Rangers double-up Caps, 4-2

In New York, the suddenly competitive Rangers managed a 4-2 win over the visiting Washington Capitals on Thursday night.

The win pushed the Rangers point streak to four games, 3-0-1.

“We’ve played good hockey,” Rangers head coach David Quinn said. “I think we’re starting to get a little mojo and feel good about ourselves and gain some confidence. When you get seven out of eight points you start feeling better about yourself. You’ve got to have some swagger if you’re going to have success in this league or any league for that matter, and we’re starting to get a little bit of swagger.”

Ryan Strome struck twice for the Rangers.

“We’re kind of learning a little bit of that bend don’t break, and we have Igor back there playing great,” Strome said. “I think it’s a sign of a growing team, a mature team and a team coming together.

Igor Shesterkin made 31 saves for the win.

“It’s funny, my last three goals were disallowed,” Bitetto said. “I scored that tonight and my mindset was just like please allow it, don’t challenge this one. I need it. Thank God [they] didn’t.”

Alex Ovechkin and Carl Hagelin were the Caps’ strikers.

“We haven’t played a 60-minute game yet,” Hagelin said. “It is time to adjust and figure that one out because I know if we do we are a very successful team.”

The Rangers held leads of 2-0 and 3-1 and the Caps were never able to get closer than a one-goal deficit.

Artemi Panarin had three assists for the Rangers who improved to 4-4-2.

Anthony Bitetto had a goal for New York, his first in 113 games.

“It was magical,” Bitetto said. “I usually don’t score those type of goals. You put that [Rangers] jersey on, weird things happen.”

Pavel Buchnevich iced the win with an empty-net goal with 27 seconds left on the clock.

Vitek Vanecek made 27 saves in the loss..

“In the second and third period I thought that we controlled some of the play,” Capitals head coach Peter Laviolette said. “Just when you’re behind like that by a goal, by two goals, you have to press further and further and that’s when you really got to be smart about what you’re doing in the offensive zone. It came back and it caught us.”