Game 7 hero for Rangers-Hurricanes debated by NHL.com

Game 7 is the perfect setting for heroes to emerge.

The Carolina Hurricanes host the New York Rangers in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Second Round on Monday (8 p.m. ET; ESPN, SN, TVAS). It's the next opportunity for a player to step into the spotlight and cement his place in NHL lore.
It happened multiple times in the first round. Artemi Panarin scored in overtime to help the Rangers advance past the Pittsburgh Penguins. Johnny Gaudreau finally solved Dallas Stars goalie Jake Oettinger to help the Calgary Flames move on to the second round. Connor McDavid capped a brilliant first-round series with a goal and an assist in a 2-1 win by the Edmonton Oilers against the Los Angeles Kings. Max Domi had two goals and an assist for the Hurricanes in 3-2 win against the Boston Bruins. Nick Paul scored twice in the Tampa Bay Lightning's Game 7 win against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
So, who will play the hero on Memorial Day?
RELATED: [Complete Hurricanes vs. Rangers series coverage]
We asked eight NHL.com writers for their candidate. Here they are in alphabetical order:
Sebastian Aho, Hurricanes
My logic here is simple: Carolina was 29-8-4 at home in the regular season and is 7-0 there in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. At home in the regular season, Aho led the Hurricanes with 43 points (14 goals, 29 assists). He also led them with six game-winning goals. At home in the playoffs, Aho leads Carolina with four goals, and he's one of seven of its players with a game-winning goal. -- Nicholas J. Cotsonika, columnist

Seth Jarvis, Hurricanes
Players grow up fast in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Meet forward Seth Jarvis, the 20-year-old who has opened eyes through the first 13 games of the postseason with the maturity of his play. The rookie has been a revelation all season with 40 points (17 goals, 23 assists) in 68 games, and he has not cooled in the playoffs with eight points (three goals, five assists). There have been numerous games this postseason when Jarvis has been among the best forwards on the ice for the Hurricanes, and that won't change Monday. -- Shawn P. Roarke, senior director of editorial
Artemi Panarin, Rangers
The forward has not been a big factor thus far in the series, with three points (one goal, two assists) and nine shots on goal in six games. Each of those points has come at home, but Panarin has shown that one goal can erase the past failures of a series. He scored in overtime against the Penguins to send the Rangers into the second round and has a point in three of the four games in these playoffs with New York facing elimination. Panarin will have a big impact in Game 7. -- David Satriano, staff writer
Antti Raanta, Hurricanes
In a series that has certainly had its share of ups and downs, I'm going with Hurricanes goalie Antti Raanta, who was pulled and replaced by Pyotr Kochetkov in the second period of a 5-2 loss in Game 6 at Madison Square Garden. Prior to the loss, Raanta had a 1.60 goals-against average and .937 save percentage with one shutout in the first five games of this series. He is 3-0 with a 0.66 GAA and .970 save percentage in three home games against the Rangers and will return there for some possible redemption against his former club (2015-17) in Game 7 on Monday. -- Mike G. Morreale, staff writer
Igor Shesterkin, Rangers
Let's not overthink this. The Rangers have been one of the most resilient teams in the NHL all season. They play their best with their backs against the wall. They are 4-0 when facing elimination in the playoffs. Why? Because of their goalie. The fact New York has not won in Raleigh yet this series matters little now. The Rangers have Shesterkin and he has been at his best in the past nine games, including a .925 save percentage in four must-win games. If you must bank on one player to make a difference in a Game 7, you go with the player who has been arguably the biggest difference maker for his team this season than anyone else in the NHL. It's got to be Shesterkin. -- Dan Rosen, senior writer

Jordan Staal, Hurricanes
If history has taught me anything (and by history, I'm talking about former Detroit Red Wings forward Darren Helm scoring the series-winning goal for the Colorado Avalanche against the St. Louis Blues in Game 6 on Friday), it's to go with a player who has come through on the big stage before. So, give me Staal. The veteran forward has six points (one goal, five assists) in the playoffs thus far and Staal, who won the Stanley Cup with the Penguins in 2009, knows what it takes at this juncture. He has 60 points (33 goals, 27 assists) in 120 NHL playoff games. He'll add another critical point or two to that total in Game 7, and will play smothering defense against Rangers center Mika Zibanejad. -- Tracey Myers, staff writer
Andrei Svechnikov, Hurricanes
Other than his breakaway goal in Game 5, Svechnikov has had a quiet series. The 22-year-old is due to break out with a big Game 7. Svechnikov was second on the Hurricanes behind Aho with 30 goals and 69 points during the regular season. That included five game-winning goals. Svechnikov's 16 shots on goal in the series are second on Carolina behind Vincent Trocheck's 18. The puck will go in for him eventually. -- Tom Gulitti, staff writer
Teuvo Teravainen, Hurricanes
It was just four days ago that Teravainen scored the game-winner in Game 5 to put the Hurricanes one win away from the Eastern Conference Final. Why go away from what's working? Teravainen has been masterful at home in these playoffs and has a point in each of the wins that Carolina has recorded. It's the third-longest home point streak in franchise history, behind Cory Stillman (13 games) and Eric Staal (eight), each during the Hurricanes' run to the 2006 Stanley Cup. I say Teravainen, who has 11 points (four goals, seven assists) in the playoffs, ties Staal by extending his point streak to eight games and becomes the hero of Game 7 in the process. -- Amalie Benjamin, staff writer