Trocheck and Zibanejad lead Rangers to 4-3 win over Capitals for 2-0 series lead
NEW YORK >> Vincent Trocheck and Mika Zibanejad each had a goal and an assist and the Presidents’ Trophywinning New York Rangers held on to beat the Washington Capitals 4-3 Tuesday night for a 2-0 lead in their first-round playoff series.
Jack Roslovic and K’Andre Miller also scored for the Rangers, and Erik Gustafsson and Alexis Lafreniere each had two assists. Igor Shesterkin stopped 22 shots.
New York, seeking its first Stanley Cup championship in 30 years, has won four straight and 12 of its last 15 games. The Rangers, third on the power play during the season, were 2 for 6 with the advantage and scored a short-handed goal.
Tom Wilson had a goal and an assist, and Connor McMichael and Dylan Strome also scored for the Capitals, who had won four of five to close the season and take the second wild card in the Eastern Conference. Charlie Lindgren finished with 23 saves.
Game 3 of the best-ofseven series is Friday at Washington.
Washington star left wing Alex Ovechkin had two shots on goal after the 38-yearold was held without one in Game 1.
With New York leading 4-2, there was some pushing and shoving 6 1/2 minutes into the third period after the Rangers’ Artemi Panarin knocked T.J. Oshie off the puck with a hard hit. The play was reviewed for a major penalty, but none was called. McMichael was instead given a minor for roughing while WiIson skated near the Rangers’ bench and had words with rookie sensation Matt Rempe.
PANTHERS 3, LIGHTNING 2 >>
Carter Verhaeghe lifted a backhander just under the crossbar 2:59 into overtime, and the Florida Panthers beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 3-2 on Tuesday night for a 2-0 lead in their NHL firstround playoff series.
It was the fifth OT winner in Verhaeghe’s career, coming on a play where Matthew Tkachuk got the puck to Anton Lundell — who found Verhaeghe. He waited for Tampa Bay goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy to commit, then put the puck over him to end it.
Sam Bennett, who left with an injury in the second period when he appeared to get hit by teammate Brandon Montour’s slap shot, and Vladimir Tarasenko scored for Florida. Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 21 shots, including some highlight-reel saves.
Braden Point and Steven Stamkos scored for Tampa Bay, which got two assists from Victor Hedman. Vasilevskiy stopped 34 shots.
Bobrovsky had two wild saves in the second period — one off his mask, the other a no-look dive that he got basically with his back to the play to deny Lightning defenseman Matt Dumba and preserve what was then a 2-2 tie.
And it stayed that way, all the way until the sudden end.
It was 2-0 Florida after one, with Bennett scoring at 6:16 — the Lightning unsuccessfully challenged that goal for goaltender interference — and Tarasenko connecting nearly nine minutes later. The Panthers controlled the opening 15 minutes, just like they did in Game 1, outshooting the Lightning 12-1 and the twogoal lead held up going into the second period.