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    Rangers Eliminate Hurricanes as Chris Kreider's 3rd-Period Hat Trick Stuns NHL Fans

    Julia StumbaughMay 17, 2024

    RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA - MAY 16: Chris Kreider #20 of the New York Rangers celebrates a goal against the Carolina Hurricanes during the third period in Game Six of the Second Round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs at PNC Arena on May 16, 2024 in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
    Grant Halverson/Getty Images

    Chris Kreider sent the New York Rangers to the Eastern Conference Final with a third-period natural hat trick Thursday night.

    Kreider scored three times in nine minutes to erase the Carolina Hurricanes' third-period Game 6 lead and push the Rangers to a 5-3 elimination victory.

    New York won the second-round series 4-2.

    B/R Open Ice @BR_OpenIce

    CHRIS KREIDER HAT TRICK 🀯<br><br>THE RANGERS HAVE TAKEN THE LEAD WITH 4:19 LEFT 🚨 <a href="https://t.co/eBvbGP9EGx">pic.twitter.com/eBvbGP9EGx</a>

    NHL @NHL

    CHRIS KREIDER HAT TRICK!!! 🎩🎩🎩 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/StanleyCup?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#StanleyCup</a> <a href="https://t.co/T7gf2saU4k">pic.twitter.com/T7gf2saU4k</a>

    B/R Open Ice @BR_OpenIce

    THEY'RE THROWING HATS AT THE MSG WATCH PARTY FOR KREIDER 🀣 <a href="https://t.co/PXOp6GT5DO">pic.twitter.com/PXOp6GT5DO</a>

    Kreider joins Wayne Gretzky and Mark Messier as the third player in Rangers franchise history to score a third-period postseason hat trick.

    Alan Hahn @alanhahn

    Messier-level performance by Chris Kreider tonight in Carolina. Wow.

    Mike Sheerin @Mike_Sheerin

    Where were you when Chris Kreider saved the New York Rangers

    Shayna @hayyyshayyy

    Talk about a big game for Chris Kreider. <br>- 3 goals to fuel a comeback win<br>- 13 shot attempts in all situations, 7 on goal<br>- 24-12 shot attempt edge at 5v5 in his minutes<br>- 74% expected goals rate <br>- best game score of playoffs of 4.86<br>(<a href="https://twitter.com/NatStatTrick?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NatStatTrick</a> / <a href="https://twitter.com/hockeystatcards?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@hockeystatcards</a>)

    Big Head Hockey @BigHeadHcky

    Chris Kreider tonight:<br><br>β€” 3 goals<br>β€” 7 shots<br>β€” 13 shot attempts (7 of them high-danger)<br>β€” 2 hits<br>β€” moved from 1st in Rangers history in playoff goals to... even more in 1st<br>β€” moved from 1st in Rangers history in playoff game-winners to... even more in 1st<br><br>He bleeds blue. <a href="https://t.co/zeG483TrbF">pic.twitter.com/zeG483TrbF</a>

    α΄€Κ€α΄…α΄€ Γ–α΄„α΄€ΚŸ @Arda

    Chris Kreider is the 3rd <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NYR?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NYR</a> player in history with a natural hat trick in one period in the playoffs:<br><br>Wayne Gretzky in 1997 Conf Quarters Game 4 vs Panthers (2nd period)<br><br>Mark Messier in 1994 Conf Finals Game 6 vs Devils (3rd period)<a href="https://twitter.com/ESPNStatsInfo?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ESPNStatsInfo</a> <a href="https://t.co/H1A9lWGpwm">pic.twitter.com/H1A9lWGpwm</a>

    Mark Fishkin #🟦 @MarkFishkin

    Kreider with one of the biggest performance in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NYR?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NYR</a> history. In New York sports playoff history. <br><br>Absolutely incredible. <a href="https://t.co/F8l606o3IF">pic.twitter.com/F8l606o3IF</a>

    Jake Oliver @jolivernyc

    Legacy game for Chris Kreider. If 20 wasn't already destined for the rafters, it is now <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NYR?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NYR</a>

    The Hurricanes threatened to send the series to Game 7 as Carolina headed into the third period with a two-goal lead.

    Kreider launched the Rangers' comeback by beating Canes goaltender Frederik Andersen on a backhander to slice the home team's lead in half with 13 minutes remaining.

    He tied the game on a power-play goal five minutes later.

    B/R Open Ice @BR_OpenIce

    KREIDER JAMS IT HOME, WE GOT A ONE GOAL GAME AGAIN πŸ‘€ <a href="https://t.co/PoxIa5iJ9j">pic.twitter.com/PoxIa5iJ9j</a>

    B/R Open Ice @BR_OpenIce

    BREAD WITH THE SHOT, KREIDER WITH THE DEFLECTION 😱<br><br>WE GOT A TIE GAME πŸ”₯ <a href="https://t.co/unhmZXPgrC">pic.twitter.com/unhmZXPgrC</a>

    Rangers Eliminate Hurricanes as Chris Kreider's 3rd-Period Hat Trick Stuns NHL Fans
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    After Kreider put the Blueshirts in front with his hat-trick goal, Rangers goaltender Igor Shesterkin stood tall to preserve the lead.

    HockeyStatMiner @HockeyStatMiner

    Kreider story is gonna be what's talked about but Shesterkin in that 3rd period was all-time all-world all-chopped chili chives, baby.<br><br>Looks like EH clocked him at +1.62 GSAx. In that period alone.

    Marco @BlueMark18

    Shesterkin's third period was absolutely heroic. Massive performance by Igor. He was just as important as Kreider, keeping the Blueshirts alive.

    The Rangers advance to face the winner of the ongoing conference semifinals series between the Florida Panthers and Boston Bruins.

    The Panthers lead the series 3-2 and could win a ticket to the conference final with a Game 6 win Thursday at TD Garden. Fans across New York will be watching when the puck drops in Boston at 7 p.m.