Mika Zibanejad led the charge with two goals in the first 10:05 of the opening period as the New York Rangers held off the Carolina Hurricanes for a 4-3 victory Sunday afternoon in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference semifinal series, hosted at Madison Square Garden.

The Rangers asserted control early and maintained their lead throughout, securing their fifth consecutive playoff win. They now have the opportunity to extend their lead to 2-0 in the series when they host Game 2 on Tuesday.

Zibanejad’s stellar performance marked his second career multi-goal postseason game, complemented by an assist for his fourth career three-point playoff game.

Vincent Trocheck, a former Hurricane, continued his impressive scoring streak with a goal in his fourth consecutive game, following his three goals in the Rangers’ first-round sweep of the Washington Capitals.

Artemi Panarin sealed the victory with the game-winning goal in the third period, while Chris Kreider contributed with two assists for the Rangers, who have consistently found the net with four goals in multiple postseason games.

For the Hurricanes, Jaccob Slavin and Martin Necas found the net, keeping the game competitive until the end. Seth Jarvis added a late goal with the extra attacker, reducing the deficit to one goal with 1:45 left on the clock.

New York’s goalie Igor Shesterkin showcased his skills with 22 saves, including a crucial stop on Andrei Svechnikov to maintain the narrow lead.

Despite Carolina’s late power-play opportunity, they couldn’t capitalize as Svechnikov took a tripping penalty, ending their chance for an equalizer.

Carolina’s goalie Frederik Andersen made 19 saves in a solid performance after returning from an injury that sidelined him during their 2022 playoff matchup.

The game started with an early lead for the Rangers as Zibanejad capitalized on an open opportunity, quickly followed by a tying goal from Slavin after a deflection off Alexis Lafreniere’s stick.

Zibanejad reclaimed the lead with his second goal shortly after, and Trocheck extended the Rangers’ lead to 3-1 before Necas narrowed the gap early in the third period.

Panarin’s goal ultimately secured the win for the Rangers despite a late push from the Hurricanes, highlighted by Jarvis’s late goal.