Game 2 of the Eastern Conference First Round series of the Stanley Cup Playoffs between the New York Rangers and the Washington Capitals hits the ice Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden. After a 4-1 victory by the Rangers in Game 1 on Sunday afternoon in Game 1, the rivals are ready to face off once again. New York is looking to get another win on the board, while the Caps are looking to strike back with a win of their own.
However, the Rangers cannot get too comfortable, and the Caps cannot lose hope.
Gauging Physicality in Game 2
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In Game 1, both the New York Rangers and Washington Capitals spent the entire first period testing the waters (or the ice, for that matter) on exactly how physical this game was going to get. All eyes were on fourth-liner Matt Rempe of the Rangers and Tom Wilson of the Capitals, two players with a notorious history of physicality and scrappiness.
There were six penalties assessed in the first period alone, despite some controversial officiating calls and non-calls throughout the game.
However, it seemed as though the Capitals were more focused on whether Rempe was going to strike in the first period than getting pucks to the net. It was not until the second period, when the Rangers scored two goals in less than two and a half minutes, that the Caps realized that hits and physicality were not going to win them this hockey game.
If Washington wants to have the edge over the Rangers in Game 2, they need to activate their offense and hockey IQ which seemed dormant in Game 1. It is clear that both teams are physical, and hits/fights boost energy and morale, however, that’s not what the game is about. At the end of the day, whoever wins the game is whoever gets more pucks to the back of the net, and the Caps need to shift their focus to increasing their shot-on-goal count.
Consistency is Key
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A good hockey team remains consistent no matter what the game is looking like score-wise. The Rangers won Game 1 by keeping their momentum. That’s great. They need to play the same way in Game 2. Getting too comfortable has been the Rangers’ kryptonite in the past, just look at the Round 1 series against the New Jersey Devils last year.
Playing in Game 2 with the same amount of excitement, determination, and effort as they did in Game 1 will greatly boost the Rangers’ chances of grabbing another win.
As for the Capitals, they must not let the Rangers’ attitude and productivity get in the way of their own determination. They need to remain locked in no matter what. In the third period of Game 1, the Caps did not get a shot on goal until seven minutes before the end of the game. It was very clear that they got discouraged after getting four goals scored on them, and that attitude is detrimental to their productivity.
Especially during crunch time such as the latter half of the third period, Washington needs to remain consistent in their determination to get pucks on the net, the same way they did after three goals were scored on them in the second.
Where to Watch Game 2
The puck will drop at 7 p.m. EST. The game will be streaming nationally on ESPN and locally on MSG Network for New York Rangers fans and Monumental Sports Network for Washington Capitals fans.
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About the Author
River Caraballo (she/they) is a hockey writer for Total Apex Sports. She is a big fan of the New York Rangers and the Minnesota Wild, despite being based in Connecticut. They are the host of a weekly podcast and radio show, Round the Rink, where they talk hockey from the NHL to the PWHL and college hockey. You can follow River on Twitter/X to keep up with her sports content.
