New York Rangers vs. Washington Capitals: Preview, Scores, Prediction

Henrik Lundqvist is healthy and has the Rangers looking good as big favorites in their series with the Capitals. 

Last year, when the Rangers lost in the Finals, many looked back at the road they’d traveled to get there which included a pair of seven-game series. This time the Rangers are rested and it’s the Capitals who enter the second round following a long battle with the Islanders. This will be the fourth time in five years these teams have met in the playoffs. The Rangers are -226 favorites to win the series and +375 favorites to win the Stanley Cup.

New York Rangers:

New York may have eliminated the Penguins in five games, but there wasn’t much breathing room in that series with each game decided by a single goal. Losing Mats Zuccarello indefinitely with a suspected concussion is a big blow that will likely push Martin St. Louis back to the top line and New York will need production from him. The Rangers carried the play for the majority of the first round and Kevin Klein’s return to the lineup will be welcomed against Washington’s bruisers. Much like the first series, New York can’t get in penalty trouble or the Capitals will make them pay. However, when the Rangers do break down in their own end Henrik Lundqvist has been there to bail them out. The King has retaken his throne.

Sports Interaction NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs odds

Washington Capitals:

The Capitals showed their commitment to team defence in a seven-game series win over a potent Islanders team, holding New York to a single goal three times along the way. The Caps are difficult to handle when they’re grinding along the board and cycling pucks in the offensive zone. They’ll want to spend as much time in New York’s end as possible to wear down the Rangers’ defencemen and force the Blueshirts into penalties. Washington’s power play was deadly in the regular season but clicked at just a 15.4 percent clip in the first round. That means the pressure will be on Alex Ovechkin and the power play to make good on the chances they get with the man advantage.

Prediction:

Even without Zuccarello, the Rangers’ depth, skill, and speed will be a lot for Washington to handle. Braden Holtby has a tendency to let in bad goals at crucial moments and the Caps can’t afford any mistakes in their own end. The Capitals can’t start a parade to the penalty box either. That zapped Pittsburgh’s momentum in the first round and Washington had the seventh-most penalty minutes in the league during the regular season. In the end, New York is a better team from top to bottom and the Capitals will need a near-perfect series to earn an upset.

Pick: New York Rangers in six games.