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The Washington Capitals were the last team into the playoffs and the New York Rangers made sure the Capitals were the first out.
The Rangers completed a four-game sweep in their Eastern Conference first-round series on Sunday night, earning a 4-2 win at Capital One Arena in Washington.
New York, the first team to reach the second round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs, advances to play the winner of the series between the Carolina Hurricanes and the Rangers arch rivals, the New York Islanders.
The Hurricanes lead that series 3-1 with Game 5 on Tuesday.
Artemi Panarin’s power-play goal 3:21 into the third period on Sunday broke a 2-2 tie and ultimately stood up as the game-winner. Jack Roslovic added an empty-net goal with 51 seconds left to provide the final margin of victory.
Vincent Trocheck also scored for New York while Mika Zibanejad had two assists. Tending twine for the Rangers, Igor Shesterkin made 23 saves.
It was the Rangers’ first sweep since 2007 against the Atlanta Thrashers, who are now the Winnipeg Jets.
Martin Fehervary and Hendrix Lapierre supplied Washington’s goals and Charlie Lindgren stopped 19 shots.
The end of the series means that he and his brother, New York defenseman Ryan Lindgren, can catch up with each other after a few days.
When the Capitals qualified for the playoffs in their last regular-season game, the brothers – who usually talk or text on a regular basis – agreed via text to not communicate during the series.
The Rangers stifled Washington superstar Alex Ovechkin, who did not have a point and was minus-2 in the series.