The Carolina Hurricanes are a model NHL franchise – except when it comes to winning the Stanley Cup or – for that matter – “getting the cigar.”
With coach Rod Brind’Amour’s team visiting the Garden tonight, the Rangers will encounter a very good but eminently beatable outfit.
Every year, Raleigh’s favorite hockey team looks like a Cup-winning candidate and annually they wind up looking for the silver lining that they never seem to find.
The Canes have failed for three years to win a conference title yet The Hockey News Yearbook picks Carolina to reach the Cup Final this year – and lose to Vegas.
“They have more jump and firepower,” writes Jared Clinton in THN’s Yearbook.
Nikolaj Ehlers and ex-Ranger K’Andre Miller will provide more offense for an offense-minded team.
Clinton: “These moves along with internal growth and learning what it takes to win in the playoffs will boost the Canes.”
This Is How The Blueshirts Finally Can Win A Game At Home
The adage that says, “There’s No Place Like Home” works everywhere in the universe except for the round building called Madison Square Garden.
But the Rangers are much stronger in goal. Year in and year out Carolina is disappointed by Fred Andersen. They’re then forced to depend on Pyotr Kochetkov, who’s a backup for a reason.
That said, the hard-charging Canes remain among the NHL elite and that makes them a formidable challenge for the Never-Win-At-Home Rangers!
We know what to expect from the Visitors; only a genius can tell which Rangers club shows up – homebodies or homeless!
