RALEIGH, N.C. — Realistically, the playoffs are, at best, an extreme longshot for the Rangers. But the Carolina Hurricanes are in the thick of the race, and every point they earn is precious.
So the Rangers’ 2-1 victory over the Hurricanes Tuesday night, in the finale of the Rangers’ four-game road trip, wasn’t so much a boon for their own playoff hopes as it was a major blow to Carolina’s.
Vladislav Namestnikov, who broke a 23-game goalless streak with his two goals Friday in Buffalo, scored his third goal in three games, banging in the rebound of Jimmy Vesey’s shot to break a 1-1 tie at 6:10 of the third period, two seconds after a Rangers power play had expired.