Team Notes:
– The Rangers defeated the Washington Capitals, 3-2, today at Madison Square Garden, in Game Three of their Eastern Conference Quarterfinal match-up. New York trails in the series 2-1.
– New York improved to 198-214-8 all-time in 420 playoff contests, including a 110-82-2 record at home, and are 15-17 in 32 postseason contests vs. Washington. The Rangers have now posted a 33-42 record all-time in Game Threes of playoff series.
– The Blueshirts out-shot the Capitals, 35-25, including a 27-18 advantage in the final 40 minutes.
– The Rangers were credited with 41 hits in the contest, and won 45 of 80 faceoffs (56%).
– New York notched one power play goal in seven attempts (10:33), and tallied one goal in three, four on four situations (2:42).
Player Notes:
– Brandon Dubinsky notched the game-winning goal (unassisted) with 1:39 remaining in regulation, added an assist, was credited with a game-high, seven hits and led all skaters with 25:45 of ice time. It is his fourth career multi-point performance in the postseason, and his second career playoff game-winning goal. Dubinsky also posted a game-high, plus-two rating.
– Henrik Lundqvist made 23 saves in net to earn First Star honors, and improve to 1-2 with a 1.84 goals against average and a .921 save percentage in three playoff games. He has now appeared in 29 consecutive games dating back to Feb. 11 at Atlanta, and has started in each of the Rangers’ last 32 playoff contests.
– Vinny Prospal notched one goal at 8:01 of the third period, and was credited with three hits and four shots on goal. He has now recorded a team-high, 15 points (seven goals, eight assists) in 17 career playoff contests vs. Washington.
– Erik Christensen opened the game’s scoring with a power play goal at 5:30 of the second period, and won six of nine faceoff attempts (67%). During the regular season, the Rangers posted a record of 9-1-0 when he tallied a goal and 15-4-0 when he registered a point. The goal was Christensen’s first career playoff tally.
– Marc Staal registered the primary assist on Prospal’s third period goal, and was credited with two blocked shots in 23:10 of ice time. He has now recorded two points (one goal, one assist) in 10 career playoff contests vs. Washington.
– Wojtek Wolski tallied the primary assist on Christensen’s power play goal at 5:30 of the second period, and has now registered a team-high, two assists in the series. Including the final three games of the regular season, Wolski has now recorded five points (one goal, four assists) in the last six games.
– Bryan McCabe recorded one power play assist and three shots on goal, and led all skaters with 9:01 of ice time on the power play. Since being acquired from Florida on Feb. 26, each of McCabe’s seven points (two goals, five assists) have been tallied on the power play.
– Dan Girardi led all skaters with five blocked shots, and was credited with five hits in 21:59 of ice time. Girardi, who led all NHL skaters during the regular season with 236 blocked shots, ranked third in the league with nine blocked shots in the playoffs entering today’s contest.
– Brian Boyle led all skaters with a career-high, nine shots on goal, and was credited with four hits in 18:31 of ice time. He currently leads the league with 15 shots in three playoff contests. Boyle led the team with a career-high, 218 shots on goal during the regular season.
– Chris Drury won a game-high, 15 faceoffs in 19 attempts (79%), and now leads the league with a 77.1% faceoff winning percentage in the playoffs (27-35).
– Brandon Prust was credited with five hits, and is now tied for the team lead with 14 hits in three postseason contests. Entering today’s game, Prust was tied for 14th in the NHL with nine hits in the playoffs.
Audio from Bob Trainor below:
Vinny Prospal
[audio:https://www.nysportsday.com/wp-content/uploads/Vinny-Prospal.mp3]
Henrik Lundqvist
[audio:https://www.nysportsday.com/wp-content/uploads/Henrik-Lundquist.mp3]
John Tortorella
[audio:https://www.nysportsday.com/wp-content/uploads/J-Tortorella.mp3]
Brandon Dubinsky
[audio:https://www.nysportsday.com/wp-content/uploads/Brandon-Dubinski-on-game-winning-goal-combine-if-you-want-the-two-Dubinski-cuts.mp3]
[audio:https://www.nysportsday.com/wp-content/uploads/Brandon-Dubinski-preview-next-game.mp3]
Alex Ovechkin
[audio:https://www.nysportsday.com/wp-content/uploads/4-17-Alex-Ovechkin-Capitals-post-game.mp3]
Mike Knuble
[audio:https://www.nysportsday.com/wp-content/uploads/4-17-Mike-Knuble-Capitals-post-ame.mp3]
Scott Hannan
[audio:https://www.nysportsday.com/wp-content/uploads/4-17-Scott-Hannan-Capitials-post-game.mp3]