Rangers 2, Capitals 1 (OT)
NEW YORK -- Center Derek Stepan scored with 8:36 remaining in overtime to give the New York Rangers a 2-1 win against the Washington Capitals in Game 7 of their second-round series at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday night.
Stepan corralled a loose puck after a point shot and beat a sprawling Capitals goalie Braden Holtby for the winner.
The Rangers won the best-of-seven series 4-3 and will host Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday afternoon.
Left winger Alex Ovechkin backed his guarantee after the Capitals lost in Game 6 by scoring in the first period. Holtby stopped 37 shots.
Center Kevin Hayes had the Rangers' first goal, a power-play tally early in the second period. Goaltender Henrik Lundqvist improved to 6-0 in Game 7s by turning aside 35 of 36 shots.
Ovechkin broke a four-game point drought with his fifth goal of the playoffs midway through the first period.
The Capitals took a 1-0 lead after Rangers defenseman Ryan McDonagh lost track of Ovechkin in the defensive zone. Right winger Marcus Johansson floated a pass to a streaking Ovechkin, who beat Lundqvist to the glove side to open the scoring.
The Rangers applied heavy pressure in the second period and received power plays less than a minute part after defenseman Mike Green committed a pair of defensive-zone infractions. The second power play resulted in Hayes' goal that evened the score at 1 at 6:22.
McDonagh intercepted a clearing attempt by defenseman Brooks Orpik and worked the puck to left winger J.T. Miller. Miller hit a cutting Hayes for a back-door goal as the power play was about to expire to put the teams on even footing heading to the third period.
Rangers defenseman Dan Boyle left the game midway through the third period after taking a hit from Orpik. Boyle stumbled and fell as play continued, but officials eventually blew the whistle to allow Boyle to receive medical attention on the ice. Boyle did not return.
NOTES: Capitals C Eric Fehr returned to the lineup after missing 10 games with an upper-body injury. He took the spot of LW Curtis Glencross on a fourth line that featured Brooks Laich at left wing instead of his usual center position. ... Capitals scratches included C Michael Latta and D Nate Schmidt. ... Rangers RW Mats Zuccarello missed his seventh straight game with a likely concussion. ... Rangers D Matt Hunwick was a healthy scratch.