The Carolina Hurricanes head up to the Big Apple to take on the New York Rangers on Tuesday night (Nov. 4). They are looking for their first win of November after losing to the Boston Bruins on Saturday, Nov. 1, 2-1. This is the first of four meetings between the two sides, who are not fond of each other. Can the Hurricanes claim their first win of the month while slowing down a Rangers team that is riding a three-game winning streak?
Hurricanes vs. Rangers Preview
The Hurricanes are 6-4-0 in their last 10 games, but are 1-3-0 in their last four games, dating back to the Dallas Stars game on Nov. 25. The Rangers have won their last three games, two in overtime against the Edmonton Oilers and Seattle Kraken. Rod Brind’Amour’s team enters Madison Square Garden with a 4-3-0 road record, while the Rangers are winless at home to start the season (0-4-1). Here is where you can watch or listen to Tuesday night’s game:
Watch: TNT, truTV & HBO MAX
Listen: 99.9 The Fan (Mike Maniscalco & Tripp Tracy)
Puck Drop: 7:00 p.m. Eastern
Alexander Nikishin scored the lone goal in the Hurricanes’ 2-1 win on Saturday, while having a game-tying six hits and leading both teams in time on ice (TOI) with 24:41. He currently leads the Hurricanes in plus/minus with a plus-10 and is tied for seventh in points (six) with Taylor Hall. Out of 11 games during the 2025-26 season, Nikishin has played over 20 minutes in six of them. He’s been a solid foundation to the blue line with Jaccob Slavin, K’Andre Miller, and Shayne Gostisbehere out of the lineup.
He’s been recently paired with Sean Walker, who’s been a stalwart for the Hurricanes on the top pairing. Walker has been doing the simple things, which is what’s needed for Nikishin, who’s in his first full season in the NHL. Without Slavin being on the top pairing with Walker, Nikishin has been someone defense coach Tim Gleason has leaned on to help with the blue line. Those two, along with Jalen Chatfield and Mike Reilly, have been keeping the Hurricanes afloat defensively until their main regulars return to the lineup.
Related: Hurricanes’ Alexander Nikishin’s Early-Season Production Is Being Overlooked
Outside of the normal contributions from Sebastian Aho and Seth Jarvis, Jackson Blake has been a productive player for the Hurricanes over the last few games. Before the Bruins game, Blake was on a four-game point streak and has been sneaky good for the Hurricanes this season. He has three goals and eight points in 11 games so far in 2025-26. His eight points put him third on the team, only behind Jarvis and Aho’s 11 points. His five assists have him ranked tied for third with Jordan Martinook. He’s doing this while averaging 16:26 of TOI, a career high. Blake finished his rookie season with 17 goals and 34 points in 80 games. Could he reach 20 goals and 40 points this season?
When it comes to who will be in the crease, it makes sense that it would be Frederik Andersen after having two days off following the Bruins game. However, with seven games over the next 11 days, along with Pyotr Kochetkov returning from injury and the start Brandon Bussi has had, any one of the three could draw in. The Hurricanes have to keep three goalies or risk losing Bussi or Kochetkov to waivers. With so many games over the next week and a half, it makes sense to have all three start at least one, maybe two games. It’ll be interesting to see how the Hurricanes figure out the goalie situation over the next few games.
While the Rangers are 6-5-2 to begin the season, they have not won a home game in five tries. Adam Fox leads the team in points (11) and assists (eight). Taylor Raddysh leads in goals (five), but those are all of his points in 13 games. Artemi Panarain (minus-4), Mika Zibanejad (minus-8), and Alexis Lafreniere (minus-7) have been getting scored on a lot, despite having six or seven points individually. It’s surprising that, as a team overall, which is ranked second in goals allowed per game (2.38) that some of their top guys are that far down in the minus rating.
However, when looking at goals for per game, the Rangers are 31st (2.38). They are a team that can hold the opposition to fewer than three goals a game, but also cannot score more than three goals a game on average. It translates to the special teams, where the Rangers are 31st on the power play (12.1%), while the penalty kill is ninth (84.8%). Compared to the Hurricanes, they’re 12th on the penalty kill (82.5%) and 32nd on the power play (9.4%).
Related: Seth Jarvis’ Early-Season Impact Will Be a Catalyst for Hurricanes’ Success
It’ll be another game where the Hurricanes’ 5-on-5 play could dictate the outcome, especially when they’re third in goals for per game (3.64) and 13th in goals allowed per game (2.91). While both teams’ penalty kills are top half of the league, both have the two worst power plays. The Hurricanes will have to force the Rangers to beat them at even-strength, and at home, which the home side has not done after five games in 2025-26.
If the Hurricanes want to grab their first win of November, they’ll have to get to Igor Shesterkin (4-4-2, 2.28 goals-against average (GAA), .913 save percentage (SV%)) or Jonathan Quick (2-1-0, 1.35 GAA, .941 SV%). Both goalies have been solid for the Rangers this season. As long as they hold the struggling Rangers’ scoring at bay and control the tempo, the Hurricanes could snag a win on the road and keep the Blueshirts winless for another game at Madison Square Garden. It’ll be another full-team effort, as the visitors are still without most of their regulars and going into an environment that will let them know their feelings about them.
