Game 3 lineup: Rangers not flinching or making changes as series shifts to Carolina

RALEIGH, N.C. - The Rangers aren't flinching.

And why would they with a 2-0 series lead in their second-round showdown with the Hurricanes?

Even as they shift locations, with Carolina now having the advantage of home ice and last change once the puck drops for Game 3 at PNC Arena on Thursday at 7 p.m., the Blueshirts understandably don't feel the need to change a thing.

Not their lineup, not their game strategy, and certainly not their hyper-focused approach.

"We have a big belief in the locker room of the way we play and that we're going to get the results that we want," veteran forward Jimmy Vesey said. "I think we've just built that throughout the season. I’m not sure if it's changed or anything, but it's fun. This is what you play for, and I think we're embracing the playoffs and all the challenges that present themselves."

The Rangers have opened this postseason with six straight wins, including Tuesday's 4-3 double-OT roller coaster in Game 2. That moved them one victory away from tying the franchise record for most consecutive playoff wins, a mark set on the way to their last championship in 1994.

Game 2 takeaways: Vincent Trocheck wins double OT thriller

On the other side, the Canes are searching for a spark by replacing starting goalie Frederik Andersen − who posted a .871 save percentage through the first two games of the series − with rookie Pyotr Kochetkov. He stopped 51 of 53 shots faced in two regular-season starts against New York, good for a lofty .962 SV%, but hasn't played since April 14.

"It doesn’t change a thing for what we have to do," center Mika Zibanejad said.

That's emblematic of the Rangers' attitude in every facet of the game, including the matchups that might come their way now that Carolina has home-ice advantage.

Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour will have the benefit of last change for Game 3, with the home team allowed to see which skaters the away team puts on the ice for each restart before countering with their own choices. That will be especially significant if they can avoid the costly penalties from the previous two games at Madison Square Garden and keep New York's red-hot special teams' units off the ice as much as possible.

The Canes, who have combined to go 15-4 in home playoff games the last three seasons, believe they've been the better team at five-on-five. But the Blueshirts are content to trust their depth and react accordingly.

"I'd rather it be the other way, and so we're just going to have to work through that," head coach Peter Laviolette said. "To me, I’ve really liked the balance on the back end. When you're on the road and you feel like you have that confidence in your lines, that confidence in your back end, I think it becomes a little bit less of a factor."

Brind'Amour will be particularly motivated to handpick matchups for his top line of Jake Guentzel, Sebastian Aho and Andrei Svechnikov.

They were flying to start Game 2 and produced a pair of goals in the first two periods, but slowed down as the game wore on. Laviolette increasingly used Zibanejad's line with Chris Kreider and Jack Roslovic to counteract them, but expect the Canes to put them in more favorable situations Thursday.

"That's what usually happens in the playoffs where you're playing the same line over and over again, and you kind of create that game within the game in your matchup," Zibanejad said. "That's a really good line, and obviously we have respect for how good they are. But we have to play our game and push back against them, as well."

It'll also be interesting to see how much the Rangers use Matt Rempe now that they don't have the last-change option, with Brind'Amour apt to exploit that matchup if he gets the chance.

The 6-foot-8 rookie was limited to 4:03 time on ice in five total shifts in Game 2, with none of those coming in the final 49:57 of play. Laviolette clearly wasn't comfortable using him while the outcome hung in the balance, preferring to lean on his top players in those late-game situations.

"I just think that’s the nature of the beast in playoffs," he said. "When you’re chasing that game, and then it’s into overtime and every decision matters, I’m doing what I think is right."

Laviolette's shortening of the bench ultimately led to a thrilling to victory − 54 saves from Igor Shesterkin didn't hurt, either − but he also acknowledged considering those lineup implications heading into Carolina. A veteran like Jonny Brodzinski would add speed and presumably be given a slightly longer leash, with Filip Chytil also waiting in the wings as a possible ace up the Rangers' sleeve.

Thursday's morning skate revealed that Laviolette is holding off for now. Rempe skated in his usual spot on the fourth line with Vesey and Barclay Goodrow and looks set to play for the seventh consecutive game to start these playoffs.

The reality is, the 12th forward decision is fairly inconsequential given the reduced role at this time of year. But if Rempe continues to ride the bench every third period and the Blueshirts ever lose a game − they can't go 16-0, can they? − an argument for change could certainly be warranted.

Until then, it's hard to blame them for sticking with what's worked.

"We know what we do when we we’re at our best," Zibanejad said. "In tight games like this, you want to kind of limit the chances that you're giving up in terms of giveaways or bad decisions. And I thought we got better as (Game 2) went on. There's going to be times during the game where they have the momentum and they're playing well, so we’ve just got to make sure that we weather the storm."

NY Rangers (6-0) projected lineup: Game 3, second round, Carolina Hurricanes (4-3)

When: Thursday, May 9 at 7 p.m.

Where: PNC Arena in Raleigh, N.C.

TV/Radio: TNT/98.7 FM

Forwards

Top line ⊳ Chris Kreider (LW) ⋄ Mika Zibanejad (C) ⋄ Jack Roslovic (RW)

Second line ⊳ Artemi Panarin (LW) ⋄ Vincent Trocheck (C) ⋄ Alexis Lafrenière (RW)

Third line ⊳ Will Cuylle (LW) ⋄ Alex Wennberg (C) ⋄ Kaapo Kakko (RW)

Fourth line ⊳ Jimmy Vesey (LW) ⋄ Barclay Goodrow (C) ⋄ Matt Rempe (RW)

Defensemen

Top pair ⊳ Ryan Lindgren (L) ⋄ Adam Fox (R)

Second pair ⊳ K'Andre Miller (L) ⋄ Braden Schneider (R)

Third pair ⊳ Erik Gustafsson (L) ⋄ Jacob Trouba (R)

Goalies

Starter ⊳ Igor Shesterkin

Backup ⊳ Jonathan Quick

Healthy scratches: F Jonny Brodzinski, G Louis Domingue, F Adam Edström,D Zac Jones and D Chad Ruhwedel

Long-term injured reserve: F Filip Chytil (upper body) and F Blake Wheeler (lower body)

Vincent Z. Mercogliano is the New York Rangers beat reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Read more of his work at lohud.com/sports/rangers/ and follow him on Twitter @vzmercogliano.

This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Game 3 lineup: Rangers not flinching as series shifts to Carolina