GERARD GALLANT

The Tampa Bay Lightning know what type of effort it will take to finish off the New York Rangers.

Chris Kreider scored twice and the New York Rangers ended Carolina’s perfect postseason run at home by beating the Hurricanes 6-2 in the decisive Game 7 of their second-round playoff series.

Igor Shesterkin stopped 37 shots and became the fifth goalie to have two assists in a playoff game, Filip Chytil scored twice in the second period and the New York Rangers beat the Carolina Hurricanes 5-2 to force a deciding Game 7 in their second-round series.

(AP Photo/Adam Hunger) (Adam Hunger)New York Rangers coach Gerard Gallant was displeased with the skirmish at the end of his team's Game 3 win against the Carolina Hurricanes. "You're worried about winning the game and getting this series tied 2-2 and that's the biggest thing." “No, I wasn't happy with the (things) at the end of the game they initiated,” Gallant said after Sunday's game. They want to play like that, we got the guys that can match that.”The Rangers will be looking to even the series in Game 4 on Tuesday night (7 p.m. EDT, ESPN). “Some of those top guys, I think they start playing a little more physical and getting into battles a little more," he said.

The Vegas Golden Knights fired coach Peter DeBoer on Monday in the aftermath of missing the playoffs for the first time in their five-year franchise history. General manager Kelly McCrimmon made the announcement and thanked DeBoer for his work with the organization. “Since joining the organization, Pete and his staff have guided us through some of the most unique and challenging circumstances we’ve witnessed since our franchise entered the NHL," said McCrimmon, whose job is not in jeopardy.

The New York Rangers were on the brink of elimination when they came back from Pittsburgh earlier in the week after two bad losses on the road.

Rangers Penguins Hockey Pittsburgh Penguins left winger Jake Guentzel (59) and right winger Bryan Rust (17) congratulate center Sidney Crosby on a goal against the New York Rangers in the first period in Game 4 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series in Pittsburgh, Monday, May 9, 2022. (Matt Freed/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette via AP) (Matt Freed)Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins were stymied by Igor Shesterkin during the regular season. After scoring just four goals against Shesterkin in four regular-season games, the Penguins have torched him for 10 goals in three periods over the last two games. He left after giving up four goals in the first period of Game 3 and then again after allowing six in two periods of Game 4. “I'm just happy we won the game and we can go back home in front of our home fans and compete again with the series tied,” Verhaege said.

Artemi Panarin and Frank Vatrano each had a goal and two assists and the New York Rangers beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-2 in Game 2 on Thursday night to even the best-of-seven first-round series.

The eight playoff teams in the Eastern Conference have been set since before the All-Star break.

Seth Jarvis and Jordan Staal scored third-period goals and Frederik Andersen made 28 saves as the Carolina Hurricanes beat the New York Rangers 4-2 in a showdown for first place in the Metropolitan Division.

Artemi Panarin scored the first of New York’s three third-period goals with 8:25 left and the Rangers beat the Boston Bruins 5-2 to give coach Gerard Gallant the best start in his first 20 games as coach.

No one player or executive had a greater influence on how the New York Rangers will look in 2021-22 than Tom Wilson of the Washington Capitals. A game after the Rangers had been eliminated from playoff contention last season, the Caps' enforcer gave the Blueshirts a black eye. In a span of seconds, Wilson punched a prone Pavel Buchnevich in the back of the head in a goal-mouth scramble and later rag-dolled star forward Artemi Panarin to the ice, ending his season.

Rangers Gallant Hockey FILE - Gerard Gallant, head coach of the Vegas Golden Knights, poses on the red carpet before the NHL Awards in Las Vegas, in this Wednesday, June 20, 2018, file photo. (AP Photo/John Locher, File) (John Locher)Gerard Gallant is taking over a young team with potential as coach of the New York Rangers, just like his three previous stops. Unlike Columbus, Florida and expansion Vegas, Gallant will be expected to win quickly, if not right away. “It’s a team that’s ready to take off, go to the next level and I’ll prepare the same way,” Gallant said Tuesday. That earned him the Jack Adams Award as NHL coach of the year.

Gerard Gallant expects the New York Rangers to take a big step in his first season as coach.

Latvia Ice Hockey Worlds Canada's Head Coach Gerard Gallant reacts during the Ice Hockey World Championship quarterfinal match between Russia and Canada at the Olympic Sports Center in Riga, Latvia, Thursday, June 3, 2021. (AP Photo/Roman Koksarov) (Roman Koksarov)The New York Rangers have reached an agreement to hire Gerard Gallant as their next coach, a person with direct knowledge of the decision told The Associated Press on Monday. Gallant was a highly sought-after coaching candidate three years after leading Vegas to the Stanley Cup Final in its inaugural season. The Rangers getting Gallant keeps him from the expansion Seattle Kraken, who could have tried to replicate his success with the Golden Knights. Columbus last week promoted assistant Brad Larsen to head coach.

The New York Rangers have reached an agreement to hire Gerard Gallant as their next coach, a person with knowledge of the move tells The Associated Press.