Capitals 3, Rangers 1
Captain Alex Ovechkin registered a goal and an assist while Michal Neuvirth made 26 saves as the top-seeded Washington Capitals advanced to the Eastern Conference semifinals with a 3-1 home triumph over the eight-seeded New York Rangers in Game 5 of their quarterfinal series on Saturday afternoon.
Defenseman Mike Green and Alexander Semin also scored and Brooks Laich notched two assists for the Capitals, who advanced to the second round for just the second time since reaching the Stanley Cup Final in 1998.
Wojtek Wolski tallied and Henrik Lundqvist stopped 24 shots for New York, which went 1-for-20 on the power play in the series.
Washington cashed in on its first power-play opportunity less than six minutes into the game to take the lead. From the right side of the net, Green threw the puck into the crease, where it caromed off sliding New York defenseman Dan Girardi and in at 5:59 for the only first-period goal by either team in the series.
Things went south for Green later in the session, however, as he was hit in the head while blocking Matt Gilroy's shot with 6:11 remaining and did not take another shift despite sitting on the bench for most of the final two periods. Green, who has recorded a point in each game of the series, missed the Capitals' final 20 regular-season contests with a concussion suffered against New York on Feb. 25 before returning for the postseason opener.
Ovechkin doubled the advantage just over seven minutes into the second with his third tally this postseason. Skating down the right wing, Ovechkin cut around All-Star blue-liner Marc Staal and to the front of the net before putting a backhander past Lundqvist at 7:04.
Semin booked Washington's trip to the conference semifinals by converting a pass from Marcus Johansson during a 2-on-1 rush with 3:37 to play in the third.
Neuvirth had his attempt at his second shutout of the series spoiled when Wolski tallied in the final minute.