The Rangers and Hurricanes are set to square off in the second round of the playoffs for the second time in three years.
A rematch of sorts, but more of a heavyweight clash than anything else, this is bound to be a tug-of-war series in an ongoing battle for supremacy in the Metropolitan Division.
One could argue the Stanley Cup playoffs truly begin Sunday for each of these teams, after the Rangers swept the Capitals in four games and the Hurricanes soundly defeated the Islanders in five in Round 1.
The regular season saw the Rangers flex on Carolina, topping the division for 175 consecutive days and taking two of their three meetings.
The Blueshirts have simply come a long way since 2022, when they ultimately became the first team to defeat the Hurricanes on the road in the playoffs with a dominant Game 7 victory in Raleigh.
The same can be said for the Hurricanes, who are one of the top favorites to hoist Lord Stanley this summer.
The Post’s Mollie Walker takes a look at how the teams match up:
Goaltending
Igor Shesterkin was dissatisfied with his 1.75 goals-against average and .931 save percentage in Round 1, which should tell you all you need to know about the Rangers star netminder.
Though he wasn’t tested nearly as much as he probably will be in this upcoming series, Shesterkin locked down when he had to and served as one of the club’s most consistent players.
A Masterton Trophy finalist, Frederik Andersen won four of his first five games of the season before doctors diagnosed him with a blood clotting issue, which sidelined the Canes goalie for 50 games.
He went 9-1-0 with three shutouts when he returned to punctuate an individual story any team would rally behind.
Round 1, however, saw Andersen surrender three goals in three of his team’s five games against the Isles for a 2.25 GAA and a .912 save percentage. The Rangers’ stable of offensive talent should pose an even bigger challenge.
Edge: Rangers
Defense
The Hurricanes are one of the tightest checking teams in the NHL, boasting a deep blue line and a signature style of play that doesn’t leave much room for offensive creativity.
Finishing with the lowest shots against average in the regular season at 25.6, Carolina can disrupt most team’s flow.
Jaccob Slavin and Brent Burns make for an elite two-way top pairing, but an injury has put their second duo in jeopardy.
Hurricanes president and general manager Don Wandell said they hope to have Brett Pesce, who missed the last three games of Round 1 with a lower-body injury, but it’s possible the Rangers will see ex-Blueshirts Brady Skjei and Tony DeAngelo as the Canes’ next pair.
Ryan Lindgren and Adam Fox, as well as the Erik Gustafsson-Jacob Trouba duo, weren’t on for a single goal against in Round 1, while the K’Andre Miller-Braden Schneider pairing logged the most time on ice.
The Rangers are deep on defense, as well, but their inconsistencies as a team, especially when defending odd-man rushes, is what gives the Canes an edge here.
Edge: Hurricanes
Forwards
There’s no denying that the Hurricanes have firepower, but the Rangers probably have more starpower.
Mika Zibanejad has looked like a dynamic No. 1 center so far this postseason, and Artemi Panarin already has made more of an impact than he did last year.
Vincent Trocheck now touches every part of the Rangers’ game, after playing with the Hurricanes the last time these two teams met in the playoffs.
The Rangers’ 3.75 goals-per-game average in the regular season was just a bit under the Hurricanes’ 3.80, but the former’s forward group is arguably more formidable with other impactful skaters like Chris Kreider, Alexis Lafreniere and Jimmy Vesey.
The rise of Seth Jarvis has been a riveting occurrence for the Hurricanes, who also picked up game-changing players in Evgeny Kuznetsov and Jake Guentzel at this year’s trade deadline.
Andrei Svechnikov is back this postseason after missing last year’s with a knee injury, while Sebastian Aho remains a consistent presence down the middle.
Edge: Rangers
Special Teams
The Hurricanes are the only team that had better power-play and penalty-kill numbers than the Rangers this regular season, but both clubs finished among the NHL’s top three in both categories.
That’s why this category can truly swing either way.
The Rangers’ third-ranked power play (26.4), and their third-ranked penalty kill (84.5) was only rivaled by the Hurricanes’ second-best man-advantage percentage (26.9) and No. 1 penalty kill (86.4).
Edge: Even
Coaching
This might be Peter Laviolette’s first year with the Rangers, but the veteran coach has done wonders for the club’s compete level, structure and the little details in their game.
The team has really bought into his way, and it resulted in the most successful regular season in franchise history, as well as a quick first round.
Rod Brind’Amour is so important to the Hurricanes that the status of his next contract is making headlines in the middle of the playoffs.
For six straight seasons, the former Stanley Cup-winning Canes captain has led his team to the postseason.
Laviolette and Brind’Amour won a Stanley Cup together for Carolina in 2006, when the former was in just his fourth year as a NHL head coach and the latter was his captain. Their mutual respect has been evident and should make for a riveting coaching battle.
Edge: Even
The Post’s Prediction
Larry Brooks: This is a second-round heavyweight bout between the clubs with the best and third-best records in the league. Carolina is relentless, fast, skilled and presents a serious challenge. But the Rangers are deep, poised, structured and dialed in. Rangers in 6
Mark Cannizzaro: Transition from the tight Washington series to a matchup with the more free-skating Hurricanes may liberate the Rangers, whose skill players will prefer more skating room. Rangers’ four-line depth and Igor Shesterkin in net will be the difference in this series. Rangers in 6
Mollie Walker: The Hurricanes could be one of the toughest teams and one of the most evenly matched opponents the Rangers face this postseason. If they play to their strengths, bring their best effort and stay level headed through the expected highs and lows of this series, however, the Rangers should prevail. Rangers in 7
