Sebastian Aho scored twice in the third period while James Reimer was strong in net to help the Carolina Hurricanes beat the New York Rangers 4-1 on Tuesday night and sweep the Stanley Cup qualifier series.
Warren Foegele scored the go-ahead goal early in the third period for the Hurricanes, redirecting a shot from the point by Brady Skjei to beat rookie Igor Shesterkin at 5:07 in the third. Then Aho followed with a highlight-reel goal about 5½ minutes later, taking the puck from Rangers defenseman Jacob Trouba along the boards and skating in on Tony DeAngelo to backhand the puck past Shesterkin as he went to his knees.
Click to Gallery
Sebastian Aho scored twice in the third period while James Reimer was strong in net to help the Carolina Hurricanes beat the New York Rangers 4-1 on Tuesday night and sweep the Stanley Cup qualifier series.
Reimer had a huge part of the win too, finishing with 37 saves that included a couple of big stops during a wild second-period sequence.
Teuvo Teravainen also scored for Carolina early in the second period, a quick answer to a goal by New York’s Chris Kreider for a 1-0 lead that was the Rangers' first of the postseason.
NOTES: Lemieux made his postseason debut for New York after being suspended by the NHL last month for the first two games due to an illegal check that injured Colorado’s Joonas Donskoi in March. … Rangers winger Jesper Fast missed his second straight game. He left early in Saturday’s Game 1 after a hard hit from Carolina’s Brady Skjei, who was traded by the Rangers in February. … Carolina defenseman Dougie Hamilton remained out after missing the first two games and multiple practices.
For more AP NHL coverage: https://apnews.com/NHL and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
Carolina Hurricanes' goaltender James Reimer (47) looks for the puck as Hurricanes' Andrei Svechnikov (37) and New York Rangers' Adam Fox (23) chase during second period NHL Eastern Conference Stanley Cup playoff action in Toronto on Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2020. (Frank GunnThe Canadian Press via AP)
Aho added an empty-netter late to seal it, with the Hurricanes sweeping the best-of-5 series after losing all four regular-season meetings against the Rangers.
New York Rangers' goaltender Igor Shesterkin (31) stops Carolina Hurricanes' Sebastian Aho (20) as Rangers' Artemi Panarin (10) defends and Hurricanes' Andrei Svechnikov (37) and Rangers' Mika Zibanejad (93) battle during second period NHL Eastern Conference Stanley Cup playoff action in Toronto on Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2020. (Frank GunnThe Canadian Press via AP)
Reimer had a huge part of the win too, finishing with 37 saves that included a couple of big stops during a wild second-period sequence.
That included Reimer – who got the start after Petr Mrazek won the first two games of the series – stopping Brendan Lemieux as he skated in toward the crease. He was unable to control the puck as Carolina defensemen Jaccob Slavin and Sami Vatanen dove into the crease to clog the net, with Vatanen managing to make his own diving stop of Lemieux’s follow-up shot with his left shoulder.
That bought time for Reimer to get to his feet, then make another in-close stop on Filip Chytil near the crease by extending his right glove.
Carolina Hurricanes' goaltender James Reimer (47) reaches for a puck against the New York Rangers during second period NHL Eastern Conference Stanley Cup playoff action in Toronto on Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2020. (Frank GunnThe Canadian Press via AP)
Teuvo Teravainen also scored for Carolina early in the second period, a quick answer to a goal by New York’s Chris Kreider for a 1-0 lead that was the Rangers' first of the postseason.
Shesterkin, a 24-year-old rookie who went 10-2 after making his NHL debut in January, finished with 27 saves in his postseason debut after being unavailable in the series' first two games.
With the loss, the Rangers are the first team eliminated from the NHL’s expanded playoff rounds but are also in the running to claim the No. 1 overall draft pick in Monday’s second draft lottery. One of the eight eliminated playoff teams will claim the chance to select Quebec junior Alexis Lafreniere, the projected top pick.
New York Rangers' goaltender Igor Shesterkin (31) stops Carolina Hurricanes' Sebastian Aho (20) as Rangers' Artemi Panarin (10) defends during second period NHL Eastern Conference Stanley Cup playoff action in Toronto on Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2020. (Frank GunnThe Canadian Press via AP)
NOTES: Lemieux made his postseason debut for New York after being suspended by the NHL last month for the first two games due to an illegal check that injured Colorado’s Joonas Donskoi in March. … Rangers winger Jesper Fast missed his second straight game. He left early in Saturday’s Game 1 after a hard hit from Carolina’s Brady Skjei, who was traded by the Rangers in February. … Carolina defenseman Dougie Hamilton remained out after missing the first two games and multiple practices.
UP NEXT
The Hurricanes have advanced to the Eastern Conference quarterfinals.
Carolina Hurricanes' Jordan Staal (11) tries to get a shot through New York Rangers' Jacob Trouba (8) and goaltender Igor Shesterkin (31) during second period NHL Eastern Conference Stanley Cup playoff action in Toronto on Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2020. (Frank GunnThe Canadian Press via AP)
For more AP NHL coverage: https://apnews.com/NHL and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
Carolina Hurricanes' Brady Skjei (76) falls on to his goaltender James Reimer (47) as New York Rangers' Brendan Lemieux (48) looks on during second period NHL Eastern Conference Stanley Cup playoff action in Toronto on Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2020. (Frank GunnThe Canadian Press via AP)
Carolina Hurricanes' goaltender James Reimer (47) looks for the puck as Hurricanes' Andrei Svechnikov (37) and New York Rangers' Adam Fox (23) chase during second period NHL Eastern Conference Stanley Cup playoff action in Toronto on Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2020. (Frank GunnThe Canadian Press via AP)