Bruce Bennett/Getty Images
The Carolina Hurricanes’ first power-play goal of the second round couldn’t have come at a better time.
The New York Rangers were one goal away from sweeping their second straight playoff series Saturday when Brady Skjei rescued the Hurricanes’ season by scoring on the man advantage with just over three minutes remaining in regulation.
The Hurricanes won 4-3 at home. New York still leads the series, 3-1.
B/R Open Ice @BR_OpenIce
BREAKING NEWS: THE CAROLINA HURRICANES HAVE SCORED A POWERPLAY GOAL 🚨 pic.twitter.com/KCzmfy4vZY
Carolina Hurricanes @Canes
NO QUIT IN THIS TEAM pic.twitter.com/1ee1fbQ432
The loss marked the Rangers’ first of the 2024 postseason after they eliminated the Washington Capitals from the opening round in four games.
Madison Hricik @SportingMads
The NHL playoffs started on April 20. The Rangers, three weeks into the playoffs, have JUST NOW taken their first loss.
Idc who you’re rooting for, that’s still weird to think about.
The deciding goal also marked the first of the playoffs for Skjei, who skated parts of five seasons for the Rangers before he was traded to the Hurricanes in February 2020.
Tommy Bennett @TJBennettt37
Man what a time for the #CauseChaos power play to come alive
Brady Skjei against his former team
Shanascam – Janneys Revenge @Playkniesly
Brady Skjei with a rocket. I didn’t know he was that good offensively wow
charlie! @skjeisbabes
who needs drugs when you have former ranger brady skjei score to extend the playoff series with a powerplay goal in the last minutes of a tied game
avery 🏳️⚧️ @admbeaumont
brady skjei scoring to stop the rangers from sweeping sounds about right
Claudia Chakamian @C_Chakamian
Brady Skjei scoring the go ahead goal HURTS. Miss him in New York
Skjei’s late game-winner came after Carolina already lost an early two-goal lead.
The Canes headed into the second period with 3-1 advantage thanks to early goals from Evgeny Kuznetsov, Stefan Noesen and Sebastian Aho.
B/R Open Ice @BR_OpenIce
WHAT A FEED BY GUENTZEL FOR AHO 🔥 pic.twitter.com/67Qs4KMFnK
Then Rangers winger Barclay Goodrow tipped in a Braden Schneider shot to slice the Hurricanes’ lead in half in the second period.
Alexis Lafrenière completed the Rangers’ comeback by scoring from behind the net two minutes into the third period.
B/R Open Ice @BR_OpenIce
THE BANK IS OPEN FOR LAFRENIERE
TIE GAME 😱 pic.twitter.com/xOytya3rZf
Adam Herman @AdamZHerman
That’s a low-percentage goal on paper but Lafreniére knew exactly what he was doing. What a brilliant move.
Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin kicked aside a 95 mile-per-hour one-timer from Carolina defenseman Dmitry Orlov to keep the score tied late in the third.
Then the Rangers’ Ryan Lindgren was called for a tripping penalty with just under four minutes remaining.
After Skjei extended the Hurricanes’ season on the ensuing power play, Carolina fans started projecting how the team could come back to win the series:
kaela @Kaelalaaa
Streets are saying canes in 7
JT @PhanaticJT
THE REVERSE SWEEP HAS STARTED
Rangers supporters meanwhile weren’t overly concerned about their team suffering a loss for the first time this postseason:
Tyler McGillick @TylerRichard93
Despite the loss, this team is really showing us things. Bottom six was great this game. That was the Rangers 9th loss since the All Star break, if there’s one thing I’m not concerned about, it’s losing becoming habitual with this group.
Tom Leigh (Lay) @TommyLeighJr
Had to get a playoff loss out of the way eventually. Rangers in 5.
The Hurricanes will need another win at Madison Square Garden on Monday in order to further extend their playoff run. The puck is set to drop for Game 5 at 7 p.m. ET.