NHL News: NY Rangers’ Mike Sullivan sends key message following victory over Hurricanes and J.T. Miller’s return

The New York Rangers steadied their recent form on Wednesday night, claiming a 4–2 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes with captain J.T. Miller returning to the ice. After four straight losses earlier this month, New York played with pace and structure, while Igor Shesterkin’s 36 saves anchored a much-needed win.

Carolina pushed aggressively, registering 38 shots and narrowing the deficit late, but the Rangers maintained control in key moments. Contributions throughout the lineup — including goals from Artemi Panarin, Noah Laba, Vincent Trocheck, and Will Cuylle — allowed New York to dictate stretches of play even when under pressure.

In the postgame availability, head coach Mike Sullivan made his stance clear, saying “We started the game the right way,” New York coach Sullivan said, according to NHL.com.

He added: “Trying to play north-south, trying to put pucks behind them. When you play that way against a team like that, that wants to play on top of you, you can take them out of the game they want to play.”

How did the Rangers’ game plan neutralize the Hurricanes?

New York’s blueprint became evident early. Their willingness to play direct, funnel pucks deep, and attack off retrievals forced the Hurricanes to defend more than they preferred.

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Shesterkin’s calm performance behind them allowed the Rangers to manage momentum swings and survive Carolina’s surges, including a powerful third-period push that briefly narrowed the score.

J.T. Miller’s return

J.T. Miller, returning after a two-game absence, offered a straightforward evaluation of the matchup. He acknowledged that Carolina dictated much of the pace early, admitting that “they played a little quicker than us for the majority of the game.”

Miller noted that the Rangers eventually found their footing in the third period by playing behind the Hurricanes’ defense and sustaining longer offensive sequences.

He also pointed to Shesterkin’s impact, emphasizing that “when we did have some breakdowns, [Shesterkin] played unreal,” underscoring how critical the goaltender was in securing the win.