Rangers look to regroup after Game 4, learn from 1st loss in playoffs

RALEIGH, N.C. -- A series of firsts for the New York Rangers in the Stanley Cup Playoffs proved to be too much to overcome Saturday.

The first time the Rangers allowed three goals in a period.

The first time they went down two goals (it happened twice in the first period).

The first time they lost the special teams battle.

The first time their penalty kill was victimized by the Carolina Hurricanes.

The first time they gave up four goals in a game.

The first time they lost.

The Hurricanes used a three-goal first period and a power-play goal from Brady Skjei with 3:11 left in the third to defeat the Rangers 4-3 at PNC Arena in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Second Round, cutting New York's lead in the best-of-7 series to 3-1.

The Rangers had won seven straight games to start the playoffs.

"A couple breakdowns, they capitalized on their opportunities," Rangers captain Jacob Trouba said. "From that point I thought the forwards played well. We generated some good chances. The power play kind of stings at the end, but that's hockey. Move on. We're going to Game 5."

It's easy for the Rangers to have that move-on mentality because of how good they've been in the playoffs to this point. Heck, win Game 5 at Madison Square Garden on Monday and they'll still have enough time to rest, recover and practice before starting the Eastern Conference Final.

But analyzing how they lost Game 4 will also benefit them going into Game 5.

Their start wasn't horrific, but it wasn't good enough either and it was out of character from what the Rangers showed in the first seven games of the playoffs.

A turnover by Barclay Goodrow led to Evgeny Kuznetsov's goal to make it 1-0 at 1:51 of the first period.

A turnover by Trouba led to Stefan Noesen's goal off a rebound to make it 2-0 at 6:33. That was the first time the Rangers were down two goals in the postseason.

Will Cuylle got one back for them at 8:06, but Erik Gustafsson's inability to handle the puck at the end boards and a defensive breakdown in front led to a wide-open Sebastian Aho scoring on a one-timer to make it 3-1 at 15:29.

"I don't think it was because we weren't ready to play," Rangers coach Peter Laviolette said. "I think maybe the chances were 7-6 us or 6-6, somewhere in that area. It wasn't a lot, but the ones we gave up were pretty noisy. They were loud. We've got to come out a little bit sharper than that. We were competing. We were working. We were trying to do our job offensively, but there's some things defensively that I felt we could have been a little bit better at in the first period."

The good news is they responded, again showing the resiliency that has been the Rangers’ calling card all season.

Goodrow scored on a deflection of Braden Schneider's shot to make it 3-2 at 12:43 of the second period.

"It didn't faze us," Laviolette said. "The mindset was to go out and win the second period. We did that. That set it up for the third."

They kept the pressure on, and Alexis Lafrenière scored his fourth goal of the series by banking the puck in off goalie Frederik Andersen to tie it 3-3 at 2:04.

"I think we were pretty calm after the first," center Mika Zibanejad said. "Obviously, that's not the way you want it. You always want a good start, but if that doesn't happen how do you react. I thought we worked ourselves back in the game and unfortunately we lose it at the end on their power-play goal."

Ah yes, the power-play goal.

Ryan Lindgren was called for tripping Jordan Martinook at 16:17, giving Carolina its second power play of the game and 17th of the series. It was 0-for-1 and 0-for-16, respectively, before Skjei blasted a one-timer from the point that sailed past Igor Shesterkin, who was being screened by Seth Jarvis, and inside the right post at 16:49 to give the Hurricanes a 4-3 lead.

"He hammered it," Laviolette said. "It had eyes. It was a top-corner shot. Traffic in front of the net. There was a lot going on there."

Said Trouba, "I don't think it was a breakdown by the PK. It's just a good shot. Tip your cap."

The Rangers didn't think they were going to be perfect on the PK all series, nor did they think they were going to be perfect in the playoffs, undefeated on their way to winning the Stanley Cup.

That's unrealistic.

But reality hit Saturday and for the first time the Rangers have to respond after a loss.

"This is how it goes," Zibanejad said. "We're playing a really good team and it's easy to forget about it the way it's been going, before the game being up 3-0. We just have to reset here and get ready for Monday."