The Rangers are looking for their first series sweep in 17 years and they got to work quickly in Game 4.
The Blueshirts scored less than a minute into the first period when Kaapo Kakko took advantage of a Capitals error at Capital One Arena on Sunday.
The puck ended up in the Capitals’ end when defenseman Nick Jensen lost the puck on his stick right under pressure near the front of the net, allowing Kakko to quickly fire a shot past Washington goaltender Charlie Lindgren.
The goal gave the Rangers a 1-0 lead over the Capitals and gave Kakko his first goal and point of the playoffs.
The Capitals had scored the first goal of the game in the last two consecutive games.
The Rangers’ lead did not hold and the Capitals managed to tie the score before the end of the first period with Martin Fehervary scoring at 14:54, but the Rangers managed to get it back with 14 seconds left. when Vincent Trocheck scored on the power play.
The Rangers, who hold a 3-0 series lead, haven’t swept a playoff series since 2007, when they eliminated the Atlanta Thrashers – now the Winnipeg Jets – in the first round.
They managed to outscore the Caps 11-5 in the series heading into Game 4 and have kept Washington from posing a threat thus far.
The Rangers also stayed away from outside noise.
“All the outside noise doesn’t always come in,” Jacob Trouba said Sunday. “I think (after Game 3) we were at the hotel just talking, no one really talks about (Matt Rempe’s hit) or hockey or anything really related to that. It’s just friends hanging out, and a lot of the outside noise, I guess, stays outside.
If the Rangers finished the series, they would face the winner between the Islanders and Hurricanes.
New York Post
