New York Rangers top five rivals right now
By Lou Venditti
2. Washington Capitals
The New York Rangers and the Washington Capitals have met in the playoffs five times since 2008. The Rangers have won the last three, with the most recent being in the Conference Quarterfinals in 2015. They won the series 4-3, once again showing Alexander Ovechkin up.
The Rangers have had a knack for denying the Capitals the chance to advance in the playoffs recently. In 2015, the Capitals went up 3-1 in the series. They lost game five in overtime, game six, and then game seven in overtime to lose the series. Ovechkin even went so far as to guarantee a game seven win, yet came up short.
The rivalry recently has been built on the two teams being at the top of the Metropolitan Division. The Rangers and Capitals have been among the best in the league, having won the last three Presidents’ Trophies as well.
The Rangers recent rivalry with the Capitals is built on both teams being successful, but the Capitals are quickly losing steam due to salary cap restraints. Last season, the Caps went all in at the trade deadline and it didn’t pay off. Unlike the rivalry with the Flyers, the Capitals are still a playoff team, and there is always a possibility for a matchup with the Rangers come playoffs.