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New York Rangers look to halt the Washington charge

By Andrew Steele-Davis

WASHINGTON, DC - OCTOBER 18: New York Rangers defenseman Jacob Trouba (8) takes a shot as right wing Jesper Fast (17) fights for position with Washington Capitals center Lars Eller (20) on October 18, 2019, at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Mark Goldman/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - OCTOBER 18: New York Rangers defenseman Jacob Trouba (8) takes a shot as right wing Jesper Fast (17) fights for position with Washington Capitals center Lars Eller (20) on October 18, 2019, at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Mark Goldman/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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WASHINGTON, DC – OCTOBER 18: Henrik Lundqvist #30 of the New York Rangers makes a save against T.J. Oshie #77 of the Washington Capitals in the first period at Capital One Arena on October 18, 2019 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/NHLI via Getty Images) /

Three Keys To The Game

  1. Keep It Tight – The Washington Capitals are the most potent team in the NHL right now, averaging 3.74 Goals For Per Game. They have the best defenseman in the league in John Carlson, and we all know what Alex Ovechkin can do, both at 5-on-5 and on the power play. The Rangers have one of the worst defenses in the league, so this could be a recipe for disaster. So, as a result, the Blueshirts are going to have to protect Henrik Lundqvist and play a real tight game in their own zone.
  2. Score First – The Rangers have one of the youngest rosters in the NHL so, as a result, there is always the concern about confidence dropping. If the Capitals come out, get an early goal and continue to dominate, then it could turn ugly quickly. The Blueshirts need to come out hard, fast and ready to play, and they need to try and build a cushion in order to ease the pressure off Henrik Lundqvist and the defense. To make matters worse, when the Caps score first, their record is 11-1-2.
  3. Keep Washington Off The PP – We all know how good the Capitals are on the power play. Their man advantage is ranked 5th in the NHL (24.3%), and their success is simple, get the puck to Alex Ovechkin and he does the rest. Ovechkin has nine points on the power play, while John Carlson has 11, so the New York Rangers have to avoid taking penalties otherwise they could be punished severely.

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About The Game

Faceoff against the Washington Capitals at Madison Square Garden tonight is at 8:00 p.m. EST. The game is part of the Wednesday Night Hockey coverage and will be broadcast nationally on NBCSN.  Radio will be ESPN 1050AM.

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