North Raleigh Today

The Carolina Hurricanes face a critical Game 5 against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on Monday, aiming to extend their playoff run. The series currently stands at 3-1 in favor of the Rangers.

Game time is set for 7 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on ESPN, Sportsnet, CBC, and TVA Sports. Fans can also listen to the game on 99.9 The Fan or via the Hurricanes app.

Reflecting on the series so far, the Rangers have excelled in special teams play, winning the opening game 4-3. Vincent Trocheck secured another victory with a double-overtime goal in Game 2, and Artemi Panarin's overtime performance gave New York a commanding lead after Game 3. However, Carolina managed to avoid elimination with a power-play goal from Brady Skjei in Game 4.

In their latest matchup, Carolina took an early lead but faced a comeback from New York before Skjei's decisive goal sealed their first win of the series. Skjei has been effective this postseason with seven assists.

Sebastian Aho continues his strong performance by scoring in each game of the series so far. He leads his team with ten points over nine playoff games and is on track to join NHL legends like Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux by leading his team in scoring across six consecutive postseasons.

In terms of goaltending decisions, Frederik Andersen returned for Game 4 after Pyotr Kochetkov started Game 3. Coach Rod Brind'Amour has yet to announce who will start between the pipes for Game 5.

The Rangers' top players were less dominant in Game 4 but received contributions from depth forwards like Alexis Lafrenière, who has six points in four games.

On the injury front, Jesper Fast remains out for the postseason due to an upper-body injury sustained at season's end. Brett Pesce is also sidelined with a lower-body injury from Round 1 but has begun skating again as of May 12.

The Hurricanes will wear black jerseys for home games and white for away games throughout these playoffs. Should they win Game 5, they plan to practice Tuesday and Wednesday before hosting Game 6 at PNC Arena on Thursday. If they lose, details about exit interviews will follow soon after.

Fans are encouraged to stay connected through various platforms offered by the team for updates and exclusive content.