In Raleigh, North Carolina, the hero of Thursday night found himself in a less favorable position on Saturday for the Rangers.
Just two nights prior, in a PNC Arena filled with desperation, Artemi Panarin had been the one to inflict pain on the Hurricanes, sealing the deal with an overtime goal that gave the Rangers a commanding 3-0 series lead.
Minutes earlier, Panarin had rallied his teammates in the tight confines of the visitors' dressing room at PNC Arena, encouraging them not to lose heart despite Carolina's late tying goal in regulation. He emphasized the need for resilience heading into overtime.
Artemi Panarin glides away as Stefan Noesen (23) joins Teuvo Teravainen (86) in celebration after scoring a goal during the Rangers’ 4-3 defeat to the Hurricanes in Game 4.
Getty Images
The Rangers’ Saturday night was marked by a disheartening 4-3 loss to Carolina in Game 4 at PNC Arena. Despite rallying from two two-goal deficits to tie the game 3-3 in the third period, the outcome took a sharp turn, especially for Panarin.
As the Hurricanes took an early 1-0 lead with Evgeny Kuznetsov's unassisted goal just 1:51 into the game, delivering the initial blow to the Rangers, Panarin was tardy in reaching a puck near the blue line, retrieved by former Rangers defenseman Tony DeAngelo.
This sequence paved the way for a Stefan Noesen goal, with Rangers defenseman Jacob Trouba unable to clear Carolina’s Jordan Staal from the goal crease, extending the Hurricanes' lead to 2-0 at 6:33 of the opening period.
Carolina's center Martin Necas seized the loose puck and unleashed a shot on Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin, and Noesen capitalized on the rebound.
Despite the Rangers narrowing the Carolina lead to 2-1 just 1:33 after Noesen's goal, Panarin seemed to hit the ice for his shift a fraction late and then took an ineffective angle on Hurricanes center Jake Guentzel behind the Rangers' net.
Shortly afterward, Guentzel fed Sebastian Aho in the slot, with Panarin finding himself screened by Aho in front of the net. Aho capitalized with a high shot over Shesterkin's left shoulder, extending Carolina's lead to a surprising 3-1.
Artemi Panarin (10) surrenders possession of the puck to Hurricanes’ Jordan Martinook (48) and Jalen Chatfield (5) during the third period of the Rangers’ Game 4 loss.
AP
This marked the first instance in the postseason where the Rangers trailed by more than a single goal.
“We didn’t exhibit strong defensive play,’’ remarked Rangers coach Peter Laviolette in a televised interview with TNT between the first and second periods. “An early mistake ends up in the back of the net. Lack of defensive coverage results in goals against.”
To clarify, Panarin wasn’t solely responsible for the Rangers' Game 4 loss, as they now face the task of closing out the series on Monday night at the Garden to avoid returning to North Carolina.
However, after his pivotal performance in the Rangers' Game 3 victory, Panarin contributed to setting the stage for early challenges for the Rangers, albeit through subtle errors on his part.
Artemi Panarin (10) loses possession to Hurricanes’ Jordan Martinook (48) and Jalen Chatfield (5) during the third period of the Rangers’ Game 4 loss.
AP
This was the first time in the postseason that the Rangers trailed by more than a single goal.
“We didn’t display solid defensive play,” commented Rangers coach Peter Laviolette in a televised interview with TNT between periods. “An early error results in conceding a goal. Insufficient defensive coverage leads to goals against.”
To clarify, Panarin wasn’t solely accountable for the Rangers' Game 4 defeat, as they now must strive to clinch the series at the Garden on Monday night to avoid another trip to North Carolina.
However, following his crucial role in the Rangers' Game 3 triumph, Panarin played a part in creating early hurdles for the Rangers, albeit through subtle mistakes on his part.
In Game 4, the Rangers aimed to prevent the Hurricanes from gaining any early momentum.
“We needed to apply relentless pressure, especially in the first period, or our time on the ice would be cut short,” stated Carolina coach Rod Brind’Amour during the second-period intermission, as relayed by TNT.
Panarin's unsteady beginning, though he didn't address reporters post-game, carried a touch of irony, particularly considering the pre-game remarks from Carolina center Martin Necas about the Rangers' top scorer.
"He's one of those players, like in the last game [Thursday], you could hardly notice him the whole game and there were two plays he makes and it's game over," Necas said. "With these players, you've really got to know where they are and if you don't, that's what happens."
This evening, it was the Hurricanes who outperformed Panarin, rather than the other way around.
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