Game 57 - Caps 6 Rangers 5

We can make it official after this game - the best forty minute team in hockey is back. Unlike earlier in the season - they now take off the first period - presumably just to make it interesting as the games aren't even particularly close when they play a full sixty.

Again, Theo kept them in this one early despite the five goals overall.

I mentioned last game that the penalty kill will be the death of this club and there is no better example than this game. The Rangers power play was beyond woeful coming into this one - going 0 for 25 over their last seven games and 7 for 82 over a 25 game span. The Caps response to this impotent threat was to give up THREE PP goals in just over six minutes of the second period - four overall.

They need to fix this. Do whatever it takes - hire a special teams coach to figure it out. I know that statistically the PP has been improving but I don't buy it.

Speaking of the second period - just a minute and a half after giving up the third PP goal OV reined in the Rangers with a highlight reel goal with eight seconds remaining. He blew by Roszival who, to his credit, didn't go fishing for the puck as it went through his legs (unlike Letang a couple of games back). Knowing that he was beat – Roszival latched on to OV’s right arm and hung on for dear life. Big Russian Machine only needs one arm and flipped the puck past Lundqvist to get the Caps back within one

You could see the look of “what more do we have to do?” in the eyes of the Rangers after that one. When the 28th rated offense puts together five goals in two periods they're probably thinking they should put that one away - instead they found themselves nursing a one goal lead going into the final period against the biggest the greatest show on ice.

Sure enough, two PP goals in the first six minutes gave the Caps the lead and,coupled with three more NY penalties for the remainder of the period, enough for the wwin.