Tony DeAngelo describes Chris Kreider's historic Game 6 performance from a Hurricanes perspective.
The Carolina Hurricanes were on the precipice of climbing all the way back from a 3-0 series deficit to the New York Rangers in the second round of the playoffs until everything changed.
In Game 6 of the second round, the Hurricanes led 3-1 going into the third period. They were feeling confident, and deservingly so.
“My opinion, going into the third, we seemed real confident. I was real confident,” Tony DeAngelo said on Morning Cuppa Hockey last Wednesday. “It wasn’t like our sticks were tight. I thought we were playing really good.”
The Rangers managed to pull off a miraculous comeback as Chris Kreider led the way with three goals in the third period.
After being down by two goals, the Rangers ultimately won the game 5-3, punching their ticket to the Eastern Conference Final.
It was a deflating moment for the Hurricanes. There was so much hope of a historic series comeback, and all of the sudden Carolina’s season was just over.
“There was a lot of blue in the crowd,” said DeAngelo. “From my opinion, I felt a little bit of deflation go through the bench there. And then obviously they get the next one, and then you’re just chasing at that point.”
It’s hard to fantasize about what would have happened if the Hurricanes beat the Rangers in Game 6 to push a win or go home matchup at Madison Square Garden.
DeAngelo believes strongly that if there was a Game 7, the Hurricanes would have surely defeated the Rangers and history would have been re-written.
“I mean, listen, having a chance to play a Game 7 in MSG after being down 3-0, it would’ve been great for hockey, great for us players, great for the sport,” said DeAngelo. “But not for the Rangers — they’re happy the way it ended there.”
