|
 Stepan gave the Rangers the 3-2 lead just 17 seconds into the third
period when his shot from high in the slot deflected off defenseman
Brooks Orpik's stick and by goalie Braden Holtby.
Jesper Fast and Keith Yandle gave the Rangers a 2-0 lead in the
first period. Ryan McDonagh had two assists.
Jay Beagle and T.J. Oshie scored second-period goals for Washington
(47-13-4), which was looking to reach the 100-point mark.
New York (38-21-6) has won six-of-eight. The Rangers, second in the
Metropolitan Division, are 16 points behind the Capitals.
Holtby had 20 saves for the Capitals, who played nine consecutive
one-goal games, winning six.
The Rangers took an early lead following a Holtby giveaway.
McDonagh's shot from the point was blocked in front and, during the
scramble, Fast swiped the puck past Holtby at 5:47 for his ninth
goal.
Washington has allowed the first goal in nine of its last 11 games.
Late in the period, New York made it 2-0. With Washington's Karl
Alzner off for tripping, Yandle fired a high wrister from the blue
line that made it through a screen and into the net at 16:37.
The Capitals got on the board following a lengthy review midway
through the second period. Beagle's shot from near the end line
bounced off Raanta's pad. During the ensuing scrum, New York's Kevin
Klein swept the puck away from the goal line, but after a long
review, the ruling was that the puck had completely crossed the line
and Beagle was credited with a goal at 10:58.
Rangers coach Alain Vigneault challenged the play on the basis of
goalie interference, but lost.
[to top of second column] |
Washington tied it 39 seconds prior to intermission on a power play.
The Rangers had mounted a rush, but Stepan's shot caromed all the
way back out to center ice where Oshie gathered it in. He skated in
with space on the left side, made a move toward the slot and fired a
shot past Raanta for the unassisted equalizer.
Raanta, starting in place of Henrik Lundqvist (neck spasms), made a
great stop to preserve the lead midway through the third period.
Oshie, behind the net, sent a puck in front that bounced off
McDonagh toward the goal, but Raanta was able to pin the puck
against the post with his blocker before it crossed the line.
NOTES: With G Henrik Lundqvist (neck spasms) out, the Rangers
recalled G Magnus Hellberg from Hartford of the AHL on an emergency
basis to back up G Antti Raanta. ... Washington's scratches included
D Nate Schmidt (lower-body injury), RW Stanislav Galiev and C
Michael Latta. ... Rangers D Marc Staal (flu) returned after missing
one game. ... D Dylan McIlrath was scratched for New York. ... The
Rangers, who lost at Pittsburgh on Thursday night, began play 7-4-1
in the second game of back-to-backs.
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reserved.]
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