Play-In Preview: Rangers vs. Hurricanes

Photo by Dave Reginek/NHLI via Getty ImagesThe New York Rangers swept the Carolina Hurricanes 4-0-0 in the 2019-20 regular season. One could take that as a sign that the Rangers should be favorites for their play-in series against Carolina. Interestingly enough, Micah Blake McCurdy’s model gives the Rangers a 55 percent chance of prevailing in the five-game play-in series which begins on Aug. 1. But, Carolina finished with two more points (81) than the Rangers in the standings despite playing two fewer games, so they had the better overall record.

The Rangers and Canes share a division, but there isn’t much of a rivalry here. These franchises have never met in the playoffs. But what this…