Peter Laviolette, the head coach of the New York Rangers, discussed the team’s 4-3 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 4 of their playoff series.
Laviolette praised the Rangers’ effort and focus throughout the regular season stretch run, noting their ability to compartmentalize and take things one game at a time despite having multiple objectives like securing the Metro Division title, Eastern Conference crown, and Presidents’ Trophy[2]. He felt the team did a commendable job staying consistent and playing hard in those important games.
However, in Game 4 against the Hurricanes, the Rangers came up short. Laviolette acknowledged that Carolina played well defensively, making it challenging for the Rangers to generate offense through the neutral zone[3]. The Hurricanes’ 4-3 victory evened the series at 2 games apiece.
Despite the loss, Laviolette expressed confidence in his team’s ability to bounce back, citing their impressive 26-8-1 record in the final 35 games of the regular season. He believes the recent break in the schedule provided much-needed rest for the Rangers before the playoffs.
Laviolette highlighted the strong play of several Rangers, including center Vincent Trocheck, who had a standout regular season with 25 goals and 52 assists. The coach praised Trocheck’s contributions in all facets of the game and his reliability as a key player.
As the series shifts back to New York for Game 5, Laviolette and the Rangers will look to regroup and regain the series lead against a tough Hurricanes team that has proven difficult to solve defensively in this matchup.