Through four games, the two biggest superstars in the Rangers/Capitals first round series have combined for ONE goal. To show how insane that is, Rick Nash and Alex Ovechkin have combined for 681 career goals!

So what are the two teams doing defensively to shut these guys down?

Pat Leonard at the Daily News notes that Capitals coach Adam Oates has called for double-teams and defensive collapses from his forwards on Nash, who is already being checked by Washington defenseman John Carlson or whoever else is on the assignment depending on which wing Nash has occupied.

Here's Nash on the Capitals strategy...

"It seems like they're closing down on me. I usually get a lot of space coming off the wall, but they're really using that winger to come down and block it. So I've just got to move (the puck) more and work for my space."

Meanwhile, Dan Rosen at NHL.com says besides constant pressure from Dan Girardi and Ryan McDonagh, the Rangers forecheck has led to Ovechkin's lack of scoring...

I received some insider info from my brother (@WrabelWrage) regarding NHL 13 and their current roster update which came out yesterday for Xbox 360. After the download is finished, you're left with 2 defenseman that aren't your first options for different reasons. 

NHL 13 doesn't give the Rangers John Moore and actually takes away Anton Stralman (some might be OK with this move), leaving you with Roman Hamrlik and Michael Sauer as essentially your bottom defense pairing. One is a non-existent traffic cone and the other hasn't played a game since December 5, 2011 because of a concussion.

Nice job, NHL 13.

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Not sure about you guys but this t-shirt I spotted at the Sunrise Mall in Massapequa yesterday pretty much sums up my life when the Rangers are in the playoffs...

...my wife is pretty much ready to divorce me at this time of year. lol

Speaking of t-shirts, my boys over at We Bleed Blue pretty much nailed it with this one...

Yesterday, Brian Boyle was a guest on the Michael Kay Radio Show (ESPN Radio) and discussed the Rangers current series against the Capitals, John Tortorella and an apparent elbow injury last year...

Upload MP3 and download MP3 using free MP3 hosting from Tindeck.

To listen at ESPN Radio website, click here.

...i really do love listening to these guys on the radio. So much more candid than post game. Not full of clichés.

Bergen Record - Rangers hoping for Rick Nash to start scoring goals

Bergen Record - Rangers' defense taking care of Ovechkin

Bergen Record - Rangers' three keys to Game 5

New York Post - Time’s now for Rangers’ big gun to start scoring

New York Post - Power play, penalty kill key for Blueshirts

New York Post - Staal’s status for Game 5 remains in doubt

Daily News - Ranger Rick lacking zip in playoffs

New York Times - Rangers’ Game Plan? Swarm Ovechkin

Newsday - Nash has been quiet so far in playoffs

Newsday - Capitals hoping for some home cooking

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According to NHL.com, Washington's Martin Era will miss Game 5 with an wrist injury he suffered when Alex Ovechkin launched himself at Derek Stepan and caught his teammate with the penalized charge.

While head coach Adam Oates has not announced who will replace Erat, the Capitals have called up forwards Joey Crabb and Tom Wilson from the American Hockey League for tomorrow's game.

Also of note, former Ranger Wojtek Wolski, who has been a healthy scratch for the Capitals since April 11th, is also an option.

John Tortorella infamously announced that the Rangers couldn't get the injury prone Wolski "out of the tub" and back in the line-up back in 2011.

A day after pulling himself from the Game 4 line-up, Andrew Gross at the Bergen Record reports that Marc Staal did not participate in the Rangers optional practice today making his status very much in doubt for tomorrow's Game 5.

Gross adds that John Tortorella was not happy to hear Ryan McDonagh discussed Marc Staal's reasoning for not playing last night.

...i find it very hard to believe he'll be back in the line-up tomorrow.

...also, with him not even able to skate during an optional, i'm very concerned that he might have suffered a significant setback.

...was very surprised that McD talked Staal's injury last night. Assuming after Torts gets a hold of him we'll never hear it discussed again.

According to Pat Leonard at the Daily News Ryane Clowe skated today.

...always nice to see a guy practice the day after returning from an injury. Usually a good sign that there's no setbacks.

...thought Clowe brought a physical element that had been lacking from the Rangers the first three games. I think it helped rally this team to easily their best performance of the playoffs.

Meanwhile, Steve Zipay at Newsday reports that Chris Kreider and Kris Newbury skated with the team today and will likely travel to Washington for tomorrow's game.

While Alex Ovechkin feels the Rangers don't like to be physical, it's him who apparently doesn't like to hustle as seen in this hysterical .gif of Derek Stepan's game winner last night...

...if I'm a Capitals fan I'm furious with that half ass effort. It's bad enough he's not scoring, now he's not even hustling. Embarrassing.

...this is pretty much why Ovechkin will never hoist a Stanley Cup over his head.

H/T to reader Andrew J.

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Last night Derek Stepan scored his second game winner in as many playoff games on a georgous feed from Carl Hagelin to help the Rangers tie the series at 2-2...

Did you know? @derekstepan21 is the 1st Ranger to score the GWG in consecutive playoff games since Adam Graves did it in 1997. #WSHvsNYR

— NHL (@NHL) May 9, 2013

Here's Ryan Callahan on Hagelin's improved play in the postseason (via Daily News)...

 “He’s willing to make more plays with the puck, he’s more comfortable. The story with him all along is his speed. He pressures defensemen and creates turnovers, and when he’s doing that, it’s hard to defend him.”

...sometimes when there's so much passing in tight the puck is usually poked away and you wish they would have just shot the puck, but not in this case.

...also amazing work by Callahan keeping the puck alive for the Blueshirts seconds before the goal.

...it really doesn't get nicer than that folks.

Actually it just might, as Derrick Brassard's two assists we're just as sick...

In a surprising development before last night's 4-3 Rangers victory over the Capitals to tie the series at 2-2, Marc Staal (eye) was a late scratch.

In his post game interview, Ryan McDonagh told Rick Carpiniello at the Journal News that after skating at the morning optional, Staal pulled himself from the line-up upon arriving at MSG for the game.

Andrew Gross at the Bergen Record says the reason Staal did not play in the final two games of the regular season was that after his eye appeared to be better, he had a setback before it again improved enough for him to play in Game 3.

...i guess it could be possible that his eye was acting up again. Or maybe he just didn't feel very confident and/or comfortable on the ice Monday night because, to be honest, he sure didn't look it.