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   VS. 

2. WASHINGTON CAPITALS VS. NEW YORK RANGERS

JOSH BREWSTER

CORE MATCHUP: Henrik Lundqvist vs. The Entire Capitals Roster.

At seventh spot, the New York Rangers feature the same deficiency that will prove to be Columbus’ undoing (the Jackets are seventh in the West): A piss-poor power play. The Rangers’ 13.9% power play percentage was brutal, placing them 29th of 30 NHL clubs. What are the Rangers going to do when they desperately need a man advantage and their power play fails them, as it has all year? They’ll look to Lundqvist, who was clearly the Rangers’ best player again this year. He’ll do what he can, but the team’s 210 goals for (25th in the league) is no match for the offensive juggernaut that the Capitals field (272 goals; 3rd in NHL).

Alex Ovechkin lives for the spotlight he’ll enjoy during the first round, playing against New York. Ovechkin managed 528 shots on goal, which is second to Phil Esposito’s 550, the all-time record. Ovechkin didn’t win the Art Ross this season (Evgeni Malkin did), but Ovie did win the Richard trophy with 56 goals, his second in a row. Adding to the Rangers’ woes is Mike Green, whose 31 goals from a defensive position is the most impressive individual achievement of the season, the most since Kevin Hatcher in 1992-3, and only the eighth defenseman to do so, ever.

Adding to the challenge before Lundqvist is the fact that Ovechkin, Green, Nick Backstrom and Alex Semin all averaged more than a point-per-game.

Lundqvist can hold down the fort for a while, and may dazzle in this series, but I look for Washington to put a ridiculous number of shots on goal.  This series has all the markings of a tight series, but a short one, in which the losing team, New York, sees its goaltender stop lots of shots while its offense struggles to top 25 or so per game. Lots of potential for 2-1 scores in this series, with the Capitals eking out wins due to 40+ shots on goal efforts. A classic five-game series: The goalie of the losing team can’t cure his club’s offensive woes.

POTENTIAL SERIES TURNER: With 168 points in 169 career playoff games, don’t count out Sergei Fedorov. If anyone can get to the right place at the right time, it’s Fedorov, who may raise a few eyebrows with a resurgent last chapter to his Hall of Fame career.

Pick: Capitals in 5.

LEON RAFNER

For once the Capitals have put DC over the Big Apple. While the Rangers have changed coaches and added a pest, they are not the ‘94 team. “I knew Esa Tikkanen, and Sean Avery is no Esa Tikkanen,” or something like that. Avery brings hype and some talent to a team looking for offense, but without scoring depth, the Rangers have lacked offense all season. The Caps have that Supertwo Star, Alex Ovechkin, and what can you say, he is dangerous, dangerous, dangerous. And Nicklas Backstrom, Viktor Kozlov, Alexander Semin aren’t too bad either. Newly acquired Defenseman Derek Morris won’t stop these guys. The Rangers will be very hard pressed to match scoring, putting pressure on Goaltender Henrik Lundqvist to be outstanding if NY is to have any hope of getting past the first round. The Caps can go with Goalie Jose Theodore and worry about it in the next round. Caps in 5.

DENNIS BERNSTEIN

It’s up to one player, New York net minder Henrik Lundqvist. He’ll have to stand on his head for four games for the Rangers to win the series and it’s the one area where the Rangers have an advantage. Despite the fact that everyone points at Jose Theodore as their weak link, the Caps’ really need to play better in their own end to support him. Besides, if the Caps are down a goal in the third period, who’s stopping Alexander the Great? It won’t be Wade Redden or Derek Morris. Washington Capitals in 5.

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