Rangers 4, Capitals 1

The Rangers needed to get out of the gate early in this series lest they give Washington any hope. With the considerable help of the fourth line, that goal was achieved.

Scoring started early in the second period with a goal by future all-star Rempe (1) at 04:17 from the left post on a beautiful pass from Vesey (1). Goodrow (1) also made a nice play getting the puck to Vesey. The Garden was set to explode after any Ranger score but the decibel level was even higher with Rempe doing it.

Less than a minute later, at 04:50, Panarin (1) wristed one past Lindgren, assisted by Trocheck (1) and Lafreniere (1). Lafreniere made the play by taking the puck away from a Washington player with a hard check on the corner boards before sending it off to Trocheck.

Less than two minutes later, at 06:23, Vesey (1) scored from above the slot on a wrist shot. The play developed quickly off a Goodrow (2) faceoff win, with an unrecorded assist by Rempe’s elbow which impeded a Capital’s player from reaching Vesey.

The Rangers napped a little bit after that goal and gave one back in short order at 07:31 to Fehervary (1) who deflected in a Terrible Tom Wilson shot. 3-1 after two is how the period would end.

The Rangers controlled the situation well in the third. Patience paid off when Zibanejad hit BFF Kreider with a long leading cross ice pass across the red line. Kreider (1) turned the speed on and put a backhand past Lindgren at the last moment. Zibanejad (1) and Roslovic (1) with the assists. 4-1 NYR as it would end.

The fourth line delivered considerable energy and points in this game and Rempe, for whatever reason, seems to get deep into opponents heads. The Rangers were disciplined in the game, even as the referees tried to make the game about them and not the players. The one slight negative is that Wilson was allowed to continue his on-ice antics, twice creaming Zibanejad and once late in the game hitting Shesterkin on his back with his stick (and not in a cross check manner).* The latter play did result in Schneider getting in a late scuffle with Wilson but it looks like it will take a Trouba or Rempe levelling Wilson to put an end to his nonsense.

*Upon further review, in slow motion on YouTube, Wilson’s first chop catches the top of the crossbard, the subsequent attempts didn’t make it thanks to Schneider, though from TV broadcast the camera angle sure made it look like Wilson made contact. So attempted nastiness with his stick. Still needs to be taught a good lesson!