In a 4-3 win over the Capitals on Tuesday night in Game 2 of this first-round series, the Rangers collected two power-play goals and a short-handed goal in a multifaceted victory.
There’s a lot to like about the Blueshirts’ special teams game through their first two playoff contests.
The Rangers have only utilized two of the eight power plays they have so far, but they have used time on the man advantage to create momentum.
They generate shots, account for significant zone time, and are relentless in retrieving the puck to keep everything going.
After fending off all four of the Capitals’ power plays in Game 1, the Rangers may have given up two points on the penalty kill on Tuesday, but they also scored one.
“I mean, I don’t know how Mika is doing.” [Zibanejad] That’s me there,” K’Andre Miller said. He followed the play and made a short-handed rush after Zibanejad teed it up. “His play is unreal. [Chris Kreider] With the three of them out and all the attention on him, I just tried to sneak into the pipe and get something on the net. ”
The Rangers’ second power play unit came into play in the second period, with Jack Roslovic scoring from the right circle over Capitals goaltender Charlie Lindgren’s net to give his team a 3-2 lead. Ta.
“It’s amazing,” Roslovic said of his first taste of playoff hockey since the 2020 bubble playoffs with the Jets. “That’s what everyone wants to play for, and I was a little younger when we were in the playoffs.
I thought it might be easy to get in every year, but it turns out that’s not the case, and I understand why. ”
Vincent Iorio missed Game 2 with an upper-body injury after Rangers wing Alexis Lafreniere slammed the Capitals defense into the boards in Game 1 on Sunday.
Capitals manager Spencer Carberry called Iorio “routine.” As a result, Lukas Johansen made his playoff debut in the loss to the Capitals.
The Capitals’ blue line is pretty beat up at the moment, with Nick Jensen and Rasmus Sandin still wearing non-contact jerseys Tuesday morning.
The Rangers are scheduled to take Wednesday off, practice one more time in New York on Thursday, then head to Washington, D.C., for Games 3 and 4 on Friday and Sunday, respectively.
