The Washington Capitals were blown out by the New York Rangers in Game One. After a first period where the Caps kept the score 0-0 despite being out-everything’d by the Rangers, our fav team from DC was overwhelmed by three goals in quick succession in the next stanza, which proved too much to come back from.
But like the Capitals, we’re going to have a short memory. Just stealing one game in New York will give the Capitals momentum heading home for Games Three and Four where they’ve done well against the Rangers this season.
In 3 games at MSG this season, the Capitals are 0-3 and outscored 11-3. However, at home, Washington is 2-0 and outscored the Rangers 7-2 with a shutout.
— Ted Starkey (@TedStarkey) April 23, 2024
Tonight the team will turn to Lucas Johansen to fill in for Vincent Iorio, who was injured in Game One. For LuJo, this will mark his NHL postseason debut — a wonderful moment for a hardworking, persevering player. The Caps first line, consisting of Alex Ovechkin, Connor McMichael, and TJ Oshie, will look to bounce back after all three were held without a shot on Sunday. It was only the fourth time Ovechkin had been held shotless in his postseason career.
Tonight’s game is on Monumental Sports Network. Joe Beninati and Craig Laughlin has the call. Puck drop is a bit after 7 pm. And make sure to leave a comment for these incredible Lavy inspirational quote towels!
Lines
Washington Capitals
New York Rangers
Tunnel weirdness
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH#ALLCAPS | @CaesarsSports pic.twitter.com/IAaWsrFVa9
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) April 23, 2024
1st Period
Charlie Lindgren will oppose Igor Shesterkin in net. Ovechkin-McMichael-Oshie and Carlson-Fehervary get the start.
Connor McMichael goes in on a two-on-one with TJ Oshie. McMichael aimed for the far pad so Oshie had a layup but Shesterkin angled his pad so he directed it the opposite way. Impressive goaltending.
Capitals have 5 of the first 7 shots on goal in the first 3 minutes of the first period. They are way more aggressive tonight with the puck already.
🚨 1-0 Capitals. Dylan McIlrath dumps it in. TJ Oshie takes the puck hard to the net. Connor McMichael picks up the loose puck and scores his first career NHL postseason goal. LFG. Assists: Unassisted. Time of goal 5:07.
Lucas Johansen wins a puck battle behind the net with Matt Rempe and breaks the puck out of the zone. Clean!
🚨 1-1 tie. Vincent Trocheck scores in front of the net after a fire drill off a Capitals’ faceoff loss and a missed assignment by Hendrix Lapierre. The Rangers goal immediately followed a dangerous John Carlson keep at the offensive blue that nearly turned into a goal the other way by the Rangers the shift before. You could feel the momentum shift.
Capitals draw a power play. Jacob Trouba to the box for interfering Tom Wilson at 10:26.
The Capitals fritter that power play away. They’re just handing momentum to the Rangers.
Nicolas Aube-Kubel hooks Artemi Panarin at 13:02. Uh oh. Rangers to their first power play and it’s LOUD in MSG after that PK.
🚨 2-1 Rangers. Mika Zibanejad scores on the resulting power play after his shot from the right circle deflects off Alex Alexeyev and in. You could feel it coming. Assists: Trocheck, Lafrenière. Time of goal 14:28.
TJ Oshie to the box for holding Artemi Panarin at 15:57.
Chris Kreider ends the power play early with a cross-checking penalty on Trevor van Riemsdyk in front of the net. It’ll be a four-on-four for 1:33 before a short Capitals power play.
The Rangers are outshooting the Capitals 12 to 7 and are out-attempting them 14 to 11 at five-on-five. The Capitals are just struggling to get to the middle and enter the zone clean.
2nd Period
Puck is dropped.
As the puck is being dropped, Craig Laughlin called this John Carlson’s best season.
Some hard work by the first line leads to a Matt Rempe roughing penalty on Lucas Johansen at 3:44. Basically Rempe did a normal check but he’s as tall as a mountain man so it was a penalty.
🚨 2-2 tie. Skating hard down the right wing, Tom Wilson finds Dylan Strome in front of the net for a redirect on the power play. And we’re tied. Assists: Wilson and Pacioretty. Time of goal 4:14.
Martin Fehervary with a momentum-killing interference penalty seconds later. The Caps… I swear. Time of the call 4:34.
Shorthanded two-on-one between Wilson and McMichael. Wilson picks his number and misses the net so hard that the puck goes into the Capitals defensive zone.
Martin Fehervary with a breakaway coming out of the penalty box but Shesterkin with a huge save.
John Carlson’s tough game continues. He takes a cross-checking penalty on Vincent Trocheck. His last shift he had a tough turnover in the offensive zone sending the Rangers on the rush down the ice. Time of penalty 10:34.
Martin Fehervary blocked a Zibenjad one-timer with his neck or face. Oh gosh. He made it back to the bench.
🚨 3-2 Rangers. With Carlson in the box, Jack Roslovic scores short-side, top shelf from almost no angle. It’s his first career postseason goal and it comes on the power play. Assists: Gustafsson, Lafrenière. Time of goal 12:26.
Wilson with an elbow to the head of a Ranger. Oshie high sticks Panarin in the face a minute later. No calls on either. Capitals lucky. MSG is booing loudly.
Fehervary is back out there, somehow, after that painful looking shot block. Warrior.
Delay of game penalty to Erik Gustafsson at 15:40.
🚨 4-2 Rangers. And the Rangers score shorthanded. D’Andre Miller beats Lindgren from the slot after a turnover by Alex Ovechkin along the side boards. Some great passing by the Rangers hitting the trailer. Assists: Zibanejad, Kreider. Time of goal 16:52.
Rangers outshooting the Capitals 20 to 18, but Washington is out-attempting New York 28 to 25 at five-on-five.
Capitals best player process-wise through 2 periods is arguably Lucas Johansen
Corsi: 14-5
xG%: 82.78%— Ian Oland (@ianoland) April 24, 2024
3rd Period
Puck is dropped.
TJ Oshie takes a headshot from from Artemi Panarin with a high elbow. Oshie is down the tunnel to the locker room.
Panarin was initially given a five minute major so they could review the call. He appeared to elbow Oshie in the head. Officials didn’t see it that way. Connor McMichael is the only player in the box for roughing. Craig Laughlin finds this unbleievable.
Artemi Panarin’s high hit catches TJ Oshie in head, no call from officials
Nic Dowd to the box for roughing on Jimmy Vesey at 9:30.
Rangers take a too many men penalty at 10:51.
🚨 4-3 Rangers Tom Wilson brings the Capitals to within one on the power play with a deflection. Assists: Lapierre, Carlson. Time of goal: 11:45.
Oshie is back with 5:21 remaining.
Ovechkin lays out Panarin along the boards with a big, *clean hit.
Charlie Lindgren pulled around the 3 minute mark for an extra attacker. Caps going for the tie.
Capitals hold the puck in the zone but can’t do anything with it. Eventually Carlson is checked off the puck and that ends it.
Rangers outshot the Capitals 31 to 21, but Washington out-attempted them 45 to 37 at five-on-five.
4-3 Rangers win. New York leads the series 2-0.
Read the RMNB recap:
Heading back to DC in a two-game hole: Rangers beat Capitals 4-3
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