NEW YORK — Tuesday’s Rangers–Capitals game was far more evenly contested than Game 1, but the result was the same for the home team. New York held off a late Capitals’ push to win 4-3 and take a 2-0 edge in the series.
Mika Zibanejad and Vincent Trocheck each had a goal and an assist, and tensions between the teams continued to build, especially after an Artemi Panarin reverse hit on TJ Oshie in the third period.
Here are five takeaways from the game:
Rangers edge Capitals on special teams
The Rangers and Capitals found themselves in a special teams game, and New York scored two power-play goals and added one shorthanded. Dylan Strome and Tom Wilson had power-play goals for Washington, but the Rangers’ one-goal edge in special teams goals proved pivotal.
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After killing four penalties in Game 1, the Rangers shorthanded continued to thrive in the first period. Zibanejad had two shots after a Jacob Trouba interference minor, and Barclay Goodrow had a rush attempt. New York harassed the Capitals as they tried to get through the neutral zone, making it hard for them to get any sustained time on offense. Zibanejad contributed on the power play, too, getting himself open and firing a Trocheck pass off Alexander Alexeyev’s hand and into the net.
The Rangers’ second unit found success, too. Deadline addition Jack Roslovic scored his first career playoff goal with a shot from the wing in the second period. The big special teams blow came later in the period, though. Zibanejad and Chris Kreider passed the puck back and forth during a shorthanded zone entry, and then Zibanejad found K’Andre Miller in the slot. The Rangers defenseman beat Lindgren for his first-ever playoff short-handed goal.
It makes sense that the Rangers had success. The Rangers ranked in the top three in both power play and penalty kill percentage in the regular season, whereas Washington was in the bottom half of the league in both.
Connor McMichael, a 2019 Capitals first-round pick, got a taste of playoff action in 2022, appearing in four games against Florida. Game 1 of this year’s series was his first postseason game since, and he enjoyed the atmosphere at Madison Square Garden.
“It just felt like there’s a lot of emotions out there when the crowd is really loud,” he said before Game 2. “It honestly gives you a little energy as a visiting team as well. All these people are against you. You want to get out there and score a goal and silence the crowd.”
He did exactly that in the opening period, grabbing a loose puck in the slot and firing it past Igor Shesterkin for his first playoff goal. He screamed and punched the air in excitement. The crowd — just as he hoped — fell quiet.
Alexis Lafrenière isn’t on the Rangers’ top power-play unit, but that didn’t stop him from collecting a pair of assists on special teams. New York had made a partial change before its first power-play goal, and Lafrenière won the puck along the boards ahead of Zibanejad’s goal. He also picked up a secondary assist on Roslovic’s tally.
Lafrenière is up to three assists these playoffs, a promising sign after he failed to score in any of the Rangers’ seven postseason games last year.
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Anyone seen Ovi?
Alex Ovechkin did get a shot on Igor Shesterkin in Game 2, so it was a step forward from Game 1 for the Caps’ elite goal-scorer. But it was just the one shot on goal and no points for No. 8 — plus his rather passive giveaway that led to the killer shorthanded goal by Miller late in the second.
Ovechkin had 22 goals in the last 35 games of the regular season to look more like his old self and revive thoughts of him catching Wayne Gretzky for the all-time goals lead in NHL history (he’s 41 back), but this Caps team just doesn’t score enough for Ovechkin to be invisible.
Panarin gets nasty — not in the way you think
Game 2 had more of an edge and it was clear from the start that the Capitals had an interest in engaging with some of the Rangers top guys a bit more. Oshie put a headlock on Panarin in the first period after a whistle and there were a few scrums scattered throughout the first 40 minutes.
But Panarin got the last word on Tuesday with a huge reverse-style hit on Oshie that sent the Caps forward to the dressing room 6:47 into the third. Oshie had the puck just inside his own blue line and Panarin, not known for his hitting, threw his body into Oshie’s with huge force. There was some head contact but the referees went to the NHL’s Player Safety hotline to review a possible major and came away with no penalty to Panarin.
Oshie returned to the game later in the period.
With a 2-0 series lead and the need to keep their star players healthy for a move on to the next round, the Rangers may have to be keenly aware of Washington’s edgy players heading into Game 3 in Washington on Friday.
(Top photo of K’Andre Miller, Mika Zibanejad and Adam Fox: Jared Silber / NHLI via Getty Images)
