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Round 2: New York Rangers vs. Washington Capitals

CarltonTheBear

CarltonTheBear

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Thursday, April 30 7:30 p.m. Washington at NY Rangers NBCSN, CBC, TVA Sports
Saturday, May 2 12:30 p.m. Washington at NY Rangers NBC, Sportsnet, TVA Sports
Monday, May 4 7:30 p.m. NY Rangers at Washington NBCSN, CBC, TVA Sports
Wednesday, May 6 7:30 p.m. NY Rangers at Washington NBCSN, Sportsnet, TVA Sports
*Friday, May 8 7 p.m. Washington at NY Rangers NBCSN, TVA Sports
*Sunday, May 10 TBD NY Rangers at Washington TVA Sports
*Wednesday, May 13 TBD Washington at NY Rangers TVA Sports
 
The New York Rangers pride themselves on limiting the opposition to a low shot attempts, hence their deep defence coming to the fore in defence of goaltender Henrik Lundqvist.  The Blueshirts also have not needed an enormous amount of goal-scoring in these playoffs to dispose of the opposition.  In all, the Rangers demonstrated that they are a tight-knit machine in most areas giving little leeway to their opponents.

The Capitals pride themselves on being one of the better puck possession teams in the league and on using their physical play to wear down the opposition. Washington is one else of the league's bigger teams and they wear physicality well.  The Capitals, let's refresh, needed seven games to win the previous round.  What they demonstrated here was that even when their top players such as Ovechkin & Backstrom are shut down,  they have others to take up the slack, guys like Kuznetsov to get the job done.  Add to that their big mobile D consisting of the likes of Orpik, Alzner, and that's a powerful potent for any opponent to handle.

Did we forget something or someone?  Capitals goaltender. Brayden Holtby, sporting among one of the best records so far in these playoffs and a major reason for Washiington's playoff success.

The Rangers possess great offensive talent in Derek Brassard, Carl Hagelin, Chris Kreider, etc. While not demonstrably explosive, these guys can spring surprises and get the job done when it counts.  Add to that 'keeper Lundqvist who is elite among NHL netminders as well as veteran leadership in Nash and St.Louis and it's easy to see why New York won the President's Trophy as top team in the East, and why they'll continue to be a force to be reckoned with in these playoffs.

Up to now, the Capitals have not needed Ovechkin nor Backstrom for that matter to score much.  But, Washington cannot continue that trend against the Rangers. If Ovechkin doesn't get unwound and start scoring again, and if the Capitals will need to depend on the glove skills of Holtby, that will certainly spell trouble for them.

The Rangers will surely try to stiffle and stymie the Capitals, as Washington will prove a much stronger opponent than Pittsburgh was.


(Recerence) Source:  THN, CBC
 
Best finish to a playoff game ever?

I have a hard time seeing Washington winning this series but it would be great if they did.
 
Washington 2  NYRangers 1  Washington leads series 1 game to 0.

Fans of the Washington Capitals can now say that Alex Ovechkin has rediscovered his groove in these playoffs. And how!  With just a mere seconds remaining in the third period, Ovechkin's feed to a waiting Joel Ward led to the Capitals' winning goal.  Ovechkin contributed a goal and this all important assist.

The Rangers appeared crestfallen and instigated a mel?e at game's end, angry about the Capitals' Niklas Backstrom's hit-from-behind on Rangers defenceman Dan Boyle, who, by the way, got up on his own quickly thereafter.  Backstrom's hit may have been a momentary distraction, but it was the Capitals forwards, namely Ward, who saw opportunity and did wisely so.

Both team's goaltenders played well and both teams had near-misses that could have driven the score higher.

Game 2 is Sunday in New York at 12:30PM.

More bere:
http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/capitals-score-in-final-seconds-to-take-game-1/
 
for a 2-1 game that was quite entertaining. I am pulling for the Rangers to win the Cup so was disappointed but looking forward to game 2 Saturday
 
Washington 1  NYRangers 0  Washington leads series 2 games to 1.

A lucky bounce.  A funny puck that just bounced from one body part to another then in the net.  To the Rangers and netminder Lundqvist, that's how they saw it.
To the Capitals and scorer Jay Beagle, it was a nice goal.

Depends on whom you ask, but one things clear, the Washington Capitals have learned how to win one goal games, perhaps as well as the New York Rangers have been doing it for ten consecuive playoff games in which they've one by one goal -- an NHL record, indeed.

Still, the Blueshirts proved dangerous throughout the game, and in the final seconds of regulation, when they came oh so close to tying it all up, thanks to Capitals' 'keeper Brayden Holtby...

....who stopped all of thirty shots directed at him here in Game 3 and who kept the Capitals in the game, so to speak.
Not to say that the Rangers netminder Lundqvist was any lesser than Holtby.  In fact, he was his equal except for that funny bouncy goal.  Both netminders were outstanding to say the least.

This series is proving quite exciting as both teams skate and shoot whenever they can, playing uptempo hockey throughout. 

Game 4 goes Wednesday in Washington at 7:30PM.

More here:
http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/capitals-edge-rangers-to-take-2-1-series-lead/
 
Washington moves to 3-1 against the Rangers after a 2-1 win.

This is a good news result for the Leafs.  If the Caps beat the Rangers the Nashville pick moves up to 23rd.
 
L K said:
Washington moves to 3-1 against the Rangers after a 2-1 win.

This is a good news result for the Leafs.  If the Caps beat the Rangers the Nashville pick moves up to 23rd.
Click to expand...

With Tampa and Anaheim likely going through to the Conference finals that would be the best the pick would go.
 
CarltonTheBear said:
L K said:
Washington moves to 3-1 against the Rangers after a 2-1 win.

This is a good news result for the Leafs.  If the Caps beat the Rangers the Nashville pick moves up to 23rd.
Click to expand...

With Tampa and Anaheim likely going through to the Conference finals that would be the best the pick would go.
Click to expand...

Yeah, just to summarize it again because it will get asked another 20 times I'm sure.

30 - Anaheim (Cup Winner)
29 - Tampa (Cup Loser)
28 - Chicago (WCF Loser)
27 - Washington (ECF Loser)
26 - New York (best record of non conference finals division winners)
25 - Montreal (next best record of remaining division winners)
24 - St. Louis (next best record of remaining division winners)
23 - Nashville (next best record)
*The ECF/WCF and SCF winners were selected strictly based on best regular season record and are not a prediction of the final results.

This would be assuming Anaheim beats Calgary, Washington finishes off New York (up 3-1), Tampa finishes off Montreal (up 3-0).

If Montreal pulls off the down 3-0 comeback however, Nashville wouldn't move draft positions as Tampa finished ahead of them by point totals and would still draft after Nashville.  It would just change the draft order to Tampa drafting 24th.

Coming into round 2, Nashville was scheduled to draft 25th but with Chicago/Minnesota both being behind the Predators in the regular season standings, it automatically drops the Preds down a slot to 24th regardless of who wins (it will be Chicago).
 
Great goaltending duel between Lundqvist and Holtby.  Looks like the Capitals have a slight edge here over the Rangers.

Still think the Blueshirts are not done just yet, but the way the series is going so far, it looks like it's in Washington's favour.
 
NYRangers 2  Washington 1  OT  Washington leads series 3 games to 2.

With barely a minute left in regulation, the Rangers forward Chris Kreider tied the game up to send it to overtime.

What an overtime it was, with throngs of fans in sheer jubilation at Madison Square Garden, after Ryan McDonough on a pass from Derek Stepan, cleverly converted it into the overtime winning goal, thus staving off elimination for the Broadway Blueshirts.

The Rangers, when facing elimination at home, have won nine playoff games dating back to 2008.

As for the Washington Capitals, after their lead vaporized on Kreider's tying goal, they tried beating Lundqvist in the OT but it was the Rangers who eventually figured out Capitals netminder Holtby.

Once again, this game was a goaltending duel between Holtby and Lundqvist, with Holtby making 41 saves on the night, and Lundqvist 28. 
A Washington goal in the second period by Matti Niskanen was disallowed due to interference.

Game 6 is Sunday in Washington at 7:00PM.

More here:
http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/rangers-rally-late-stay-alive-with-ot-win/
 
NYRangers 4. Washington 3  Series tied at 3 games apiece.

The New York Rangers are going home.  Home as in playing in Game 7 and hoping to finally wrest this series  from the Capitals once and for all.

Alas, the Rangers have so fardone just that in coming back from a 1-3 series deficit and forcing a Game 7.  But not before returning to the Verizon Centre in Game 6 and beating the Capitals in their own rink.
Led by Chris Kreider's two goals and netminder Lundqvist's heroics (in stopping 42 shots), the Broadway Blueshirts earned their way for a return ticket home.

The Capitals failed to capitalize on whatever chances they had or perhaps it was Lundqvist who shut the door on them.  Desperation knows no bounds as Washington, down by a score of 4-1, rebounded in the third period by closing the scoring, but by then it was simply too late.

The Capitals definitely did not want to return to Madison Square Garden, wanting to win it at home, a promise they ultimately couldn't keep.
They'll need all the skills they can muster to figure out a way of defeating the Rangers & Lundqvist.

Game 7 goes Wednesday in New York at 7:30PM.

Source:  Sportsnet
 
hockeyfan1 said:
Led by Chris Kreider's hat-trick and netminder Lundqvist's heroics (in stopping 44 shots), the Broadway Blueshirts earned their way for a return ticket home.
Click to expand...

You might want to have a word with your sources because neither of those things are true.
 
Nik the Trik said:
hockeyfan1 said:
Led by Chris Kreider's hat-trick and netminder Lundqvist's heroics (in stopping 44 shots), the Broadway Blueshirts earned their way for a return ticket home.
Click to expand...

You might want to have a word with your sources because neither of those things are true.
Click to expand...

Corrected.
 
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