RALEIGH, N.C. — The Rangers have played with pride, and now they have played the spoiler.
With a 2-1 win over the Hurricanes Saturday, the Rangers ended Carolina’s slim remaining hope to make the playoffs. Now they join the Blueshirts on the outside looking into the postseason.
The Rangers (34-36-9) were playing the second leg of a back-to-back, having lost 7-3 to the Lightning on Friday night at the Garden. Backup goalie Ondrej Pavelec received the start in that one, but Henrik Lundqvist got back to work against the Hurricanes (35-33-11), who needed a win in regulation just to keep alive their long-shot hope of the second wild card.