[January 20, 2014]NEW YORK — Rangers 4, Capitals 1: Rick Nash
recorded his second two-goal performance of the season as New York won
for the sixth time in eight home games (6-1-1).
Derek Stepan and captain Ryan Callahan also scored for the
Rangers, who have won six of seven overall. Defenseman Dan Girardi
notched a pair of assists and Henrik Lundqvist stopped 24 shots in
improving to 7-2-1 in his last 10 decisions.
Captain Alex Ovechkin netted the lone goal for the Capitals, whose
winless streak reached five games (0-3-2). Philipp Grubauer allowed
three tallies on eight shots before being replaced by Braden Holtby,
who finished with 17 saves.
Nash gave New York the lead just 70 seconds into the contest,
stealing a pass near the left-wing boards and skating to the net
unabated before putting a backhander past Grubauer. The former
Maurice Richard Trophy winner made it 2-0 when he fired the puck
between Grubauer's pads from the right faceoff circle during a power
play with 3:54 remaining in the opening period.
Ovechkin got Washington on the board during a 5-on-3 just 59
seconds into the middle session, beating Lundqvist with a
one-timer from the left circle for his league-leading 35th goal.
But Callahan buried the rebound of Dominic Moore's blast at 2:25
for a short-handed tally and a 4-1 lead.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Nash has scored half of his 14 goals in his last
eight contests. He also tallied twice against his former
Columbus club on Jan. 6. ... The Capitals have been held to one
goal four times during their five-game slide, while Lundqvist
has allowed fewer than three tallies in seven of his last nine
contests. ... Ovechkin is scheduled to appear on NBC's Today
Show on Monday morning.
