Capitals at Rangers
The New York Rangers attempt to secure a seven-game winning streak for the first time in three years when they host the Washington Capitals on Tuesday. New York began with a home victory over Pittsburgh on Dec. 8 and enjoyed a perfect three-game stretch through Western Canada before claiming both ends of a home-and-home series with Carolina. Captain Ryan McDonagh scored the lone goal in Sunday's 1-0 victory over the Hurricanes, but the Rangers find themselves two points behind Washington for third place in the Metropolitan Division.
The Capitals won their third straight and extended their season-best point streak to nine games (7-0-2) as Nicklas Backstrom scored a power-play goal late in the second period of a 2-1 triumph over Ottawa on Monday. Backstrom has recorded six goals and two assists in his last four contests and has 23 points (six goals, 17 assists) in 26 meetings with New York. Braden Holtby owns a 1.75 goals-against average during the team's nine-game point streak and is 12-3-3 in his last 18 starts.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, CSN-DC (Washington), MSG (New York)
ABOUT THE CAPITALS (17-10-6): Captain Alex Ovechkin has torched many a team during his career, although New York has kept him at bay of late. The three-time Hart Trophy winner was held without a goal in nine consecutive contests (postseason included) before he recorded his team's lone tally in a 4-1 loss to the Rangers on Jan. 19. While hardly as accomplished a scorer, Jay Beagle netted his personal-best fifth goal and tied a career high with his ninth point on Monday.
ABOUT THE RANGERS (17-10-4): Medical tests revealed that Lee Stempniak had the mumps and was quarantined Wednesday through Sunday as a precaution for both the safety of the team as well as his family, which includes twin 9 1/2-month-old daughters. Stempniak, who was the third member of the team to have the virus (Tanner Glass, Derick Brassard), skated on its own at the training center on Monday. He plans to join his teammates for Tuesday's morning skate, with a decision to be made in regard to his availability to face Washington.
OVERTIME
1. New York G Henrik Lundqvist has yielded just eight goals during his five-game winning streak and is 16-8-3 with four shutouts in his career versus Washington.
2. Capitals D Mike Green has collected one goal and four assists during his three-game point streak.
3. The Rangers last won seven in a row from Oct. 31-Nov. 15, 2011.