For the sixth time in 15 seasons, the Rangers and Capitals will face off in a playoff series beginning with Sunday’s Game 1 puck drop at MSG.
The Rangers just tied the bow on their winningest regular-season campaign in the history of the franchise, owning at least three victories over every other team in the NHL.
Washington will get its kick at the can against the Presidents’ Trophy winners as the last team to squeak into the playoffs, emerging with a win in its last game to seize the final wild-card spot in the East.
That’s really all this Washington group could have asked to achieve after posting a minus-37 goal differential — the worst by a playoff-clinching club in 33 years.
Gone are the days where Alex Ovechkin loiters at the top of the left circle and tees up power-play shots that eventually find their way in the net.
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He may have still led the team in power-play goals at 38 years old, but it’s a unit that ranked 18th overall and went 0-for-10 against the Rangers.
On the other hand, the Capitals will need to remain perfectly disciplined in this game if they want to avoid a volcanic Rangers power play that led the NHL in conversion throughout its final 20 games.
Alexander Ovechkin (c) leads the Capitals against the Rangers. AP Betting on the NHL?
Say what you will about the question marks regarding the Rangers at five-on-five this postseason, but they outscored the Caps — who wound up 25th overall in expected goals for — by 33 goals.
Charlie Lindgren has carried this team in between the pipes, but there’s only so much he can do against four complete lines.
Besides, he’s already paddling upstream contending with a stoic Igor Shesterkin at the other end.
THE PLAY: Rangers -1.5 (+116, FanDuel)
