Rangers have handled the Canes this year because their goalies are ass.
Their goalies are still ass. The Rangers are better in the top 6 than the Canes are IMO (though this is certainly debatable) and its almost a sure thing that they will lean on them through out this set and for as long as they play, unless one of the other lines ends up taking an unforeseen step forward.
It would behoove the Rangers to lean heavily on the quartet of Lindgren, Fox, Trouba and DeAngelo while spotting Smith and *puke* Staal sparingly. It won't happen and it will cost them eventually, but it should.
No series is a given, this team got owned by the likes of Ottawa and Buffalo this year but the goaltending gap is the biggest gap between the 2 teams. I don't remember the last time I was able to say this, but we actually have the better "take over the game" talent in a series, and it's not like the Canes are the Isles in that regard.
This team's warts are already clear and they can't do anything to remedy them until the season is over. At this point, hopefully they either string together a strong run or bow out early and get that #1 OA.