Bussi, Hurricanes shut out Rangers, extend point streak to 10 games

NEW YORK -- Brandon Bussi made 16 saves for a shutout to lead the Carolina Hurricanes to a 2-0 win against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on Thursday in what was a homecoming game the goalie will cherish for a long time.

"Special night obviously for me personally being from the area," Bussi said. "A lot of family here, so one I'm going to remember."

Bussi is from Sound Beach, New York, on Long Island, about 65 miles from the Rangers' home arena, where he used to attend games as a young fan. He said he knew he had at least 40 family members and friends at the game, but that number might have ballooned to close to 60.

He also grew up idolizing Hall of Fame goalie Henrik Lundqvist, who was at the game because the Rangers were honoring the great goalies from their past as part of their 100-year celebration.

Lundqvist came down to meet Bussi after the game.

"Tonight was about the goalies, not just me and (Jonathan) Quick, but just the whole day, hearing all about all the legends that have played for the Rangers, being a Rangers fan growing up, that also makes this special," Bussi said. "A lot of things to check off my bucket list."

Bussi did his part to allow Andrei Svechnikov's goal in the first period to stand up as the difference in the game. Jordan Staal scored an empty-net goal in the third to cap the win, Carolina's third in a row that kept its point streak alive at 10 games (8-0-2).

The Hurricanes (36-15-6) are 12-1-3 since Jan. 4. Bussi has won his past seven starts.

It was the last game for both teams before the break for the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. The next game for each team is Feb. 26.

"I liked all of, start to finish," Carolina coach Rod Brind'Amour said. "I thought we were pretty focused, especially with all the distractions and this big break. Everybody is excited for it, but we stuck with the gameplan and didn't get flustered. I thought we were for the most part in control of the game."

Quick made a season-high 41 saves, but the Rangers (22-29-6) were shut out at home for the seventh time this season. Carolina also won 3-0 at the Garden on Nov. 4.

New York has lost four games in a row and seven of eight, all in regulation. It is 2-11-1 since winning 5-1 against the Florida Panthers in the 2026 Discover NHL Winter Classic in Miami on Jan. 2.

The Rangers traded Artemi Panarin, their leading scorer this season, to the Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday.

"My message to the group tonight was I will acknowledge that we're in a little bit of a difficult circumstance and none of us really want to be in this position or have any sort of enjoyment or fulfillment in this position that we are, but the reality is we are where we are," Rangers coach Mike Sullivan said. "I'm trying to be understanding of that as their coach and do our best as a coaching staff to support these guys and push them through the process. I thought tonight we lacked a certain competitive spirit that just is simply unacceptable on our part, and that was my discussion with them."

Svechnikov gave the Hurricanes a 1-0 lead at 6:26 of the first period, scoring his ninth goal in 10 games and 21st of the season with a shot from the high slot that went past Quick on the glove side.

Mika Zibanejad was close to tying it on a Rangers power play at 13:44, but his shot off his own rebound from the slot hit off the crossbar and stayed out. Bussi then came across the crease to stop J.T. Miller on the rebound attempt.

"That's a good player having a good look there," Bussi said of Zibanejad. "Tried to gain a little bit of depth, made the first save. Got to try to eat it up, but it's hockey, that's how it goes. Got fortunate with the post but I had a good track on it so I could find that second rebound attempt."

Quick made 19 saves in the second period to keep it a one-goal game going into the third.

"I think he did his very best to drag us into the fight," Sullivan said. "We needed more guys to do that for us."

Carolina outshot New York 29-10 through 40 minutes and then 14-6 in the third while holding a one-goal lead for most of the period.

Staal scored into the empty net to make it 2-0 at 19:06.

Bussi didn't have to make another save to get his second shutout.

"That was a special start to get and we knew that," Brind'Amour said. "We also knew he grew up idolizing the Rangers and Henrik, so that's pretty cool to do that here with all of his family. It's a good story."