The Rangers are looking to win the series for the first time in 17 years, and they quickly got going in Game 4.
On Sunday at Capital One Arena, Kaapo Kakko took advantage of a Capitals miscue and the Blueshirts scored less than a minute into the game.
Defenseman Nick Jensen took the puck off his stick under pressure near the front of the net, and the puck ended up on the Capitals’ side, but Kakko quickly hit Washington goaltender Charlie Lindgren. I dodged it with a shot.
The goal gave the Rangers an early 1-0 lead over the Capitals, giving Kakko his first postseason goal and points.
The Capitals had scored first in each of the previous two games.
The Rangers’ lead did not hold and the Capitals tied it before the end of the first period with Martin Fehevary scoring at 14:54, but the Rangers managed to get it back with 14 seconds remaining. When Vincent Trocheck scored on the power play.
The Rangers, who lead 3-0 in the series, haven’t won a playoff series since 2007, when they eliminated the Atlanta Thrashers (now Winnipeg Jets) in the first round.
They managed to outscore the Caps 11-5 in the series heading into Game 4 and have thus far fended off Washington’s growing threat.
Rangers have also avoided outside noise.
“All the noise outside doesn’t come in all the time,” Jacob Trouba said Sunday. “I think [after Game 3] We were just hanging out and talking in the hotel, no one was really talking [Matt Rempe’s hit] Hockey and anything related to it. I think a lot of the outside noise just lingers outside with friends just hanging out together. ”
If the Rangers shut out the series, they will face the winner of the Islanders-Hurricanes game.
