After sluggish run, Rangers look to pick up steam vs. Hurricanes

The New York Rangers spent recent weeks dealing with trades, speculation and a lack of wins that dropped them well off the pace in the Metropolitan Division.

The Carolina Hurricanes also are experiencing a lack of wins recently, but their struggles are not as extensive as those for the team that beat them in the second round of the Eastern Conference playoffs last spring.

The division rivals get together Sunday afternoon in New York. The Rangers are seeking consecutive wins for the first time in over a month while the Hurricanes attempt to stop a five-game road losing streak (0-4-1).

New York is 4-11-0 in its past 15 since winning three straight games on Nov. 14-19. The Rangers face a double-digit points deficit in the division due to a turbulent stretch that saw trades of captain Jacob Trouba and Kaapo Kakko along with a speculation about how the team feels about president and general manager Chris Drury, who told the other GMs the Rangers were open to making trades last month.

New York scored three goals in a three-game losing streak before earning a 3-1 win over the Dallas Stars on Friday to conclude a three-game road trip.

Igor Shesterkin made 21 of his 41 saves on seven Dallas power plays. Three of those penalties were to Matt Rempe, who was whistled for a five-minute major after rejoining the team. Rempe was offered an in-person hearing by the NHL on Saturday for his hit on Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen.

After a light-hearted practice on Thursday following Kakko being traded to Seattle, the Rangers held a lead through the first period against Dallas. New York received a short-handed goal by Reilly Smith and an even-strength tally by Vincent Trocheck, who told reporters on Thursday that a recent team meeting was not to vent about Drury.

"We need to win games. We're not thinking about yesterday at all, we're just moving forward taking it one game at a time. Tonight was a good step in the right direction," Trocheck said. "It's 17 minutes on the (penalty kill), so it's pretty gritty. The PK came up big tonight, and we can get a lot of momentum from our penalty kill when it's playing like it was tonight."

Carolina's slump is not as extensive as that of the Rangers, whom they defeated 4-3 at home on Nov. 27. The Hurricanes are 4-6-0 in their past 10 since the previous meeting.

After consecutive blowout home wins over the Columbus Blue Jackets and New York Islanders, Carolina opened a four-game trip with Friday's 3-1 loss to the Washington Capitals. The Hurricanes allowed two goals in the last minute of the first and second periods, were held to 25 shots on goal and did not score until Sebastian Aho set up Seth Jarvis midway through the third period.

"Those are brutal," Carolina coach Rod Brind'Amour said. "Start of games or start of periods and end of periods, that's what you kind of eat going back into the locker room. That's not a good taste in your mouth. I guess at the end of the day that was the game. Two goals in the last minutes can't happen."

--Field Level Media