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Washington Capitals vs New York Rangers Game 2: Eastern Conference Playoffs – First Round

The New York Rangers had no problem in the opening game against the Washington Capitals and will try to get to a 2-0 lead on Tuesday at Madison Square Garden.

Can the Capitals make this series interesting?

The Washington Capitals had a strong finish to the regular season to make it to the playoffs, but once they are here, they are facing the biggest possible challenge. Going against the best team in the regular season is a tough task, and they felt that in the opening game of the series against the Rangers. The Capitals stood no chance at MSG, as they were outplayed on both sides of the ice. Martin Fehervary scored the only goal for the Capitals, and Charlie Lindgren’s 27 stops made no difference in the 4-1 loss.

The Rangers had the best regular season record

The New York Rangers finished on top of the Eastern Conference winning the President Trophy with a 55-23-4 record. The Rangers were aggressive in the opening game of the series, sending a message with a 4-1 win. Matt Rempe and Artemi Panarin scored 33 seconds apart in the second period to make the crucial push in the game. Jimmy Vessey and Chris Kreider also scored for the Rangers, while Igor Shesterkin finished with 20 saves.

Betting Trends

The Rangers have won 5 of the last 7 games against the Capitals and 6 of the last 7 against them in New York. The Rangers are 11-3 SU in the last 14 games overall and 5-1 SU in the last 6 home games. Washington is 4-8 SU in the last 12 games overall and 2-5 SU in the last 7 games on the road.

Prediction and Conclusion

It’s been three decades since the New York Rangers won their last Stanley Cup, and it seems like they are ready to go all the way this season. It is still way too early to claim that, but the Capitals are definitely not an obstacle that can slow the Rangers down. New York played just as strong as they needed to win the first game, and it will take a miracle for the Capitals to tie the series tonight. There is simply too big of a gap between the two teams, and the Rangers will easily take a 2-0 lead.