Following a Game 5 loss that put them in a 3-2 series hole, New York’s season is on the brink once again. In what could be the final home game, as well as the final game of the Blueshirts’ 2021-22 campaign, they’ll need to defend home ice once again in order to force a winner take all Game 7 in Raleigh. The home team has won all five games in this series, and the Hurricanes themselves are undefeated at home in the playoffs thus far. However, Carolina is also in search of their first road win in these playoffs while the Rangers have won their last five home games after dropping the opening game against Pittsburgh.

In spite of scoring on the power play for their only goal of Game 5, the Rangers’ special teams units struggled. Carolina opened the scoring with a shorthanded goal in the first period before connecting for their first power play goal of the series in the middle frame for what ended up being the game winning goal. That’s an area the Blueshirts will need to improve upon in order to extend their season beyond tonight.

Player to Watch: Chris Kreider

As much as the series has been a tale of home and away, no player illustrates that better than Kreider. In the three games in Raleigh, Kreider has been held pointless and only managed a single shot on goal, that coming in Game 1. In the pair of games played at Madison Square Garden, Kreider has a goal and has put eight shots on net against Antti Raanta. If the Blueshirts don’t want to play their final game of the season tonight, a strong performance out of Kreider will go a long way towards extending this series.

Enjoy the game!