Fresh off a 5-4 shootout win over the Ottawa Senators, the Washington Capitals are in The Big Apple for their only visit to Madison Square Garden. The Capitals are 2-0 against their former “I’m going to keep that inside the room” head coach Peter Laviolette, out-scoring the Rangers 12 to 7 this season.
After a disastrous start to the season, the Rangers have course-corrected somewhat, pushing into the second wild card spot in the Eastern Conference due to owning a tiebreaker over the Detroit Red Wings. The Rangers are 7-3-0 in their last 10 and have currently won two in a row.
Like he promised pregame, Spencer Carbery jumbled up some of the lines in search of an even better defensive effort against the Rangers. Charlie Lindgren, who signed a three-year extension two days ago, will start in goal and oppose Rangers superstar netminder Igor Shesterkin. Jakub Vrana was put on waivers earlier in the day.
Ovechkin’s chase of Wayne Gretzky will continue tonight. He’s 10 away from tying and 11 away from breaking the NHL goals record.
Puck drop for the Caps-Rangers game is set for 7:30 pm on TNT. No Joe Beninati on the call. 🙁
Lines
Washington Capitals
New York Rangers
Tunnel shenanigans
1st Period
Puck is dropped.
🚨 1-0 Washington Capitals. WSH Goal: Pierre-Luc Dubois (15). Assists: T. Wilson (21). Time: 01:04.
PLD wins a faceoff in the offensive zone. As the Caps crash the net, Wilson hits Dublis with a backhanded pass for a layup.
This national telecast of the Capitals-Rangers game feels slow and doesn't have much energy. It's once again a reminder of just how amazing @JoeBpXp and @Laughlin18 are at their jobs and how lucky we are to have them.
— Ian Oland (@ianoland) March 6, 2025
Some highway robbery by Charlie Lindgren early.
Igor Shesterkin stops Lars Eller on a breakaway. Eller went to his backhand and Shesterkin got it with his left pad.
Alexis Lafrenière with a big hit on Rasmus Sandin along the side boards. Then he throws a huge counter hit on Nic Dowd in the corner. Dowd looked dazed for a second before getting up.
🚨 1-1 tie. NYR Goal: Artemi Panarin (26). Assists: Z. Jones (9), A. Lafrenière (21). Time: 13:37.
Panarin, driving the center lane on a rush, scores with a redirect. He’s got goals in three straight. The Rangers looked close to going offside on the entry, but the Capitals opt to not challenge.
Ethen Frank to the box for high-sticking Brett Berard at 15:30. It’s a double minor. He went for a stick lift, but got Berard in the face.
Capitals kill the penalty, only giving up one shot to the Rangers on the four-minute power play.
At intermission: The game is tied 1-1. The Capitals lead in shots on goal 8 to 7.
It’s tied 1-1 in tonight’s national game between the Calgary Flames and New York Sabres https://t.co/3lcg1x3Au0
— Ian Oland (@ianoland) March 6, 2025
2nd Period
Puck is dropped.
Capitals take another too many men penalty and Spencer Carbery is screaming at his players. The penalty was at 04:42.
The Rangers somehow evade a too many men penalty during their own power play.
🚨 2-1 New York Rangers. NYR Goal: Sam Carrick (6). Assists: K. Miller (11), W. Borgen (6). Time: 08:05.
Carrick takes a pass from Miller and scores on his backhand in front of the net.
Urho Vaakanainen commits a roughing penalty against PLD at 08:38. Caps go to the power play.
Tom Wilson and Matt Rempe screaming at each other. Now Duhaime and Carrick fight. Carrick probably won that one but it was closer to a draw than a decisive win.
Matt Roy fights Juuso Parssinen after the Rangers forward boards him into the glass. Roy dropped him at the end with a punch. Roy is icing his hand in the penalty box. Roy got the extra minor for roughing Brennan Othmann at 14:58. Alex Ovechkin is serving the penalty.
The final 14 seconds of the Rangers power play is nullified after Vincent Trochek trips Lars Eller. Dowd and Trochek are having words as he skates over to the penalty box. The Capitals will have a 1:46 long 5v4 power play.
At intermission: The Rangers lead 2-1 and this game is getting more and more physical. Caps lead in shots 15 to 13, but trail in 5v5 shot attempts 29 to 26.
3rd Period
Puck is dropped.
Capitals to the power play after Zac Jones hooks Lars Eller at 08:56.
🚨 2-2 tie. WSH PPG: Alex Ovechkin (32). Assists: A. Mangiapane (10), C. McMichael (26). Time: 10:28.
Alex Ovechkin scores career goal no. 885. He’s 10 away from breaking the NHL goals record.
Will Borgen to the box for hooking Andrew Mangiapane at 10:28.
Capitals take a timeout to get their top power play guys some rest.
Taylor Raddysh rings the potential go-ahead goal off the post behind Shesterkin.
We’re headed to overtime for a second straight game.
At the end of regulation: The Capitals lead in shots 24 to 16 and five-on-five shot attempts were tied 45-45.
Overtime
Puck is dropped.
Shesterkin makes a flashy glove save on Ovechkin.
🚨 3-2 Washington Capitals. WSH Goal: Tom Wilson (28). Assists: D. Strome (43). Time: 04:07.
Tom Wilson ends the game, finishing off a beautiful feed from Dylan Strome.
Capitals win in overtime 3-2.
Caps beat Rangers 3-2 (OT) as Ovechkin gains ground on Governor Gretzky
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