Rangers 4, Capitals 3

The Rangers and Caps played an entertaining hockey game that embodies what most fans would call “playoff hockey”. There was something for everyone here – skillful snipes, dirty goals from in front, physicality not just in the corners but all over the ice. Even the officiating, shoddy as it was, gave both teams things to complain about.

But the Rangers emerged victorious over a Washington squad that was determined to do whatever it could, and more, to not go down 2-0 in the series. Yet, that is where the Caps find themselves after playing as good a game as they likely can muster against a NYR team that shows up to play.

Scoring started with the Caps getting one past Shesterkin at 05:09 of the first period, McMichael (1) picking up a puck Lindgren had poke checked off of Oshie’s stick and wristing it in before Miller or Trocheck could help.

That goal seemed to wake the Rangers up and at 07:56 Trocheck (1) deflected Gustaffson’s (1) shot/pass, taken from well above the circle, past C. Lindgren to tie the game up. The Garden was awake now.

There is no point in rehashing the many missed or bizarre calls in this game, quite a few in the first period on Zibanejad. But he would get even by scoring his first of the playoffs while on the PP. Kreider and Lafreneire were in a puck battle in the corner and Lafreneire eventually got the puck out to a waiting Trocheck at the near circle. Trocheck spotted a wide open Zibanejad coming down the opposite side, dishing a clean pass that Zibanejad (1) rifled in. 2-1 NYR after one. Trocheck (2) and Lafreneire (2) awarded the assists.

The second period would also see three goals. The first was by D. Strome (1) on a Caps PP at 04:14. An uncovered Strome tipped in a Terrible Tom pass from the corner of the crease. The Rangers though would get their own PP chance a bit later and, at 12:01, unit #2 would get the third goal for the Rangers via a snipe by Roslovic (1), assisted by Gustafsson (2) and Lafreneire (3).

Though the Rangers PK unit would give up two goals on the night, it seemed like they actually had more shots on goal and time in the offensive zone than did the Caps PP unit. A play that illustrates why the Rangers are so hard to play against came at 16:52. Zibanejad picked off a lazy Ovechkin along the boards below his center line and carried the puck in before passing to Kreider who was approaching the slot. With three Caps converging on him, Kreider sent the puck back to Zibanejad who rather than try to beat a well positioned Lindgren from in close, some how knew that Miller was coming in fast down the middle all alone and got the puck through traffic on his stick. Miller (1) immediately snapped it past Lindgren, who did not stand a chance at a stop. Assists to Zibanejad (2) and Kreider (1). 4-2 NYR after two.

Though up 4-2, the Garden was still on edge as everyone knew the Caps could get right back in it with a dirty goal. And what could be dirtier than a Wilson (1) deflection of a Lapierre shot from the blue line past a Milano screen of Shesterkin? This was a power play that should not have happened – the NYR were called for too many men on ice as two tried to come over the boards just as the puck went their way. 4-3 NYR at the 11:45 mark.

The Caps threw everything they had left at the Rangers, including the Chinese fireplace in the last few minutes. Laviolette went to the cyborg defensive pairing, Lindgren and Trouba, to lock down the win. That pair was on the ice for the final 2:48 of the game, including 1:41 of 6 on 5 play.

This was a very physical game, Caps with 32 and Rangers with 39 hits per the officials. Rempe, playing just 7:34, was credited with 8 hits, Trocheck with 5, Trouba 4, Kakko 3 and Panerin 2. In fact, it was probably Panerin’s that really set the tone for this series when he became tired of non-calls on Oshie’s sticks to his face. Skating towards the boards, with Oshie coming right behind him, Panarin put a viscious reverse hit up high with his elbow, dropping Oshie. The play was reviewed and no penalty was assessed, though the Capitals coach could not stop whining about it. Amazing considering the many, many stick infractions not called on his team during the game.

Game 3 is Friday night in DC at 7:00 PM EDT on TNT, MAX, MNMT, MSG and MSGSN. Expect another bruiser of a game!