York's favor.

An empty net goal for Barclay Goodrow would close out the scoring, stunning PNC Arena and ending Carolina's quest for the Stanley Cup.

They Said It...

Rod Brind'Amour on the tough third period...

"That (second) goal was a tough one. It just can't happen. We know that. You can't give a team like that a goal and I thought we gave them a couple. That's really not good. Then the momentum changed a little and we took a penalty. Their top guys took over in the third once they got that one (goal)... You've got to give them credit. Their top guys stepped up when they needed to."

Jordan Staal on the penalty called against him in the third period...

"It's tough timing for a penalty. I would've loved to have been on the kill, but I was the idiot in the box. A big kill there probably would've changed the momentum for us."

Frederik Andersen calling New York's second goal allowed "a mistake" on his part...

"That definitely hurt, obviously. You don't want to give them life. I thought I had it covered... Tough timing for that."

What's Next?

Information regarding exit interviews will be distributed in the following days.

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