Bergen Record - Rangers beat Caps, 4-3, to even their series

Bergen Record - Sullivan: Henrik Lundqvist lights Rangers' fire with play and words

Bergen Record - Rangers' Ryan McDonagh and Dan Girardi help shut down Alex Ovechkin

New York Post - Rangers even series with Caps

New York Post - Staal skates, but sits out Game 4 victory

New York Post - Brassard adapts quickly to new home on Broadway

Daily News - Hagelin's energy, speed help Rangers hang on to top Capitals in Game 4, tie series

Daily News - Winger Stepan proves a winner for Rangers in Game 4

New York Times - Rangers Knock Down Shots and Push Past the Capitals

New York Times - New Ranger Injects New Life Into Team’s Power Play

Newsday - Rangers win Game 4, tie series at two games apiece

Newsday - Hagelin is Rangers' most effective pest

Newsday - Brassard makes big playoff contribution

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The New York Rangers defeated the Washington Capitals by the score of 4-3, tonight to tie the series 2-2. For a box score, go to Yahoo! Sports.

...listen, I'm more than pumped about the win, but man, this team can't make it easy on their fans, can they. Rangers obviously the better team and still have to hang on for the win. Heart in my throat for the final minute once again.

...resiliency? Urgency? Toughness? Not exactly characteristics that have defined the 2013 Rangers. But hey, better late than never.

...you can't stop Dan Girardi on the power play, you can only hope to contain him.

...one assist, +1, 6 SOG, 7 blocks and 5 hits. Yep, that's a Callahan stat line if I've ever seen one. The exact performance any great captain is supposed display in a game of this magnitude.

...watching Stepan (two game winning goals) and Hagelin (2g, 2a, +3) taking the next step in their careers right in front of our eyes in this series. Exciting to see.

...can't believe Torts scratched Nash tonight. Wait, he played?

...at this point it's safe to a say a half blind Staal would be better out there than Del Zotto. Still can't figure out what he was doing on the Perreault goal.

...speaking of the Perreault goal, I know Eminger made a bad read but Torts is cutting off his nose to spite his face by benching him for the rest of the game. Eminger had been good in this series up until that point and we all saw how the Rangers defensemen got burned out last year when Torts lost confidence in Bickel.

...anyone saying Lundqvist is giving up soft goals has never played goaltender before. Almost every goal against has been either deflected or in the slot. What else do you want from him?

The New York Rangers host the Washington Capitals at Madison Square Garden for Game 4 of their Eastern Conference Quarterfinals match-up starting at 7:30 p.m. The Capitals lead the series 2-1. For a preview go to Yahoo! Sports.

Rangers Game Notes

TV: MSG; Radio: ESPN Radio (98.7 FM), XM 212

Live Stream (Don't click on ads in stream, may download virus):
http://www.firstrow1.eu/watch/185559/1/watch-new-york-rangers-vs-washington-capitals.html

Probable Lines:
Nash-Richards-Zuccarello
Hagelin-Stepan-Callahan
Pyatt-Brassard-Clowe
Dorsett-Boyle-Asham

McDonagh-Girardi
Staal-Stralman
Moore-Del Zotto

Goaltenders:
Henrik Lundqvist - 1-2, 2.26 gaa, .929 sv%, 0 so.

Braden Holtby - 2-1, 1.61 gaa, .944 sv%, 1 so

Opponent Notes:
- Mike Green leads the Capitals in points with three (2g, 1a).

If you ever wondered what the perception of the Rangers is around the league, check out this retort by Alex Ovechkin to Ryan McDonagh's comments yesterday that he thought the Capitals captain looked tired on Derek Stepan's Game 3 winner (via Daily News)...

“Well, McDonagh is a good skater, but they don’t play much of a physical game. So it’s kind of nice to know when you go to the corners, they’re not going to hit you."

...ouch! I guess Rangers fans aren't the only ones who think this team is soft. Amazing how the Rangers can go from having the reputation of being one of the hardest teams to play in the NHL, to the easiest in one season. You want to know why opponents took liberties with the Rangers players all season, there you have it.

...i tell you what, Tortorella better have this quote sitting in everyone's stall before the game because this is prime bulletin board material. I know I'd be spitting nails if I heard my opponent call me softer than a pillow mere hours before a critical Game 4. If this team has any balls, they'd pummel Ovechkin from one end of the ice to the other all night long.

This is what I'd love to see happen to Ovechkin tonight...

Mike Green scored in overtime for the Capitals In Game Two, and while it's not the PK's fault for a 1-0 loss, they nonetheless did give up a goal in an important situation.

Fastforward to last Monday for Game Three. Not exactly the same situation occurs, but an equally important one. Up 4-3, Brad Richards got called for a penalty in the final minutes of the thid period after tapping high sticking Alexander Ovechkin. A goal would have probably meant a blown lead and yet another overtime. Instead, the Rangers this time killed the penalty off, securing the game and an all-important win to make it a 2-1 series. 

Part of the fun of the playoffs is the chess match that it becomes. It's a 4-7 game series with the same two teams facing each other, meaning that each game builds onto the next and each coach makes adjustments based on what the previous coach did. What adjustment to the penalty kill did John Tortorella make in Game Three? Keep reading for a look at that.

Over at Capitals Blog Japers' Rink they posted this interesting chart of where all the goals from the series have come from on the ice...

Obviously the blue circles are Rangers goals and the red Capital tallies. The circles with the line in between indicate goals that were tipped in.

I guess the Rangers scouting report should say shoot the puck on the right wing. Took about an uneven distribution.

Would also be nice to see a Blueshirts goal come from the point. You guys remember what a goal from the point looks like right? You know, that thing we haven't seen since Leetch roamed the blueline.

Coming into the series, the Rangers main focus was to keep the Capitals high flying power play off the ice by not taking penalties. But now, after the Capitals gave the Blueshirts six power play opportunities in Game 3, it's the team from our Nation's Capital saying they need to stay out of the box (via Washington Post)...

Troy Brouwer...

“Our PK has been great for us as of late, but if you take that many penalties, they’re bound to get good looks, they’re bound to score, so we’ve got to continue to try and work hard without using our sticks. A lot of our penalties were unnecessary penalties away from our goal, which gives them an opportunity to try and score. We’ve got to clean up that aspect of our game, continue to work hard, continue to finish our checks, but do it without taking penalties.”

Jay Beagle...

“We can’t take as many penalties. We’ve got to try and stay out of the box. That makes it way easier on ourselves and just stick to our system, stick to our game plan, and if we stay out of the game plan and keep rolling five-on-five, we’re going to be in good shape.”

The amount of penalties also messed with Capitals head coach Adam Oates' ability to get Alex Ovechkin in a rhythm as he doesn't play on the penalty kill.

Ovechkin still ended the game with over 22 minutes of ice time, but that was only because Oates double shifted him in the third period, after the Capitals captain was stuck on the bench for long stretches during the first two frames.

...i find it absolutely hysterical that the roles have reversed. Who would have thought midway through the series it would be the Capitals who need to focus on being more disciplined.

After this morning's optional practice in which Ryane Clowe (undisclosed) participated, he told Steve Zipay at Newsday that there is a good chance he plays in Game 4 tonight.

There were no spare forwards on the ice, meaning Clowe is all but assured to be back in the line-up.

Zipay adds that Darroll Powe (concussion) did not skate, while Rick Nash, who was given a maintenance day yesterday, skated this morning and said he is fine.

...pretty much a full line-up for the first time in this series has me absolutely fired up for tonight's game. Couldn't be more excited to see Clowe banging bodies, going hard to the net and causing havoc out on the ice.

Also at optional practice was John Moore, who worked on his slap shot (via Rangers Instagram)...

Glen Sather has made a habit out of stealing secondary players in trades (see McDonagh and Prust). And now, with every game that passes it looks like John Moore is going to be added to that list. Here's John Tortorella on the defenseman (via Bergen Record)...

“I think he’s understanding as far as stick on puck, just to use his range to best of his ability because he takes up a lot of space, understanding how hard he has to be in the corners, he still has a lot of improvement there. I think he’s picking those things up, and just positioning period, to pick up quick thoughts, quick reads as far as where he should be on the ice.”

On Moore's offensive prowess from the blueline...

“I think part of our game, not just starting in playoffs, the last 10-15 games, we felt we were coming off the blue line too early and not allowing us to create opportunities. Especially a guy like (Moore) and a guy like (Ryan) McDonagh, if they get caught for some reason, they can recover. For all D, we’ve tried to keep them on the blue line longer so we can create offense longer. We want it more aggressive than just backing off.”

John Moore says his recent strong play is all about confidence gained from having an opportunity. Didn't always have it in Columbus.

— Andrew Gross (@AGrossRecord) May 7, 2013

...Moore has already supplanted Del Zotto on the first power play unit and I tell you what if he keeps this up, it could be the reason Del Zotto is shipped out of town before his contract is over at the end of next season.

...kid is as smooth of a skater as they come and his game has improved significantly as he's gotten more comfortable in the Rangers system. If he can take his offense to the next level we could be looking at the defenseman we always thought and hoped Del Zotto would be. Except Moore, you know, actually plays some defense.

Here's Del Zotto on Moore taking away some of his PT (via Bergen Record)...

The NHL announced today that Henrik Lundqvist along with Sergei Bobrovsky of the Columbus Blue Jacket and Antti Niemi of the San Jose Sharks have been named finalists for the 2013 Vezina Trophy.

Lundqvist, who won the award last season, was tied for the League lead this season with 24 wins, and finished in the top seven in the League with a 2.05 GAA and .926 save percentage.

Bobrovsky went 21-11-6, and was second in the League with a .932 save percentage and fifth with a 2.00 goals-against average.

Niemi, tied Lundqvist for the League lead with 24 wins, was tied for the second-most shutouts in the League with four, was seventh with a .924 save percentage and also had a 2.16 GAA.

...congrats to Lundqvist for this well deserved nomination. After starting the season a little shaky Lundqvist ended the year on an absolute tear as he had a 1.76 gaa and .934 sv% in the month of April. As has been the case every year since debuting with the Blueshirts, the Rangers don't sniff the playoffs without him. Unless you watch this guy on a gamely basis, which we all do, you can't appreciate what an amazing talent and competitor he is.

...as far as handicapping this race, I think it'll come down to Lundqvist and Bobrovsky. "The Bob" had an absolutely amazing season getting the Blue Jackets on the cusp of making the playoffs, but at the end of the day he fell short while Lundqvist's late season heroics propelled the Rangers into the postseason. Got to go with Hank.

Here's video of the announcement...