WASHINGTON — In a series that’s been dominated by goaltending, the Capitals focused on the space between the blue lines Friday night and came away with a 4-0 shutout of the New York Rangers. Washigton bollixed up the Rangers’ transition game and got two timely first-period goals from grinder Matt Bradley to force a game six in the Eastern Conference quarterfinal matchup Sunday afternoon at Madison Square Garden. Rookie goaltender Simeon Varlamov earned his second shutout of the series, stopping 20 Rangers shots. And Alexander Ovechkin had a highlight reel goal late in the second period, avoiding a Chris Drury check, then slaloming around Derek Morris before snapping a backhander under New York netminder Henrik Lundqvist. Lundqvist, who has seemed impenetrable in the series, was pulled before the start of the third period after yielding four goals on 14 shots. Bradley put Washington ahead just 4:58 in the game while shorthanded, beating Drury for a loose puck, then breaking in on Lundqvist and beating him with a backhander. It was Bradley’s first postseason marker in 22 games. Later in the period, Bradley threw a sharp angle shot from near the right corner that somehow found its way through Lundqvist’s pads to double the score. Alexander Semin made it 3-0 at 4:57 of the second frame, wristing a quick shot past Lundqvist after Nicklas Backstrom won a face-off and shoveled the puck back to his linemate. Ovechkin then notched his dramatic solo effort at 19:31 of the second. Rangers coach John Tortorella scratched controversial forward Sean Avery from his lineup in favor of Aaron Voros after Avery committed two critical penalties late in game four.
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