NFL draft attendance record within reach in Detroit, Commissioner Roger Goodell tells fans on Day 2

DETROIT (AP) — The NFL draft tour has not had a stop quite like the one in Detroit.

“We watched 32 amazing players join the NFL family in front of a record 275,000 people,” Commissioner Roger Goodell told fans who flooded downtown Detroit on Friday for a second straight day. "Guess what? Another 230,000 are already here tonight.

“So Detroit, you’re within 100,000 of breaking the all-time record.”

Nashville drew 600,000 fans over the three days of the NFL draft in 2019 to set the mark the Motor City will shoot to surpass on Saturday. Nashville had the previous first- and second-round records, drawing 200,000 fans each day.

Michigan coach Sherrone Moore, assistant coaches and players he has returning from last season's national championship-winning team were introduced on stage by Goodell, and the crowd sang the school's fight song before the second round kicked off.

“It's super special to be here,” Wolverines tight end Colston Loveland said. “Detroit showed out, for sure.

"There's lot of bodies here.”

Streets, restaurants, bars and hotels were filled for a second straight day as fans of the 32 teams gathered for a party that showed no signs of slowing down.

Larry Kordosky traveled from Arizona to attend his second NFL draft and left no doubt who his favorite team is, wearing red and blue pants with Bills logos and a Buffalo jersey under black shoulder pads.

“You couldn’t ask for a better crowd or host," Kordosky said, standing in a rare open space in the middle of Campus Martius Park. "I had never been to Detroit. I love it. It’s an amazing city.

“I went to the draft in Las Vegas two years ago, but it was nothing like this. There are fans everywhere, especially Lions fans.”

Lions season-ticket holder Reiner Calderero of Warren, Michigan, and Christopher Guiao of Sterling Heights were in the first row up against a barricade just beyond the covered theater area where the picks were announced.

They were easy to pick out in the crowd.

The men wore the same Honolulu blue and silver masks they put on for home games at nearby Ford Field.

Guiao said the NFL draft experience exceeded his high expectations.

“All day, both days, the whole area has been packed,” he said. “Hopefully, the world sees what we see. Detroit is a beautiful city with warm people.”

In addition to the intangible benefits of showing the city in a good light for visitors and 50-plus million people watching on TVs, phones and tablets, the economic impact was expected to exceed $160 million and that’s when local organizers were expecting 400,000 fans to attend the three-day event.

More than 20 teams have inquired about hosting a future NFL draft and Green Bay will be on the clock after the seventh round concludes Saturday.

The Motor City, which was once one of the nation’s largest and most powerful cities, has bounced back from filing for bankruptcy in 2013 and has made the most of an opportunity to shine.

“A special thank you to everybody here who came from across Michigan and across the United States to help Detroit set new attendance records for the NFL draft,” Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, joined by Hall of Famer Barry Sanders, said on stage before announcing the Lions had drafted Missouri cornerback Ennis Rakestraw Jr. in the second round.

The NFL draft is giving Detroit a chance to show the world how far it has come, according to Dan Gilbert, whose real-estate company, Bedrock, was among the private and public entities to land the league's annual event.

“The city, it’s got an energy to it,” Gilbert said in an interview with The Associated Press. “I think that’s one of the reasons we’re able to convince the NFL to do the draft out here. They could feel the energy as we took them on tours here.”

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An NFL football draft jersey is displayed on the Spirit of Detroit statue Friday, April 19, 2024, in Detroit. The draft has taken the show on the road for a decade, giving cities a chance around the country a chance to be in the spotlight. The Motor City, which was once one of the nation's largest and most powerful cities, has bounced back from filing for bankruptcy in 2013. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

FILE - The new 685-foot tall tower under construction on the former Hudson's site is viewed Friday, July 7, 2023, in Detroit. The NFL football draft has taken the show on the road for a decade, giving cities a chance around the country a chance to be in the spotlight. The Motor City, which was once one of the nation's largest and most powerful cities, has bounced back from filing for bankruptcy in 2013. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio, File)

Fans wait outside of the draft theater ahead of the first round of the NFL football draft, Thursday, April 25, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Crowds fill an area outside of the draft stage during the second round of the NFL football draft, Friday, April 26, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

Michigan football players stand on stage during the second round of the NFL football draft, Friday, April 26, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

Larry Kordosky of Arizona attends the second round of the NFL football draft, Friday, April 26, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

Crowds fill an area outside of the draft stage during the second round of the NFL football draft, Friday, April 26, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

Crowds fill an area outside of the draft stage during the second round of the NFL football draft, Friday, April 26, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

Christopher Guiao, left, and Reiner Calderero attend the second round of the NFL football draft, Friday, April 26, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

Crowds watch during the second round of the NFL football draft, Friday, April 26, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

NEW YORK (AP) — Vincent Trocheck couldn't describe the feeling when he finally scored in the second overtime to give the New York Rangers another big win.

Trocheck scored a power-play goal off a rebound at 7:24 of the second extra period and the Rangers beat the Carolina Hurricanes 4-3 on Tuesday night to take a 2-0 lead in their second-round playoff series.

“I don't know. I'll watch it and let you know tomorrow,” Trocheck said. “Typically when those games go into overtime, double overtime, any team could win those games.”

Alexis Lafreniere scored twice, Chris Kreider also had a power-play goal and Artemi Panarin added three assists for the Rangers. Igor Shesterkin stopped a season-high 54 shots.

“Igor played an Igor-esque type game. He was outstanding, kept us in the game,” Trocheck said. “It's tough to beat our team when he's making saves like he was tonight.”

The Rangers won their sixth straight in the playoffs, and eighth straight dating to the regular season. New York got its first overtime playoff win since Game 7 of the first round in 2022 against Pittsburgh.

Jake Guentzel scored twice, Dmitry Orlov also scored and Sebastian Aho had three assists for the Hurricanes, who have lost three of their last four — including two in double overtime. Frederik Andersen finished with 35 saves.

“It was a hard fought game,” Carolina's Jordan Staal said. “This one is going to sting but we’ve got to find a way to get it done at home and move on from there.”

The series shifts to Raleigh, North Carolina, for the next two games, with Game 3 on Thursday night.

The Rangers were 2 for 7 on the power play, scoring twice with the advantage for the second straight game against the league's top penalty-killing team. After finishing third on the power play, New York is converting at 40% (10 for 25) in the playoffs, including 4 for 9 in this series.

“We're confident for sure,” Trocheck said. “We do expect to score. Obviously it's not going to happen every single time. We feel as a unit the team relies on us to score on the power play, especially so far in this playoffs. Special teams has been so big.”

The Rangers led the league with 28 comeback wins and got their third of the playoffs — first when trailing in the third period.

“As the game went on I thought we stayed with it, maybe even got better through the overtimes," Rangers coach Peter Laviolette said. "It was a roller coaster a little bit, so for the guys to stay in there, locked in and focused like that, it was a pretty big effort.”

Shesterkin made a kick save on Martin Necas 1 1/2 minutes into the second overtime and a pad save on Staal in close about 30 seconds later. At the other end, Andersen made a stellar save on a shot by Panarin.

The Hurricanes, who finished 0 for 5 on the power play, got an advantage when Panarin was called for hooking at 3:28. They managed just one shot.

The Rangers then got their seventh power play of the night and Mika Zibanejad sent a shot in front from the left side boards. It bounced off Hurricanes defenseman Brent Burns and Trocheck knocked in the rebound to extend his goal-scoring streak to five games and end the NHL's longest playoff game of the postseason.

Kreider scored his 43rd career postseason goal — most in franchise history — and 70th point — third-most behind Brian Leetch (89) and Mark Messier (80).

AP NHL playoffs: https://apnews.com/hub/stanley-cup and https://www.ap)news.com/hub/NHL

New York Rangers left wings Chris Kreider (20) and defenseman Adam Fox (23) react to center Vincent Trocheck's (16) game-winning goal in the second overtime in Game 2 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup second-round playoff series against the Carolina Hurricanes, Tuesday, May 7, 2024, in New York. The Rangers won 4-3. (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson)

New York Rangers fans cheer during the second period in Game 2 of the team's NHL hockey Stanley Cup second-round playoff series against the Carolina Hurricanes, Tuesday, May 7, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson)

New York Rangers center Filip Chytil (72) collides with Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen (31) during the second period in Game 2 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup second-round playoff series Tuesday, May 7, 2024, in New York. At left is Hurricanes defenseman Brent Burns. (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson)

Carolina Hurricanes centers Jake Guentzel (59) and Sebastian Aho (20) celebrate Guentzel's goal during the first period in Game 2 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup second-round playoff series against the New York Rangers, Tuesday, May 7, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson)

Carolina Hurricanes right wing Andrei Svechnikov (37) trips New York Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin (31) during the first period in Game 2 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup second-round playoff series, Tuesday, May 7, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson)

New York Rangers left wing Artemi Panarin (10) watches the puck during the second period in Game 2 of the team's NHL hockey Stanley Cup second-round playoff series against the Carolina Hurricanes, Tuesday, May 7, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson)

New York Rangers right wing Kaapo Kakko (24), left wing Will Cuylle (50) and Carolina Hurricanes center Jesperi Kotkaniemi (82) fight for the puck during the first period in Game 2 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup second-round playoff series, Tuesday, May 7, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson)

New York Rangers left wing Artemi Panarin (10) and Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Brady Skjei (76) fight for the puck during the third period in Game 1 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup second-round playoff series, Sunday, May 5, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson)

Trocheck's power-play goal lifts Rangers to 4-3 win over Hurricanes in 2OT for 2-0 series lead

Trocheck's power-play goal lifts Rangers to 4-3 win over Hurricanes in 2OT for 2-0 series lead