WASHINGTON (AP) 鈥� Dominant in nearly every facet of hockey, the New York Rangers outmatched the Washington Capitals to of the NHL playoffs in sweeping fashion.
They won all four games thanks to talent advantages from the net out, superior special teams and a blend of depth and balance. They’re the first team to advance and in the process looked every bit like a legitimate Stanley Cup contender.
鈥淭he sign of a good team is when there is depth and balance,” said forward Barclay Goodrow, a back-to-back champion with Tampa Bay in 2020 and ’21 who had a goal and two assists in .
鈥淐ome this time of year, you need everyone on your team,鈥� he added. “Everyone鈥檚 leaned on to contribute in whatever way you contribute to your team. … It鈥檚 been great for us, and it鈥檚 something that we鈥檙e going to need to continue.鈥�
Goodrow was one of 10 New York players to score a goal and 14 to register a point against Washington, while Igor Shesterkin stopped 94 of 101 of the shots he faced in another strong showing two years since wining the Vezina Trophy as the league’s top goaltender. The Rangers scored two short-handed goals, killed off 15 of 17 Capitals power plays and did enough at 5 on 5 to get through some games that were tighter than the end result indicated.
鈥淚 just think that it says that we鈥檙e a good hockey team,鈥� said Vincent Trocheck, the Rangers’ leading goal-scorer with three and the best player on the ice all series. 鈥淲e showed it every game.鈥�
Up next is likely a formidable challenge from , who are up 3-1 on the New York Islanders after in a sweep. The Rangers won two of their three games against Carolina this season, including a last month, but also in January.
One benefit they have this time is some extra time off, which players from the deep 2022 run playoff run understand is beneficial after going through seven-game series in each of the first two rounds that time and feeling the toll it took on them in in the Eastern Conference final.
鈥淭he seven-game series will pile up on you, so, yeah, obviously that鈥檚 a big factor, I think, to keep as fresh as we can,鈥� said. “I also think that was a good experience for us, a learning experience to be put in that situation, so I think that鈥檚 going to bode well for us moving forward.鈥�
As will their depth that has so far kept any player from averaging more than 23 minutes of ice time, a far cry from the Capitals needing top defenseman John Carlson to play nearly half of every game because of injuries on their blue line.
New York has not had to overtax Trocheck, Adam Fox, Ryan Lindgren, Mika Zibanejad or . Coach Peter Laviolette has 鈥渁 lot of trust in all our players鈥� and is less worried about matchups against particular opponents because of that balance.
鈥淎nyone can play against anyone,鈥� defenseman Braden Schneider said. 鈥淲e balance out well and everyone knows their role and plays hard doing it, so I think we do a great job of just being hard to play against no matter who鈥檚 out there.鈥�
That helps particularly on the road. Though by as the NHL’s top team during the regular season, the Rangers have home-ice advantage throughout the playoffs. Game 1 against the Hurricanes or Islanders will be at Madison Square Garden 鈥� but only after they can take a few days to heal up and get ready for the next step on a journey they hope will take them to the franchise’s first championship since 1994.
Asked how far he and his team can go, Shesterkin muttered only: 鈥淲e will see.鈥�
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AP NHL playoffs: and
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