Defensively, Carolina Hurricanes are allowing 2.9 goals per game and are killing 78.1 percent of their power play chances.
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Neither team scored in the second period despite trading chances throughout. Midway through the second period, he scored his first goal of the season into a net, now giving him two on the year to go with his one that was awarded on October 22 when he was hooked on a breakaway while heading towards an empty net and was awarded the goal. A shot by right winger Emerson Etem came to rest in the slot and Fast’s spinning shot beat Ward to the blocker side. “Once we got that, we capitalized with two quick goals”. Stoll and Fast had a lot of time on the penalty kill, and did a pretty good job for us.
“I think the key for us is we’re not really making a big deal about winning a lot of games right now”, Lundqvist said.
“Any time you’re faced with decisions like that, it’s not easy – especially a guy like Dom and what he’s done for our team”, Vigneault said before the game.
Ward made 20 saves.
Jagr’s team-leading seventh goal of the season came off an assist from Nick Bjugstad.
“He was good,”Eric Staal said of Lundqvist, who benefited from good fortune as Jeff Skinner’s shot hit the crossbar and caromed out”.
“Well if it was just the skates I think I wish that I got them a little earlier”, Lundqvist laughed. It was a good start for us.
McDonagh’s goal 13 seconds into the third ended the scoring.
The Rangers’ last regulation loss occurred October 15 in Montreal; they are 8-0-2 over that span and have outscored opponents 32-11.
“I just put a puck towards the net and got a lucky bounce”, he said.
Dan Boyle stayed in on defense for the second straight game, keeping rookie Dylan McIlrath as a healthy scratch.
Joakim Nordstrom also dressed for the Hurricanes, while Noah Hanifin, Andrej Nestrasil and Brad Malone were scratched.
Henrik Lundqvist traditionally gives away two bottles of wine on the Rangers’ next flight after he records a shutout, but this time he should just pour himself a glass.
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“There is a little bit of a microcosm there for sure”, Hurricanes coach Bill Peters said. It’s a big step from where he was three years ago. I was close a couple games ago, so going into the third that was my challenge; that was the goal: “To try to get the zero”.
