The New York Rangers will face either Florida or Boston in the Eastern Conference finals. Carolina’s season ended.
The New York Rangers have advanced to the finals of the NHL’s Eastern Conference, i.e. the semifinals of the league, after defeating the Carolina Hurricanes in the second round of the playoffs with a 4–2 victory. The Rangers beat Carolina in the sixth game on the away court with goals 5–3.
Finns play in Rangers’ ranks Kaapo Kakowho got ten minutes of playing time in the match.
Carolina, which was chasing the equalizer in the match series, was in the driver’s seat for a long time in the sixth meeting. At the beginning of the second period Sebastian Aho scored Carolina’s 2–0 victory, which he finished off Seth Jarvis. Aho himself scored the home team’s 3–1 lead in the 30th minute.
However, it started in the third period by Chris Kreider rampage and the rise of Rangers. In the 47th minute, Kreider scored to reduce the score to 2–3, five minutes later 3–3, and less than four minutes later 4–3. The final readings riveted Barclay Goodrow into an empty net in the final minute.
US forward Kreider has scored seven goals in the spring playoffs. A hat trick put him fourth in the scoring market.
Sebastian Ahon, Teuvo Teräväinen and Jesperi Kotkaniemi the season of represented Carolina therefore ended. Aho, who recorded 4+8 performances, was his team’s best scorer in the spring playoffs.
The Rangers will face either the Florida Panthers or the Boston Bruins in the conference finals. Florida leads the match series with victories 3–2.
In the second match of the night, the Vancouver Canucks beat the Edmonton Oilers 3–2 at home and lead the series with a 3–2 win. It has a chance to decide the final place in the Western Conference on the night before Sunday Finnish time.