In New York, the Rangers put together as complete a game as they have all season, on Thursday, and defeated the Washington Capitals, 4-1.
Igor Shesterkin made 36 saves in the Blueshirts win.
“It is kind of annoying that I let a goal in at the end,” Shesterkin said. “But it doesn’t really matter if it’s a shutout or not.”
The Rangers moved to 33-13-5, they are 5-0-1 in the last six games.
“It was a good, solid team effort,” New York head coach Gerard Gallant said. “It wasn’t one of those games where there was a lot of chances both ways. We had some good chances, and we took advantage and buried our chances.”
Alex Ovechkin scored with 62 seconds left in the game to spoil Shesterkin’s bid for a shutout.
“Maybe they got the bounces and we didn’t, but it’s a battle at the net-front, and I think tonight it’s something they kind of outdid us in a little bit,” Washington’s Nick Jensen said.
Mika Zibanejad gave the Rangers a 1-0 lead off a drop pass from Alexis Lafreniere.
“I tried to be an option for him, hoping that he sees me, and he did, obviously,” Zibanejad said. “He’s a really smart hockey player, sees the ice really well. I’m not surprised I got that pass from him.”
Lafreniere pushed the lead to 2-0 with a tip in goal in the second period.
Chris Kreider and Barclay Goodrow scored in the third period to give New York a 4-0 lead.
The Caps dropped to 28-16-9.
“I thought the first period was a pretty even hockey game,” Washington head coach Peter Laviolette said. “The second period was really the same. I don’t like the goal right at the end of the second. The game’s tight, it’s close and we kick one up there. That’s a tough one to give up.”
Ilya Samsonov made 17 save in the loss.
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