NEW YORK — First place in the Metropolitan Division was on the line Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden as the New York Rangers aimed to leapfrog the division-leading Carolina Hurricanes. When the horn sounded, though, the Hurricanes had further padded their cushion, taking a four-point lead over the second-place Rangers.
The Rangers might be a team on the rise—they had won three straight heading into Tuesday's game—but the Hurricanes proved they're still a step ahead.
It's April in the NHL, which means games carry increased magnitude as teams jostle for playoff positioning. The Rangers and Hurricanes have both clinched playoff spots and are almost assured home-ice advantage in the first round, but Carolina's 4-2 victory Tuesday demonstrated the Hurricanes' ability to push back and hold their ground, even against a hot, talented opponent on the road.