Rangers at Capitals
The Washington Capitals are attempting to make it three consecutive Metropolitan titles in a row and thereby avoid a rugged first-round matchup between the second- and third-place teams in the division. The Capitals go for their fifth consecutive victory in the back end of a home-and-home versus the visiting New York Rangers on Wednesday night.
Washington wrapped up a perfect three-game road trip with a dominant performance at Madison Square Garden on Monday night, scoring four first-period goals and coasting to a 4-2 victory. "We've still got to keep going and keep getting points every night," said forward T.J. Oshie, who scored his fifth goal in seven games as the Capitals ran their point streak against New York to five games (4-0-1). Two-time reigning Presidents' Trophy-winning Washington owns a five -point lead over Pittsburgh with six games to play, four of which are at home. The Rangers have lost seven of of their last 10 overall (3-5-2) and face a closing stretch featuring five of their final six games away from home.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, NBC Sports Network
ABOUT THE RANGERS (33-35-8): Rookie netminder Alexandar Georgiev was chased from Monday's game after allowing three goals on six shots and was sent to Hartford of the American Hockey League on Tuesday. Henrik Lundqvist, who has been sidelined for the past three games due to an ailing back and neck, will return and looks to snap a four-game losing streak (0-3-1). Rookie Lias Andersson, 19, scored in Monday's loss to become the youngest player in team history to score in his NHL debut.
ABOUT THE CAPITALS (45-24-7): Goaltender Philipp Grubauer, who has supplanted Braden Holtby as the starter over the past five-plus weeks, suffered a "tweak" in Monday's game, prompting the recall of Pheonix Copley from Washington's AHL affiliate in Hershey. "I'm optimistic but ultra, ultra sensitive right now to the goalie situation," Capitals coach Barry Trotz said. Alex Ovechkin scored his league-high 45th goal Monday to join Wayne Gretzky and Mike Bossy as the only players with nine 45-goal seasons.
OVERTIME
1. Capitals C Nicklas Backstrom has six assists in his last two games to give him 14 points in his last nine contests.
2. Rangers coach Alain Vigneault needs one win to tie Ron Wilson (648) for 10th place on the all-time list.
3. Holtby, who has allowed fewer than three goals once in his last 10 starts, will be in net Wednesday.