Primer:There is no love lost between these familiar foes.
The Rangers and Capitals have met in the Stanley Cup playoffsfive times in the pastseven seasons, three of whichwere decided in a Game 7.Thatincludes their Oliver Drake Jersey most recent encounterin 2013, when the Rangers overcame 2-0 and 3-2 series deficits to win on the strength of back-to-back shutouts by goalie Henrik Lundqvist in Games 6 and 7.
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This series could be the next chapter in what has become one of the better postseason rivalries, which took a year off last season with the absence of the Capitals. Each teamfacesdifferent obstacles:The Rangers madequick work of the Penguins in the first round, though maybe not as gracefully as they would have liked, while the Capitals showed uncanny resolve unlike inyears past in Jose De Leon Jersey a long, physical series against the Islanders.
Schedule/TV(All times Eastern)
April 30: at Rangers, 7:30 p.m., NBCSNMay 2: at Rangers, 12:30 p.m.,NBCMay 4: at Washington, 7:30 p.m., NBCSNMay 6: at Washington, 7:30 p.m.,NBCSN*May 8: at Rangers,7 p.m.,NBCSN*May 10: at Washington, TBD*May 13: at Rangers, TBD (would moveto May 12 if Red Wings advance to second round)
* If nece sary
Regular-season series:Rangers won3-1.
How they got here:The Rangers beat the Penguins in five games. The Capitals outlastedthe Islanders in seven games.
Injuries:It seems likely the Rangers will play this series without forward Mats Zuccarello. Hewas hit in the head by a slapshot from teammate Ryan McDonagh during the Game 5 clincher against the Penguins. He's out indefinitely with what the team called an upper- Brad Miller Jersey body injury, but it's believed he suffered a concu sion, meaning his return is about as uncertain as it gets.
The good news for the Rangers is theywill have defenseman Kevin Klein back for Game 1. Klein said he's ready to go after mi sing the past month with a broken arm.
For the Capitals,forwardEric Fehrisexpected to be ready for Game 1.Fehr suffered an upper-body injury Evan Longoria Jersey during a Game 3overtime lo s to the Islanders, when forward Kyle Okposo pancakedhim into the boards. He didn't play in Game 7 but has been skating with the team since.
Key players: Aside from the obvious proclamation thatAlex Ovechkin and Rick Nash will need to perform well, the series could be decided on whose depth players are more effective.For the Capitals, that starts with EvgenyKuznetsov, who had three goals in the first round, including the Game 7 winner. Rangers forward Derek Stepan had two goals and an a sist against the Penguins. After scoring only 11 goals as a team last round, guys like Stepan Wilson Ramos Jersey and Nash (one goal, three a sists)will be important if the Capitals start scoringin bunches.
Goalie matchup:Lundqvistwasn't challenged a ton in the first round but he was in top form when the Penguins did manage some pre sure. After facing just 94 shots in the first four games, Lundqviststopped 37 of 38 in the series-clinching Game 5. He has a1.53 goals-against average and.939save percentage so far.
For as well as Lundqvist is playing, the Capitals may have the hotter goalie inBraden Holtby. Holtbystopped 166 of 176 shotsin six games against the Isles. He was forced to mi Jesus Sucre Jersey s Game 2 with an illne s but is healthy now, sporting a1.95 GAA and.933 save percentage.
Prediction: Rangers in 7.
