Blog Archives
Rangers lose heartbreaker in the final seconds; Ovechkin dominant for the Caps
Bobby Bevilacqua
It was a hard-fought Game 1, but Alex Ovechkin and the Capitals came out on top thanks to Joel Ward’s goal with 1.3 seconds remaining in regulation. Photo courtesy of MSG Photos.
In an emotional, hard fought game that saw the Rangers tie the game with less than five minutes to go, the Garden crowd was left stunned following a questionable no call, and a Rangers’ defensive lapse allowed Joel Ward to score with less than two seconds in regulation, sealing a victory for the Capitals.
The Rangers came out of the gates blazing, and it looked like they were ready to totally take over the game. They were controlling possession, getting shots on net, and came close on a few occasions, but Holtby stood tall and the team defense from Washington was strong.
Eventually, Hart trophy finalist Alex Ovechkin took over the game, and the Rangers did not do a great job of containing him. Ovechkin dominated possession when he was on the ice, with a 71% corsi for during the first two periods. He also scored on the power play, again, the fifth time that he has scored on the man advantage against the Rangers this season. Going forward, Vigneault needs to do a better job of limiting his influence. Read the rest of this entry
Rangers aim to open series against Capitals strong: Klein and Sheppard ready to go
Bobby Bevilacqua
The Rangers will have to be responsible defensively when going up against Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom, something that will be a focal point of this series. Photo courtesy of MSG Photos.
Following the conclusion of the final game in the first round, with the Tampa Bay Lightning advancing to face the Montreal Canadiens, the Semifinals matchups can commence. The New York Rangers open up their Eastern Conference Semifinal matchup against the Washington Capitals, a team they are very familiar with, at Madison Square Garden.
This is the first playoff meeting between these two rivals since 2013, but the fourth since the 2011 playoffs. Some players from both the Capitals and Rangers have remained with their respective squads, so there is definitely some familiarity and bad blood between these two teams.
Washington has had less rest than New York since their first round series concluded, with only two days off, but they did have to travel to Manhattan as well. They took out the Islanders in a grueling seven game series full of hard hitting, tough defensive play, and intensity. Read the rest of this entry
5 Keys to the Rangers taking down the Washington Capitals
Bobby Bevilacqua
The Rangers were victorious in round one, and now face off against the Washington Capitals. Here is what they need to do to win. Photo courtesy of MSG Photos.
In the first round of the playoffs, the Rangers were able to execute their game plan and eliminate the Penguins in five games, advancing to the second round of the playoffs to take on the Washington Capitals, emerging victorious following a grueling seven game series against the New York Islanders.
Unlike the Penguins, the Capitals are a fully healthy team, with all of their wingers and defensemen ready to play. They too have a solid goalie in net in Braden Holtby, a name familiar to the Rangers and their fans in the postseason.
Following the tiring series against the Islanders, with little rest as well as travel, the Capitals are coming into what will be another extremely hard fought series against another very good team in the New York Rangers. With Game 1 and 2 at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers have another good opportunity to pounce on what could be a tired Capitals team as they try to reach the Eastern Conference Final for the second time in as many seasons. Read the rest of this entry
Series Preview, Round 2: Rangers vs. Capitals
Bobby Bevilacqua
For the fourth time in five years, the Rangers and Capitals will faceoff in the playoffs again. The Rangers won the last meeting in seven games back in 2013. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
For the fourth time in the last five seasons, the New York Rangers and the Washington Capitals will face off in the playoffs. If the past matchups are indicative of this year’s playoff series, Rangers and Capitals fans are in for a treat.
After a grueling seven game series with the New York Islanders, the Capitals were able to come away with a 2-1 win in the final game of the series, limiting the Islanders to just 11 shots on goal and advancing to face the New York Rangers.
The last time that the Rangers and Capitals met in the postseason was back in 2013, with the Rangers coming away with the series win in seven games. With the Capitals up 3-2 heading into Game 6, Henrik Lundqvist came through in the clutch, delivering back-to-back shutouts to give New York the series win. Read the rest of this entry
Rangers finish historic season with 4-2 win in DC; Hayes and Moore impress
Bobby Bevilacqua
The Rangers and the Capitals battled it out in the final game of the season, with the Rangers coming away with their 53rd win of the season, breaking some franchise records along the way. Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
The Rangers (53-22-7) closed out their remarkable season on a positive note, taking down the Washington Capitals (45-26-11) on the road, setting new franchise records in the process.
The victory established new franchise records in wins (53) and points (113) in a season, eclipsing the 52 wins and 112 points set by the 1993-94 Rangers team, a team that ultimately went on to win the Stanley Cup. This Rangers team knows that despite the fantastic regular season, they will ultimately be judged on what they do in the playoffs.
This marked the Rangers 28th road win of the season, also a franchise record, and tying an NHL record for most road wins an Eastern Conference team has earned in one season. Read the rest of this entry
therangerzone.com 