The Rangers completed one of their finest regular seasons in their long history Saturday. They have completed their season with a great win Where’s Kevin Hayes and Dominic Moore each had a goal, an assist, Henrik Lundqvist stopped 22 shots, and the New York Rangers capped their stellar regular season with a 4-2 win over the Washington Capitals.
On the other hand, The Capitals defeated the Detroit Red Wings on Sunday, then found out hours later, as their flight home was winding down, that they had qualified on the heels of the Toronto Maple Leafs’ victory over the Ottawa Senators.
The Rangers (53-22-7), winners of the Presidents’ Trophy as the league’s prime team in the regular season, set franchise records for wins and points (113) in a season.
Alex Ovechkin, winger and captain of the Washington Capitals scored his league-leading 53rd target for Washington and Stanislav Galiev scored the first of his career.
At 6-foot-5, 225 pounds, Hayes has the reach to be responsible defensively and an offensive threat. He led the Rangers with 29 points after the All-Star break. In many games, he was the Rangers forward who generated the most offensive chances.
After the loss, The Capitals will return to the playoffs under first-year coach Barry Trotz after a one-year absence.
In a report, Braden Holtby, extending his team record with his 25th consecutive start, made 30 saves for Washington. He was playing in his 73rd game of the season, tying Olaf Kolzig for the team record.
In addition, after four seasons at Boston College, Hayes decided to sign a free-agent contract with the Rangers. He was the 24th overall pick in the 2010 NHL Draft by the Blackhawks, but decided to play for the defending Eastern Conference champions.