The Carolina Hurricanes were able to finish off the New York Islanders on Tuesday night, setting up a great matchup against the New York Rangers in the second round.
In Game 5 of their first-round series against the Islanders, the Hurricanes were able to handle business and finish off gentleman’s sweep of their Metropolitan Division rivals. Game 5 did get a little hairy for the Hurricanes, as the Islanders played a strong second period and went into the third period with the score tied.
However, the Hurricanes played a great final period and finished off the Islanders by a score of 6-3. With the win, Carolina will now be set to face the New York Rangers in the second round of the playoffs. This is certainly a matchup to watch, as the Rangers and Hurricanes battled for the first seed in the Metropolitan Division throughout the season.
Now with a matchup between the two top teams from the Metro set for the second round, hockey fans should be excited. The Rangers will be coming in with a home-ice advantage, which could prove to be pivotal.
As the Islanders saw in their series against Carolina, their home-ice advantage is no joke and their fans make for an excellent playoff atmosphere. The Rangers will also have a great crowd at MSG, and this should be a fun matchup.
Even though the New York Rangers won the Presidents Cup, the Hurricanes come in as the betting favorites in the series. The Hurricanes are certainly a very strong team on special teams and 5-on-5, but the Rangers might have the edge in the net with Igor Shesterkin and home-ice advantage.
As the Florida Panthers wait to see who they will face between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Boston Bruins, we know that this series between the Rangers and the Hurricanes will be an exciting one.
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