First blood goes to the Bruins.

Brad Marchand scored his first goal of the playoffs at the 15:40 mark of overtime to give the Bruins a 3-2 win over the Rangers in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinal series Thursday night at the TD Garden. Boston leads the best-of-seven series, 1-0. Game 2 is Sunday afternoon in Boston.

Marchand finished a counterattack with centerman Patrice Bergeron by tapping a feed under Henrik Lundqvist (45 saves).

The series opener between the Original Six franchises was not the mosh pit most expect the series to become. Instead, the two teams engaged in a feeling-out process.

Zdeno Chara opened the scoring in the series at the 12:23 mark of the second period with a slap shot Lundqvist never could quite control and inadvertently knocked into the goal. The goal ended Lundqvist’s playoff shutout streak at 152:23.

Ryan McDonagh tied the game with 1.3 seconds left in the period. The defenseman finished a sequence which began with a Rick Nash wraparound with his first career Stanley Cup playoff goal.

After the initial shot, Nash broke up a Tyler Seguin clearing attempt, and the puck landed on McDonagh’s stick.

The Rangers took a 2-1 lead 14 seconds into the third period on Derek Stepan’s third of the playoffs. Patrice Bergeron won the faceoff against Stepan to start the period but Marchand was unable to get the puck into the Rangers’ end. The Rangers’ top line counterattacked, finishing with Stepan one-timing Carl Hagelin’s feed past Tuukka Rask (33 saves).

The lead didn’t last long.

Torey Krug, one of three rookie defensemen in the lineup for the Bruins alongside Dougie Hamilton and Matt Bartkowski due to injuries, tied the game 2:41 after Stepan’s goal with his first playoff goal in his first NHL game.

Interestingly, head coach John Tortorella split up his normal top defense pair of McDonagh and Dan Girardi. Girardi started the game paired with Michael Del Zotto, while McDonagh played with Anton Stralman.

Follow Rangers beat writer Denis Gorman on Twitter @DenisGorman.

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Dan Girardi summed up the impending Rangers-Bruins Eastern Conference semifinal series with one word: physical.

“It’s definitely going to be physical for sure,” Dan Girardi said following a spirited practice at the Rangers’ training facility in Greenburgh, N.Y. Wednesday in preparation for the best-of-seven series which begins Thursday night at the T.D. Garden in Boston.

This will be the 10th time the Original Six brethren have met in the Stanley Cup playoffs. The Rangers have lost six of the nine series, but won the last meeting, a five-game elimination of the Bruins way back in the 1973 quarterfinals.

The Rangers won two of the three regular season matchups between the long time rivals, including a 4-3 shootout win in Boston on Feb. 12, the last time the teams met. Both teams finished with nine goals scored in the three games.

“[We played] them three times in the first couple weeks and that’s pretty much it,” Girardi said.

At first glance, the Bruins and Rangers appear to be mirror images of each other. The Bruins ended the regular season with one more goal than the Rangers (127-126). The Rangers finished the regular season ranked third in the NHL in hits (1,413) and sixth in blocked shots (773), while Boston was 10th (1,200) and 22nd (650) in those categories.

“I think the teams are pretty similar,” Girardi said. “Both teams want to get on the forecheck, create some momentum that way.”

When the Bruins are at their best, Boston’s top line of Milan Lucic, David Krejci and Nathan Horton is able to use their size to wear down their opponents in the offensive zone. The trio totaled 29 points in the seven-game Eastern Conference quarterfinal series against the Maple Leafs.

“It’s going to be a pretty good challenge for us,” Girardi said. “I think they’re going to do their best to get in front of [Henrik Lundqvist] and bring pucks to the net. We just have to be strong down the walls, make sure they can’t get to the front and just be strong. [We] can’t let them push us around in front of the net. We have to make sure [it's clear] for Hankie in front – let him [see] shots.”

Like the Bruins, the Rangers also have size. Since the trade deadline acquisitions of Ryane Clowe from San Jose and the triumvirate of Derick Brassard, Derek Dorsett and John Moore from Columbus, the Rangers are 13-7.

“We’re able to play the way we want to play more consistently because I think we have a deeper lineup,” head coach John Tortorella said. “I think we played our best game of the seven game series in Game 7. I’m hoping that transfers over to the start of the [Bruins] series, where I can use the whole bench.”

One of the themes in the series win over Washington was the Rangers’ secondary scoring. While the Capitals kept the Rangers’ stars in check, the Southeast Division champions did not have an answer for the Blueshirts’ depth.

Brassard totaled nine points in the seven games. Mats Zuccarello and Carl Hagelin finished with five points (one goal and four assists) and four points (two goals and two assists), respectively. Linemates Brian Boyle and Taylor Pyatt recorded three points (two goals and an assist) each.

“For a team, it helps when your second [and] third line guys contribute, as our team did, but for the top end guys, that’s why they are where they are [as] top players because they want that,” Tortorella said. “So I don’t think it takes any pressure off them. I think they want to be the person to make a difference.”

One such player is Rick Nash. Nash only had two assists against the Capitals, but he did lead the team with 22 shots in the seven games. Tortorella believes the left wing is due to break out.

“He played really well in Game 7, and really didn’t have many bad games in the series. In Washington he didn’t finish,” Tortorella said. “He certainly wasn’t totally on but he’s very close. I thought he played very well in Game 7. He’s playing and I think he’s going to be a really big part of this as we enter into Boston.”

Follow Rangers beat writer Denis Gorman on Twitter @DenisGorman.

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Let’s just say head coach John Tortorella does not have any use for the Capitals’ grousing regarding the officiating in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals.

“We get everybody and their brother whining out there in Washington about what happened in that series, and I think that’s a big reason why they lose that series,” Tortorella said, unprompted, in response to a question about the importance of playoff experience during his post-practice press conference Wednesday afternoon in Greenburgh, N.Y.

The Capitals were bothered by what they perceived was league favoritism toward the Rangers in the series. The Rangers had 28 opportunities on the man advantage in the seven games compared the Capitals’ 16.

Following the conclusion of the series, Alex Ovechkin told Slava Malamud of the Russian-language newspaper Sport-Express “The refereeing … you understand it yourself. How can there be no penalties at all [on one team] during the playoffs? I am not saying there was a phone call from [the league], but someone just wanted Game 7 — for the ratings. You know, the lockout, escrow, the league needs to make profit. I don’t know whether the refs were predisposed against us or the league. But to not give obvious penalties [against the Rangers], while for us any little thing was immediately penalized.”

Yesterday, Capitals general manager George McPhee backed his captain.

“I don’t think there’s a league conspiracy, but it sure didn’t feel right. Alex wasn’t wrong. I talked to them during the series, but at some point you stop. They’ll referee the way they want to referee,” McPhee told the Washington Post. “What we didn’t get a chance to do was go on the power play very often, and it was a real strength of ours. It was real good during the season. We didn’t get many power plays during the series; I don’t know why. We had to kill too many penalties; I don’t know why. I didn’t think that part of the game from the league standpoint was all that good.

“I didn’t like the refereeing, but if you complain about it during the series and you’re accused of trying to gain an edge. If you complain about it after a series is over, then it’s whining and sour grapes.”

Yankee Stadium hockey

The House That George Paid For With Taxpayer Money will accommodate hockey next January.

Yankee Stadium will host two games as part of the NHL’s Coors Light Stadium Series, the league announced yesterday. The Devils will host the Rangers on Sunday, Jan. 26, 2014 at 12:30 p.m., and the Islanders will meet the Rangers three nights later.

The Rangers will be the visiting team in both games.

“The innovative nature of the Stadium Series affords the opportunity to have all three NHL teams in the New York-New Jersey metropolitan area play, outdoors, at one of the most-celebrated stadiums in the world,” NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said in a statement. “We’ll be able to create a multi-faceted, multi-day experience for our fans, and we thank the teams, Coors Light, the New York Yankees and Yankee Stadium for their support of this memorable NHL event.”

The two games at Yankee Stadium are part of a four-game series of outdoor games sponsored by the beer conglomerate. Previously, the NHL announced a Jan. 25, 2014, game between the Ducks and Kings at Dodger Stadium, and a March 1, 2014 match involving the Blackhawks and Penguins at Soldier Field.

These outdoor games are separate from the Jan. 1, 2014, Toronto-Detroit Winter Classic, which will take place at Michigan Stadium. That game was scheduled to take place this past January but had to be postponed due to the NHL lockout.

Information regarding how to purchase tickets will be released shortly.

Injury updates

Ryane Clowe, Darroll Powe and Marc Staal did not practice. There was no update on their conditions. Clowe has not played since Game 5 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals. Powe missed the final four games of the series, while Staal only played in Game 3.

Follow Rangers beat writer Denis Gorman on Twitter @DenisGorman.

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The Rangers and Bruins are meeting in the postseason for the first time since 1973. New York won this year’s regular season series, 2-1. A look at when and where the two teams will clash in the NHL Stanley Cup semi-finals:

• Game 1: at Boston, Thursday, May 16 (7:30 p.m., NBCSN)

• Game 2: at Boston, Sunday, May 19 (3 p.m., NBC)

• Game 3: at New York, Tuesday, May 21 (7:30 p.m., NBCSN)

• Game 4: at New York, Thursday, May 23 (7 p.m., CNBC)

• Game 5: at Boston, Saturday, May 25 (To be determined)

• Game 6: at New York, Monday, May 27 (To be determined)

• Game 7: at Boston, Wednesday, May 29 (To be determined)

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For the first time since the 1973 quarterfinals, the Rangers and Bruins will meet in the Stanley Cup playoffs as the Original Six brethren advanced to the Eastern Conference semifinals with Game 7 wins Monday night.

In the ultimate win-or-go-home-for-the-summer game, the Rangers routed the Capitals, 5-0, Monday night at the Verizon Center.

Trailing in the series 3-2, the Rangers won Games 6 and 7. Last night’s win was the first in the series for either team on the road. It was also the first Game 7 road win in franchise history.

Arron Asham’s off-wing goal 13:19 into the match was the series winner.

Henrik Lundqvist stopped all 35 shots he faced to record his eighth career Stanley Cup Playoff shutout, second most in franchise history behind only Mike Richter.

Taylor Pyatt, Michael Del Zotto, Ryan Callahan and Mats Zuccarello also scored for the Rangers. Ten players recorded at least one point, led by Derick Brassard and Steve Eminger who each had two assists. The plus-3 rating Del Zotto and Anton Stralman finished with led 16 players.

Boston defeated Toronto, 5-4, in overtime. Trailing 4-2 with 1:22 left in regulation, Milan Lucic and Patrice Bergeron potted back-to-back goals to force the extra session. Bergeron scored the series-deciding goal 6:05 into overtime.

The Original Six rivals met three times this season, with the Rangers winning twice.

Follow Rangers beat writer Denis Gorman on Twitter @DenisGorman.

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Moments after the Rangers concluded their 1-0 win in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals, a media member suggested Derek Dorsett’s play in the game was “Prustian,” referring to the gritty ex-Ranger Brandon Prust, now a member of the Canadiens.

Dorsett, acquired on trade deadline day along with Derick Brassard and John Moore from Columbus in exchange for an ineffective Marian Gaborik, played his strongest game of the season Sunday afternoon. In 12 minutes of ice time spanning 14 shifts, Dorsett had three hits and a blocked shot.

“Being out nine weeks, I feel better every day. I feel better every day,” Dorsett said. “I just want to make sure I keep going and doing whatever I can to help this team achieve its goal.”

Dorsett drove the Capitals to distraction in Game 6. He drew three penalties, including a cross check from Mike Green that the right wing said bloodied his upper and lower lip. After the game, the Capitals complained bitterly that Dorsett had attempted to slew foot Green, but multiple replays showed the Rangers winger was attempting to ride the defenseman into the boards.

“I think emotions ride high in the postseason. Things are bound to happen. It’s part of the game and you can expect it,” Dorsett said. “When I get moving my feet and playing hard, sometimes it can get under their skin. Anytime I can do that I want to try and help get the team on the power play.”

As is his wont during the Stanley Cup playoffs, head coach John Tortorella declined to discuss the play of specific players. But he praised the work of the Dorsett-Brian Boyle-Taylor Pyatt third line.

The trio had a combined 12 shot attempts, 10 hits and three blocked shots. Their sustained forecheck gave the Rangers time in the offensive zone.

“I thought everybody contributed,” Tortorella said. “I’m not going to pick out one name but I thought that line played well and forechecked well. He is what he is. He brings us energy and it’s important when you get to this time in the series.”

Home sweet home?

The home team has won every game in this series. Yet the Rangers are confident going into Monday night’s Game 7 at the Verizon Center.

“If you can lose two in overtime, you’re close,” Lundqvist said. “It’s just a bounce and you win it, so we know we can do it.

Boogaard family files suit

According to a published report, the family of Derek Boogaard has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the NHL.

Boogaard died on May 13, 2011, after overdosing on prescription medication and alcohol. At the time, the then-Rangers winger was recuperating from post-concussion symptoms developed after a fight with Matt Carkner, now of the New York Islanders.

An autopsy revealed Boogaard suffered from chronic traumatic encephalopathy. He had 61 fights and 589 penalty minutes in 277 NHL games.

Follow Rangers beat writer Denis Gorman on Twitter @DenisGorman.

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They are two of the most exciting words in sports: Game 7.

The ultimate do-or-die game in sports will be contested at the Verizon Center tonight after the Rangers’ pulsating 1-0 win over the Capitals in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals yesterday afternoon at the Garden.

The best-of-seven series is tied at three games apiece. The puck drops for Game 7 at 8 p.m.

“We are just going to have the same mentality we had coming into this game,” said Derick Brassard, who scored the game’s only goal. “We just played our game [and] had fun. It was positive. The guys were relaxed and that’s what we need to do tomorrow.”

The Rangers broke through 9:39 into the second period on Brassard’s second goal of the series. Brassard’s slap shot from inside the blueline deflected off of Capitals’ defenseman Steve Olesky and past Braden Holtby (28 saves).

“The crowd kept chanting [‘shoot the puck’ and] I didn’t see myself giving a pass to one of my teammates there. I think I had to shoot,” Brassard said. “They obviously want us to shoot. On the ice, it’s a little different. We try and make plays. Sometimes it can work. Sometimes it doesn’t work. I just took two steps and ripped it as hard as I could.”

“We needed it. There was desperation out there,” said Henrik Lundqvist, who made 27 saves to earn his seventh career shutout in the playoffs, and his first since Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals last May.

The Vezina finalist is tied with Hall of Famer Dave Kerr for the second-most Stanley Cup playoff shutouts in franchise history. Mike Richter’s nine playoff shutouts are most in team history.

“I felt like this was going to be the type of game where there were one or two goals, tops,” Lundqvist said. “My focus was on trying to shut it down.”

He was aided by a defensive effort that mostly limited Washington to shots from the outside as the Rangers finished with 17 blocked shots and outhit the Capitals, 33-28.

“We showed a lot of character and worked really hard,” Lundqvist said. “It was that type of game [yesterday] where you pay the price — big blocks, physical.

“Everybody contributed,” head coach John Tortorella said. “For us to sustain the forecheck and sustain some territory, we needed bodies.”

The Capitals did not have a power play in yesterday’s game, as the only penalties assessed to the Rangers were roughing minors to Derek Stepan and Dan Girardi in a scrum involving all 10 skaters on the ice at the final buzzer.

“We know what’s at stake when we put them on the power play. They can capitalize pretty quickly,” Ryan McDonagh said. “One thing that we said every time in-between periods is to use our legs, not our sticks. We have to dictate the tempo and forecheck to create penalties for them.”

Follow Rangers beat writer Denis Gorman on Twitter @DenisGorman.

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As chaos reigned around him, Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist slammed his stick off the Rangers bench.

It was a moment that summed up a night — and maybe a season.

The Rangers are one game away from a premature and unsatisfying end to a season that began with Stanley Cup aspirations after Mike Ribeiro shoved a rebound goal past Lundqvist 9:24 into overtime to give the Capitals a 2-1 win in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals at the Verizon Center.

Washington leads the best-of-seven series, 3-2. Game 6 is set for 4:30 p.m. Sunday at Madison Square Garden due to the Leafs beating the Bruins, 2-1, in Game 5 of that Eastern Conference Quarterfinal series last night.

That the Rangers were in overtime was a testament to Lundqvist. The reigning Vezina winner stopped 33-of-35 shots in a game where the Southeast Division champs out-shot the Rangers, 81-67.

While the Capitals had the better play for the majority of the game, the Rangers actually led 1-0 53 seconds into the game when Brian Boyle tapped a Derick Brassard feed under Braden Holtby (24 saves).

But the Rangers could not capitalize on the advantage or four power plays. The Rangers went 0-for-4 in four man-advantage opportunities in the first two periods.

Then Washington began to surge. Alex Ovechkin, Karl Alzner and John Carlson all fired shots Lundqvist stopped in the final 17 seconds of the first period.

Washington’s barrage intensified over the second and third periods, as the Capitals outshot the Rangers, 19-9. The disparity in shots does not account for the disproportion in possession and zone time. The Capitals initiated the play and the Rangers spent 40 minutes absorbing body blows.

The Capitals tied the game 7:34 into the second period on Joel Ward power play goal. Exactly 11 seconds after Boyle was called for slashing Ribeiro, Ward culminated a game of tic-tac-toe with Marcus Johansson and Nicklas Backstrom with his 11th career playoff goal.

Follow Rangers beat writer Denis Gorman on Twitter @DenisGorman.

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Head coach John Tortorella believes the Rangers possess character and resilience. Those attributes were on full display last night.

There will be at least one more hockey game contested at Madison Square Garden in this abbreviated season after the Rangers evened the Eastern Conference quarterfinal series after a 4-3 win over the Capitals in Game 4 Wednesday night. Game 5 is Friday night at the Verizon Center.

“We got the job done,” said Dan Girardi, who was one of four goal-scorers for the Rangers last night.

Derek Stepan’s goal 6:02 into the third period was the game-winner. Brad Richards and Carl Hagelin also scored goals for the Rangers. Henrik Lundqvist made 27 saves.

The series is now a best-of-three, and neither team has been able to win a game on the road in the first four games.

“We feel good now,” Ryan Callahan said. “We have to keep the momentum and keep the confidence rolling. … It’s a tough building to play in. They play [well] there.”

Richards opened the scoring 16:25 into the first to culminate a bizarre sequence. A shaky Braden Holtby (30 saves) attempted a bad clear that was knocked down by Taylor Pyatt and intercepted by Hagelin, who blasted a slap shot into John Carlson. The rebound bounced out to Richards, who ripped a shot into a half-empty cage.

Hagelin doubled the lead with his second of the series at 10:13 of the second. The left wing one-timed Derick Brassard’s gorgeous cross-ice feed over Holtby’s glove. Brassard has four points in the four games.

“[Brassard] grabbed a hold of it here and makes just a great play on [Girardi’s] goal,” Tortorella said. “He’s stepped in here to try and make a difference and he’s made some big plays for us. I’m not afraid to put him in a lot of different positions in a lot of different situations.”

The Rangers never trailed in the game and, in fact, dominated the Southeast Division champions for the first 35 minutes. But the teams went into the second intermission tied at 2-2.

Mathieu Perreault cut the deficit in half at 13:08 of the second period by stuffing Joel Ward’s rebound through Lundqvist. Troy Brouwer evened the game with 18 seconds left in the period with a backhander after Mike Green was able to keep a loose puck in at the blue line.

“It took us a little while but once we got our legs, I thought it was a pretty good hockey game,” Capitals head coach Adam Oates said. “I think we gave them a couple chances too many. We made a couple mistakes.”

Girardi put the Rangers back up, 3-2, 59 seconds into the third, with a slapshot goal on the power play. Stepan’s goal nearly six minutes later doubled the lead.

“Getting that goal right away by Girardi was key,” Hagelin said. “That’s what we talked about in here [during the second intermission], ‘We want to get the next one.’ They obviously had a good last five minutes there in the second but we came in with a lot of confidence in the third that we were going to score on the [power play], and we did.”

Karl Alzner cut the lead to one, 4-3, with 7:31 left.

From there, the Rangers implemented a rope-a-dope strategy against the Capitals, who shot from everywhere to no avail. The Capitals had 25 shot attempts in the final 7:31.

“Guys are confident. You can’t panic. We weren’t trying to throw pucks away but in those situations you’re just trying to get it out [and] they picked some off,” Girardi said. “For the most part, guys were blocking shots, keep everything to the outside and we found a way to get the win.”

Follow Rangers beat writer Denis Gorman on Twitter @DenisGorman.

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Henrik Lundqvist was the one constant for the Rangers in this most inconsistent of seasons.

Lundqvist was rewarded Wednesday morning for a most remarkable year by being named one of the three finalists for the Vezina Trophy. Columbus’ Sergei Bobrovsky and San Jose’s Antti Niemi are the other finalists.

Lundqvist is a Vezina finalist for the fifth time in his career. He finished third in 2006, 2007 and 2008, and won the award for the first time last year.

“It means a lot. I am really proud to be in that category,” Lundqvist said after the Rangers’ early skate at the Garden before Game 4 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinal series against the Capitals. The Rangers trail the best-of-seven series, 2-1.

“It’s been an interesting year — a different year, a shorter season. [It's been a] tight schedule [and] things maybe didn’t go our way all the time. When you have to work really hard to get back in the race and to finally get in, it’s just a big reward. Last year, I thought a lot of things were going our way. This year we had to work really hard for it. Consistency this year is something I am very pleased about.”

Lundqvist compiled a 24-16-3 record with a 2.05 goals against average and .926 save percentage during the abbreviated season. He led the league in wins and starts (43).

“He is the backbone of our club,” head coach John Tortorella said. “I think in the past number of years, you would have your starting goalie and you would never take him out. I think more and more teams flip flop their goalies. Certainly, it’s nothing against the goalies that have been here behind him. That doesn’t cross our minds. He is that good and that consistent.”

In a typical season, the Rangers would have limited Lundqvist to around 60 games in order to keep the goaltender fresh while getting in the subsequent practice work with goaltending coach Benoit Allaire.

Tortorella did not have that option this season due to its truncated nature. Lundqvist started the last 14 games of the regular season as the Rangers battled to clinch a playoff berth for the seventh time in the last eight years.

“We were still trying to get him some rest,” Tortorella said.

Reserve goaltender Martin Biron only played six games this season. He was 2-2-1 with a 2.32 GAA and .917 save percentage. His last game was the 3-0 win in Montreal on March 30.

“But as we went through our years and we were fighting along trying to get in, I played him more than I certainly expected to,” Tortorella said. “You have to make those adjustments along the way.”

Bobrovsky (21-11-6, 2.00 GAA, .923 save percentage, four shutouts) and Niemi (24-12-6, 2.16 GAA, .924 save percentage, four shutouts) are finalists for the first time in their careers.

The NHL’s 30 general managers vote for the Vezina. The winner will be announced during the Stanley Cup final.

Follow Rangers beat writer Denis Gorman on Twitter @DenisGorman for coverage throughout the playoffs.

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The season has not been salvaged, but it has been extended.

The Rangers battled their way to a 4-3 win over the Capitals last night at the Garden. Washington leads 2-1 in the series.

“It’s huge. We definitely knew it was a big game,” Derek Stepan said. Stepan’s goal at 613:35 of the third was the game-winner. It was his first goal of the playoffs. “We didn’t want to go down three-zip. [Game 3] changed the series quite a bit.”

“Be a little tenacious,” Brian Boyle said. “Don’t be satisfied with one win and four goals. You have to keep going.”

Boyle skated 20:42 spanning 29 shifts last night. He finished with two points (a goal and an assist), attempted six shots, blocked two shots threw a hit and won 14 of 21 faceoffs.

In a game in which scrums seemingly ensued after every whistle, the Rangers outhit Washington, 33-22, and had a 19-14 advantage in blocked shots.

“I think our style is of a grind-it-out style,” Stepan said. “We know their top line has a lot of skill and their power play has a lot of skill. We have to continue to work on our game, getting our game to our pace.”

The Rangers also benefited from secondary scoring. Arron Asham and Derick Brassard added goals. Brassard’s goal came on the power play, which has long been a detriment for the team. The Rangers finished 1-for-6 on the power play and killed off all three of Washington’s opportunities with the man advantage.

“They did a really good job of protecting [Henrik Lundqvist],” Capitals coach Adam Oates said of the Rangers’ final penalty kill, a 4-on-6 over the last 114 seconds. “We probably could have tried a better way to get to the net to start the process of [Lundqvist] not being able to cover his rebounds — get to the second waves. We were probably a little too cute with it.”

Lundqvist was a virtuoso in stopping 28-of-31 shots, including all 11 off the stick of Alex Ovechkin. He yielded just Nicklas Backstrom’s game-opening goal 4:06 into the match, Mike Green’s marker at 17:19 of the second, which tied the game 2-2, and Jay Beagle’s goal 7:19 into the third.

“There was a lot of determination going into this game,” Lundqvist said. “We knew we had to win this one. It was a must win.”

The Rangers also got a boost from the return of Marc Staal to the lineup after missing 29 games due to an eye injury. Staal skated 17:17 as part of a second defense pair with Anton Stralman.

“He’s so well-respected in the room and this is two major injuries that he has come back from,” head coach John Tortorella said, referring to the concussion that limited Staal to 46 games in 2011-12. “It really helps the room. He’s so well-liked and there are times when you can tell it’s going to take a little bit to totally get back but he made some really big plays at key times too.”

Follow Rangers beat writer Denis Gorman on Twitter @DenisGorman.

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The Rangers trail the Capitals, 2-0, in the best-of-seven series, and have scored only one goal in 128 minutes in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals.

For many coaches, it would be cause for concern. Head coach John Tortorella is not most coaches.

“I think [the first two games] have been a hell of a lot more even than a lot of other people think,” Tortorella said in his morning press briefing before Monday night’s Game 3 at The Garden. “I think we’re close. I will put it to you that way.”

Part of the basis for Tortorella’s belief is that the Rangers have generated 60 shots on goal in the first two games, including Rick Nash hitting the post midway through a scoreless third period Saturday afternoon.

“Playoff series [are about] momentum [shifts] within the game,” Tortorella said “What if Rick Nash scores his goal in the third period [of Game 2]? [The momentum] changes.”

Most likely, Saturday’s games does change if Nash scores. But what did happen was Mike Green blasted a slap shot past Henrik Lundqvist eight minutes into overtime, and now the Rangers are in a must-win game.

“We need to win a game and that is all we are thinking about,” Tortorella said. “It means squat if you don’t win.”

Nearing full strength

Will the Rangers have all hands on deck Monday night?

Thirteen players participated in the optional morning skate at The Garden, including defenseman Marc Staal and left wing Ryane Clowe.

Staal has not played since March 5, when he suffered an eye injury when he was struck in the face by a Kimmo Timonen slap shot. Clowe has missed the last three games with an undisclosed injury suffered in the 4-3 overtime in Carolina on April 25.

“I feel pretty good,” Clowe said after the skate. “I [felt] pretty good out there. Obviously you guys want to know if I’m going to play tonight but I’m not sure.”

The Rangers acquired Clowe from San Jose on April 2. In 12 games with the Blueshirts, Clowe recorded three goals and eight points.

“Like anyone else at this time of year, no one is 100 percent. But when I come back I’ll definitely feel capable of doing everything that I think I can bring or the style I can play, which is obviously a physical style. I think that’s the key point I’m looking at here,” Clowe said. “Whenever guys come back, they’re not going to come back and put themselves at risk, even though we’re all tough guys and play through injuries. But more than anything, guys look at how they can help the team.”

Staal was unavailable for comment.

Follow Rangers beat writer Denis Gorman on Twitter @DenisGorman.

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The worst truths are the ones that are painful.

For the New York Rangers, the painful truth is they have played well in the first two games of the Eastern Conference quarterfinal series and yet are returning home down 2-0 in the best-of-seven series.

Mike Green’s power-play goal eight minutes into overtime was the only marker in the Capitals’ 1-0 overtime win Saturday afternoon at the Verizon Center. Game 3 is Monday night at the Garden.

Green’s game-winner came exactly one minute after Ryan McDonagh was assessed a two-minute minor for delay of game, and set off a wild celebration inside the raucous arena.

The goal was Henrik Lundqvist’s lone mistake in an oft-spectacular 37-save performance. Lundqvist made 25 saves in the final two periods of regulation and overtime.

Washington was 1-for-2 on the power play.

Unlike Game 1, the Rangers were far more physical in Game 2 and were able generate zone time. The Rangers generated 57 shot attempts, threw more hits (58-50) and blocked more shots (21-13).

Those were undeniable positives.

But the undeniable negatives are that the Rangers went 0-for-3 on the man advantage, and were unable to solve Braden Holtby. The Capitals’ netminder stopped all 24 shots he faced.

Washington has outscored the Rangers, 4-1, in the first two games of the series.

Follow Rangers beat writer Denis Gorman on Twitter @DenisGorman.

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It is clear this spring’s Rangers-Capitals series will not be 60-minute long staring contests.

The Capitals took Game 1 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinal series, 3-1, in a manner decidedly opposite last season’s Rangers series win.

Unlike 2012, when the Dale Hunter-run Caps played to avoid mistakes, new head coach Adam Oates turned Game 1 into a track meet instead of the physical, grinding game the Rangers believe they must play in order to be successful.

Carl Hagelin’s wraparound 16:44 into the series gave the Rangers an early lead, but it would be their only goal.

The Rangers could not grow the lead, despite four power plays, and Washington continued to press. It paid off when Alex Ovechkin one-timed Mike Green’s rebound for a power-play goal at 6:59 of the second to tie the game at 1-1. Ovechkin’s goal was his 31st in 52 playoff games.

Eight minutes later Marcus Johansson potted the go-ahead goal on a semi-breakaway. Jason Chimera’s goal 46 seconds later ended the scoring.

The Rangers had a chance to cut the deficit to 3-2 late in the third, when John Moore’s off-angled shot hit Braden Holtby, who contorted his body into the cage. But replays were inconclusive and it was ruled no goal.

Lundqvist made 29 saves. Holtby stopped 34-of-35 shots.

The Rangers were 0-for-4 on the power play. Washington went 1-for-4.

Follow Rangers beat writer Denis Gorman on Twitter @DenisGorman.

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There are signs that spring is upon us. The days are longer, the weather is warmer and the Rangers and Capitals meet in a playoff series.

For the third time in the three years — and the fourth time in five years — the Rangers and Capitals will face off in the playoffs. The Eastern Conference quarterfinal series begins Thursday night at the Verizon Center in Washington.

“We wanted to keep on playing,” head coach John Tortorella said after the Rangers ended the regular season with a 4-0 win over the Devils Saturday afternoon at the Garden.

A preseason favorite to win the Stanley Cup, the Rangers spent much of the first 10 weeks of the season alternating wins and losses before authoring a strong April, in which they went 10-3-1 and led the NHL with a 3.6 goals per game average.

“We are where we need to be,” Dan Girardi said Saturday. “April was a good month for us. We played our style of hockey and won in different fashions.”

The strong April coincides with the trade-deadline acquisitions of Ryane Clowe in a trade with San Jose, Derick Brassard, John Moore and Derek Dorsett in a trade with Columbus and the free-agent signing of Mats Zuccarello.

“I’m really happy with the past month, five weeks,” Tortorella said. “I really like the team. I think we stabilized ourselves when we got a little bit of the middle of the lineup straightened away.”

It has also had the effect of jump-starting a slumping Brad Richards. Richards, who finished the season with 11 goals and 23 assists for 34 points in 45 games, scored 16 points (six goals and 10 assists) in April.

“It’s been a work in progress,” Richards said Saturday. “It’s a good time to start feeling good.

“If it’s an 82-game schedule I probably don’t let some of the stuff get to me like I did. In the position I was in, it is tough to see your team battling in the seventh, eighth, ninth spot if you aren’t producing. I might have forced it a bit because of the short season. I got out of my game and my mind got in the way a little bit. Finally, something broke through. I started contributing and it just feels better.”

Tortorella created a line of Richards, Zuccarello and Rick Nash in the 4-3 overtime win over the Carolina on April 25, and the trio has fit together. Richards scored the game-tying goal against Carolina, and the line combined for two goals, three assists, five points and a plus-6 rating against the Devils.

“He has certainly found his game,” Tortorella said of Richards on Saturday. “Some of the goals he scored — it doesn’t matter with those type of goals — one was off a skate, one was off the backboard, it does not matter. It relaxes them a little bit.

“I thought that line, [when] we put it together the last game, I thought it ignited [Nash] in our last game. When he was with [Brassard] and Clowe — before Clowe go hurt — it just wasn’t working. Hopefully it will continue.”

Washington won two of the past three series, but the Rangers beat the Capitals in seven games last May to advance to the Eastern Conference final. Last year’s Eastern Conference semifinal is memorable for Marian Gaborik’s triple overtime game-winner in Game 3, Richards’ tying goal with 7.7 seconds left in the Rangers’ 3-2 overtime win in Game 5 and Dale Hunter’s bizarre usage of Alex Ovechkin.

Series breakdown …

FORWARDS: This looks to be as even as can be. Of Washington’s 146 goals, 124 were scored by forwards, led by Alex Ovechkin’s league-most 32. The Rangers finished 15th in the league with 126 goals. One hundred and eight were scored by forwards, led by Rick Nash’s team-high 21. The Blueshirts led the league in April with a 3.6 goals per game average, and John Tortorella has said the trade-deadline acquisitions of Ryane Clowe and Derick Brassard have provided the coach depth. Tortorella is hopeful Derek Dorsett — also acquired at the deadline — and Brian Boyle will be able to play at some point.

DEFENSE: This is a clear Blueshirt advantage. Tortorella has three defensive pairs he can use, compared to last spring when he was limited to five defensemen. The top pairing of Dan Girardi and Ryan McDonagh will be paired against Ovechkin’s line. They will be followed by the second and third groupings of Michael Del Zotto-Anton Stralman and Steve Eminger-John Moore. There is a decided drop off from Washington’s first two pairings — Mike Green-Karl Alzner and John Carlson-John Erskine — and the third unit of Jack Hillen and Steve Olesky.

GOALTENDING: Following the regular-season ending 4-0 win over the Devils at the Garden Saturday afternoon, Henrik Lundqvist said three words that should give the Rangers a great deal of confidence heading into the Stanley Cup playoffs: “I feel good.” Lundqvist ended the year with a 24-16-3 record and two shutouts. Last year’s playoff darling, Braden Holtby finished his first full year as a starter 23-13-1 with a 2.58 GAA and .920 save percentage. Holtby went 1-2 with a 2.71 GAA and .923 save percentage in three games against the Rangers.

SPECIAL TEAMS: Tortorella did not want to talk about special teams following Saturday’s season-ending win over the Devils, but it is a certainty the coaching staff and players are working on the man-up and man-down units. The Rangers finished 23rd (15.7 percent) and 15th (81.1 percent), respectively, on the power play and penalty kill. Washington’s 26.8 percent power-play efficiency led the NHL.

PREDICTION: This appears to be the best of the eight first-round series. Logical arguments can be made for either team winning. Both teams enter the playoffs playing their best hockey of the season. The Rangers won 10-of-14 games in April while Washington rebounded from a slow start to the season to win 16 of their final 20 games and clinched the Southeast Division title in the process. Lundqvist will be the difference.

RANGERS IN SEVEN.

Follow Rangers beat writer Denis Gorman on Twitter @DenisGorman for coverage throughout the postseason.

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Don’t call it a comeback. Brad Richards has played the same game all year.

“My game hasn’t been that much different,” Richards said after the Rangers’ 4-1 win over the Devils Sunday afternoon at the Garden.

The center finished the match with two points, and now has seven points (four goals and three assists) in the last three games.

“Hopefully they keep coming.”

Even though head coach John Tortorella prefers not to publicly rank his lines, Richards has become the third-line center following the trade deadline acquisitions of Ryane Clowe, Derick Brassard, Derek Dorsett and John Moore.

Centering Clowe and Mats Zuccarello, Richards has 11 points in the 10 games since the April 3 deadline.

“[It’s] been an up-and-down year,” Richards said. “We want more consistency.”

Devils irked

Let’s just say NHL referees Chris Rooney and Francois St. Laurent should not ask the Devils to offer any job assessment evaluations.

The Devils were penalized seven times for a total of 14 minutes. Of the Devils’ seven penalties, two were bench minors and one was a game misconduct assessed to head coach Pete DeBoer with 15 seconds remaining.

“He knows we’re out of the playoffs and everybody is frustrated and just 15 seconds left,” Ilya Kovalchuk told reporters when asked about DeBoer’s ejection. “You don’t have to put on a show. We all respect the refs and we know their job is not easy, but you just have to respect the other people too.”

“A little frustration on my part that two of our players would get unsportsmanlike conducts in an elimination game,” DeBoer said. “The sensitivity of some of the officials is beyond me.”

Rooney was part of the officiating team which called Game 6 of the Stanley Cup final, along with referee Dan O’Rourke and linesmen Derek Amell and Jean Morin.

Midway through the first period of that game, Steve Bernier was assessed a 10-minute misconduct for boarding Kings defenseman Rob Scuderi. The Kings scored three power-play goals en route to a 6-1 win that ended the Devils season.

When asked if the Devils harbored resentment toward Rooney dating back to Game 6, Ryan Carter told reporters, “I’m smart enough not to answer that.”

NHL notes …

» Despite the win, the Rangers are in eighth with the same amount of points (52) as the Senators. Ottawa holds a game in hand.

The Senators host Pittsburgh tonight. They finish the season with a game Thursday in Washington, at home Saturday night against the Flyers and in Boston Sunday night.

» Both the Rangers and Devils have three games remaining this season. The Rangers will be in Florida on Tuesday and Carolina on Thursday, while the Devils host Montreal and Pittsburgh on those days. The teams will meet at the Garden on April 27 to conclude their regular seasons.

Follow Rangers beat writer Denis Gorman on Twitter @DenisGorman.

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The two-word mantra “still alive” was being espoused from all corners of the Rangers’ room Sunday afternoon.

“We are trying to climb in the standings,” captain Ryan Callahan said after the Rangers 4-1 win over the Devils Sunday afternoon at the Garden.

The Rangers are 24-17-5 this season, and have won three in a row. The Rangers have 52 points with three games remaining — all against teams who are out of the playoffs.

“We aren’t looking behind us,” Callahan said. “It’s another two points. Now we have to get more.”

Facing a hated rival who was playing the second game of a weekend back-to-back, and was the team that eliminated them from the Stanley Cup playoffs last May, the Rangers were focused on starting quickly.

They did just that.

Callahan pinballed Carl Hagelin’s behind-the-goal-line feed off of Martin Brodeur’s skate just 34 seconds into the match.

The Rangers are 16-2-1 this season when scoring first.

“We have been getting some bounces,” Callahan said. He later flipped in a power-play knuckler 5:13 into the third period that pushed the advantage to 4-0. “[We are] getting some chances. [Derek Stepan], Hags and I have been playing well together. It’s just a matter of converting when you have opportunities.”

Energized by the quick goal, the Rangers surged and led 2-0 at intermission. Stepan scored the other goal in the period with a redirection of a Ryan McDonagh pass. The Rangers had more shot attempts, 16-10, in the period.

Taylor Pyatt’s first goal since Feb. 26 increased the lead to 3-0 at 11:56 of the second period.

“We were just trying to be simple and use our forechecking strength,” McDonagh said. “Get in their zone and grind it out.”

The Rangers accomplished their goal, and in doing so drove the Devils to distraction.

For a team that needed to win to keep their slim playoff hopes alive, the Devils spent much of the afternoon expressing frustration toward referees Chris Rooney and Francois St. Laurent.

Devils head coach Pete DeBoer was assessed a game misconduct with 15 seconds remaining and was ejected. A bench minor against the Devils for abuse of officials was assessed in the first, and Patrik Elias was given an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty early in the third.

“There was frustration,” DeBoer said. “It’s obviously not the way you want to go out. But that’s how it ends for us. We will have to regroup and move forward.”

The Devils will miss the playoffs for the second time in three seasons, and for only the fourth time in the last quarter century.

“It hasn’t sunk in,” DeBoer said. “I think you don’t want to think about it until it’s actually a reality. [There is] no other word than disappointment.”

To a man, the Rangers expressed no satisfaction in eliminating the Devils from the playoffs. Three hundred and thirty-one days earlier, at the Prudential Center, Adam Henrique’s tap-in 63 seconds into overtime sent the Devils to the Stanley Cup final while the Rangers began a summer overhaul that saw the organization eventually acquire Rick Nash.

“We weren’t worried about them or that,” Callahan said when asked about eliminating the Devils. “It’s all about us and it has been all year.”

“We weren’t thinking about last year,” McDonagh said. “This is a totally different [season] and we’re trying to fight for our lives.”

The Rangers went 1-for-6 in 9:15 worth of power-play time. The Devils did not convert on either of their two power plays.

Henrik Lundqvist made 26 saves. Andrei Loktionov scored his eighth goal of the season with 6:30 remaining to keep the Devils from being shutout. Brodeur allowed all four goals on 22 shots.

Follow Rangers beat writer Denis Gorman on Twitter @DenisGorman.

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Head coach John Tortorella was resigned to the fact Chris Kreider was the best solution to a bad situation.

“The thing we settled on was [Kreider’s] speed,” Tortorella said in his pregame press conference before last night’s match against the Panthers. “We want to try to play with more pace so that’s who we go with.”

Kreider was called up for the fourth time this season Wednesday in response to Brian Boyle’s injury in Tuesday’s 4-2 loss to the Flyers. Tortorella said Boyle “won’t be in” the next two games — Friday in Buffalo and Sunday afternoon against the Devils.

Tortorella had Kreider on a fourth line with Darroll Powe and Arron Asham. When asked by Metro New York if he envisioned Kreider skating on Brad Richards’ line — Richards centered Mats Zuccarello and Ryane Clowe — Tortorella said, “I’m not going to go over my lines with you.”

Kreider has three points (two goals and an assist) in 17 games with the Rangers. He recorded 23 points (12 goals and 11 assists) in 48 games with the Whale. However, Tortorella has routinely espoused his concern Kreider’s development not be stymied by the Rangers’ need for depth and offense.

“He’s played some games [with the Rangers this season],” Tortorella said of Kreider. “There [are] a number of players we talked about. I’m still not crazy about bringing a kid here.

“His asset is his speed, especially. That’s what we go with.”

Fighting for No. 8

The facts are what they are.

The Rangers are holding on to the eighth spot in the Eastern Conference with six games remaining in the abbreviated season. For a group who entered the season believing itself a Stanley Cup contender, the season has been tinged with frustration and confusion.

But Tortorella does not sense panic with his group.

“We’re fine, we’re fine,” Tortorella said when asked how the coaching staff minimizes pressure on the players. “Go about your business. Believe in the team, which I do. Just go about our business.”

Rangers notes …

» The organization announced Thursday morning it agreed to terms with free agent forward Michael Kantor. Kantor, 21, played last season for the Ontario Hockey League’s Sudbury Wolves where he recorded 20 goals and 33 points in 56 games. He added four points and 12 penalty minutes in nine playoff games.

» Ryan Callahan won the Steven McDonald Extra Effort Award. It marked the fourth time in his career that Callahan won the prestigious award named for a New York City police officer who was wounded in duty in 1988.

Follow Rangers beat writer Denis Gorman on Twitter @DenisGorman.

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The Rangers’ special teams have not been special this season. But at the time of year in which wins and losses are most vital, it was those units that led the way.

The Rangers wake up Friday morning still in the eighth spot after the specialty units were strong in a 6-1 rout of the Panthers Thursday night at the Garden.

“The special teams played really well,” goaltender Henrik Lundqvist said.

Derick Brassard and Rick Nash gave the Rangers all the offense they would need in the first period as the duo scored two power-play goals in a six-minute span of first period. The Rangers finished 2-for-4 on the power play and penalty kill units eliminated Florida’s only man-advantage opportunity. The Rangers’ penalty killers are 21-for-23 in the last nine games

“You want to get your power play going. I think it’s a reason why we lose, because of our power play. It’s good. [We] made some good plays. To score quick power play goals to get started was important to us,” head coach John Tortorella said.

“The penalty killing has been good. In the last six or seven games [it] has give us a chance to stay in the game when our power play is not working that well.”

Nash finished with three points, and Brassard, Ryan Callahan, Brad Richards and Mats Zuccarello had two points. Eleven Rangers were plus-1 or better and ten players recorded at least one point. Lundqvist made 34 saves to win his 20th game of the season.

“I don’t give a crap who contributes,” Tortorella said. “It doesn’t matter to me. I don’t give a crap whether [it is new], old, veteran, rookie as long as we get contributions from everybody. That’s the only way we’re going to find a way. We have to keep on finding people to contribute.”

Even with the win, the Rangers remain as the No. 8 seed. They entered the game three points behind the seventh-seeded Islanders, who beat Toronto 5-3. The Rangers are in Buffalo, which they lead by four points, Friday night. Winnipeg, who beat Carolina 4-3 in overtime, trail the Rangers by two points.

But as they noted, the Rangers are in the enviable position of not needing help to reach the playoffs.

“It’s very important,” Richards said. “It’s all you can really ask for when you put yourself in [the] situation [that the Rangers are in]. The main thing you can ask for is that it’s in our hand. We can do what we need to do and it will be on us if something doesn’t happen. We plan on being in there and moving up. We just have to get in.”

Jonathan Huberdeau’s 14th goal of the season was Florida’s only score. Scott Clemmensen allowed all six goals on 30 shots.

“I felt that if we were going to give ourselves a chance to win this game from three goals back we had to push extremely hard. The game finished ugly and that’s the nature of it,” Panthers coach Kevin Dineen said. “That’s what we are going to see every time against these guys. They’re Cookie Monsters that are certainly out there and hungry at the end of the game.”

Follow Rangers beat writer Denis Gorman on Twitter @DenisGorman.

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As the final minutes of the Islanders’ 4-1 win over the Flyers ticked off the clock Tuesday night, the 13,888 at the Nassau Coliseum began chanting “We want playoffs.”

The chant was equal parts plea, demand and request.

Saturday night, against their most hated rival, the Islanders and Rangers will meet at the Coliseum for the fourth and final time in this abbreviated regular season in one of the most anticipated games between the two in recent memory.

“We really haven’t accomplished a whole lot. We’ve given ourselves an opportunity and we just want to take advantage of the opportunity,” Islanders star John Tavares said after the win over the Flyers.

Tavares finished with two points (a goal and an assist) and a plus-1 rating Tuesday night in another statement performance about his Hart Trophy candidacy.

“We have a great opportunity. I think we want to give it to them. That’s what we’re striving for. We’re playing much better and giving ourselves the best possible chance we can. Just keep going the way we are and I like our chances.”

Due to the NHL’s convoluted formula to determine winners and losers, the Rangers are 2-0-1 against the Islanders this season, while the suburban team is 1-1-1 against the Original 6 franchise.

The Rangers won the last meeting, a 2-1 overtime decision March 7. Since-departed Marian Gaborik scored the overtime winner with a slap shot from the point on the power play which led to Islanders assistant coach Brent Thompson being suspended for two games for “inappropriate and abusive comments he directed at on-ice officials,” according to league statement the following day.

The teams could enter the match in a three-way tie with Ottawa with 44 points. The Rangers are off until Saturday. The Islanders were in Boston on Thursday night while the Senators visited the free-falling Flyers.

“Yeah, a point,” head coach John Tortorella said when asked about the importance of the skills competition point the Rangers earned in the 3-2 shootout win over the Leafs Wednesday night at the Garden. “At this time of year, it’s a huge second point for us, there’s no question. That’s a big, big win for us. To get those two points is really important for us at this time of year.”

Ottawa is the sixth seed due to two fewer regulation and overtime losses. The Senators have a game in hand on both the Rangers and Islanders. The Rangers and Islanders each have eight games remaining this season.

The Islanders are in seventh because of one more regulation and overtime win. Even with the 3-2 shootout win over Toronto Wednesday night, the Rangers are in eighth. But if the Senators and Islanders lose in regulation, the Rangers could enter Saturday night’s match in sixth.

“We need all the points we can get right now so it’s great to see [Henrik Lundqvist] and [Mats Zuccarello] step up in the shootout,” Carl Hagelin said after the win over the Leafs. He and Ryan McDonagh each finished with two points in that match. “Two points [are] what we are looking for every game.”

Follow Rangers beat writer Denis Gorman on Twitter @DenisGorman.

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Breakdown is not just a lyric to a Bob Seger song. It also defined the Rangers evening.

Luckily for them, Henrik Lundqvist was in goal.

Lundqvist stole two points in the Rangers’ 3-2 shootout win over the Maple Leafs Wednesday night at the Garden.

“We we did [have breakdowns]. Henrik was there as he’s been all year,” defenseman Ryan McDonagh said. “I think, he in himself, wanted to make sure we got that second point in the shootout and he did a great job.”

The reigning Vezina winner made 23 saves in regulation and overtime, then stopped all three Toronto shooters in the skills competition.

“Tonight, I felt better,” Lundqvist said. “I was making better decisions and I was reading the plays better. I thought I felt better and I thought I played better tonight.”

The Rangers improved to 20-16-4 this season. They are in a three-way tie with the Senators and Islanders with 44 points.

“We played a really strong game and I’m happy we got the two points,” Lundqvist said. “It’s a time we have to be desperate and I think that helped us a lot tonight.”

Ottawa would be the No. 6 seed if the playoffs began today. The Islanders are in seventh and the Rangers are in eighth. Ottawa has a game in hand on the Islanders and Rangers, who will meet Saturday night at the Nassau Coliseum.

The Senators have two fewer regulation and overtime losses than the Rangers and Islanders. The Islanders have one more regulation and overtime—non-shootout—win than do the Rangers.

“It’s a huge second point for us,” head coach John Tortorella said. “That’s a big, big win for us. To get those two points is really important for us at this time of year.”

Mats Zuccarello scored the only goal in shootout. Carl Hagelin and Ryan McDonagh each finished with a goal and an assist.

McDonagh’s goal gave the Rangers a 2-1 lead. The nominal left-side defenseman was on the opposite side when he jumped into the play and corralled Derick Brassard’s wall pass. McDonagh made an inside-out move on Nazem Kadri before cutting toward the middle and whipping a shot past a screened James Reimer (26 saves).

“I always see it in Ryan,” Tortorella said when asked if he thought McDonagh made a concerted effort to be a difference-maker. Paired with Dan Girardi, McDonagh received 26:37 of ice time. Girardi skated 34 shifts spanning 28:52.

“He’s always trying to make a difference. Quite honestly, I gave him crap about that move earlier in the game. He does it again and scores a goal. So much for coaching,” Tortorella joked. “Ryan McDonagh is always going to try and make plays no matter what’s left in his tank. [He] and [Girardi] played well tonight and played a number of minutes.”

Phil Kessel scored two goals for Toronto. Kessel’s first goal opened the scoring 102 seconds into the second period and his second goal tied the game at 2-2.

Kessel’s second goal also ended a shotless streak of 24:33. The Leafs finished with 25 shots on goal. However, they had only 14 spanning the final two periods and overtime.

The Rangers took away the middle of the ice away from the Leafs for much of the game. Toronto generated its chances due to Rangers turnovers and bad pinches.

“We played much better defensively,” Tortorella said. “I know they concentrated on it. I’m happy they grinded away and found a way. I’m happy they found a way to get two points.”

Follow Rangers beat writer Denis Gorman on Twitter @DenisGorman.

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The Rangers hold J.T. Miller in high esteem.

But a team in the midst of a playoff push in the final games of a truncated season does not have time to live with the mistakes a 20-year-old will make.

“He needs to play,” head coach John Tortorella said about Miller prior to the Rangers’ game against the Leafs. The Rangers sent Miller down to AHL Connecticut on Tuesday. “I think he has a bright future but the future is not right now.”

Miller had two goals and four points in 26 games. But his minus-7 rating along with reconstructed lines following the trades for Ryane Clowe, Derick Brassard and Derek Dorsett made the rookie the odd man out.

“I like where the lineup is as far as the personnel,” Tortorella said. “He did some good things, but you could see as it was going on that more and more mistakes were coming into his game. It’s the wrong way to develop a player.”

Still, Tortorella left the door open for a return should the need arise.

“We’ll talk to [hockey operations with the Whale] as we go through. If we have injuries here or whatever it may be, we’ll check who the best guy is at that point in time with [head coach] Kenny [Gernander] and [the] staff,” Tortorella said.

More Mats please

Mats Zuccarello was brought back to provide offense.

While he has played well, the diminutive winger only has two assists in six games with the Rangers, which has Tortorella concerned.

“He’s got to score,” Tortorella said. “He’s had chances. He’s created chances [but] he hasn’t scored. I thought him, along with a number of other people, forgot how to play defense the last game in critical times.”

The left wing on Brad Richards’s line only had two shots on goal in the 4-3 loss to the Leafs Monday night at the Air Canada Centre. He skated 23 shifts totaling 21:46 of ice time in that game.

Zuccarello was signed after Metallurg Magnitogorsk was eliminated by Salavat Yulaev in the first round of the Kontinental Hockey League playoffs. He finished the regular season with 28 points (11 goals and 17 assists) in 44 games, and had four points (two goals and two assists) in seven playoff games.

“Zucc is a different player than last year. I think he’s in better shape. I think he’s quicker on the ice. I feel very comfortable putting him in situations,” Tortorella said. “But he’s got to score. He’s got to score in the shootout. It’s nice that we’ve seen it before but we need it now.”

Follow Rangers beat writer Denis Gorman on Twitter @DenisGorman.

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1) Chicago Blackhawks (27-5-3, previous No. 2) – The Blackhawks regain the top spot since they’ve won two games in a row and most importantly, they have less injuries to key players than the Penguins. Patrick Sharp could return this week, which will only help Chicago’s NHL-best goal-differential of plus-43.

2) Pittsburgh Penguins (28-9-0, previous No. 2) – Pittsburgh’s 15-game winning streak ended on Tuesday against Buffalo but more importantly, Sidney Crosby (who would be the NHL MVP right now) is out indefinitely after breaking his jaw on Saturday. We’ll have to see how the Penguins play with newcomer Jarome Iginla in the lineup, but no Crosby.

3) Montreal Canadiens (23-7-5, previous No. 4) – The Habs didn’t make any real moves at the trade deadline which signifies confidence in their current group. They’ve won their last three games and they are 7-2-1 in their last 10 games. Montreal is 2-1 against Boston this season and they have a chance to wrap up the season series on Saturday at the Bell Centre vs. the Bruins.

4) Anaheim Ducks (24-7-5, previous No. 3) – The Ducks haven’t been themselves lately (4-4-2 in their last 10 games), or perhaps they are finally regressing to the mean after an incredible start. The Ducks begin a five-game homestand tonight (tied for their longest of the season) which is bizarre since they played Dallas on Monday then they play them Wednesday and Friday (three games in a row).

5) Boston Bruins (23-8-4, previous No. 5) – Other than Iginla and Marion Gaborik, the B’s made probably the biggest acquisition of the trade deadline by getting Jaromir Jagr. After playing listlessly for a few weeks, they’ve won their last two games thanks to backup goaltender Anton Khudobin, who earned back-to-back starts (allowing two combined goals). Their concern is Patrice Bergeron’s health after the do-everything center left Tuesday’s game with a possible concussion.

6) Minnesota Wild (21-12-2, previous No. 6) – The Wild are in a dogfight for home ice with Vancouver but they made a nice move by trading for Buffalo captain Jason Pominville (10 goals, 15 assists) before the deadline. He should help create more balance between their lines that are very top heavy.

7) Vancouver Canucks (19-11-6, previous No. 7) – The Canucks were another winner from the trade deadline since they got Derek Roy (18 assists) from the Stars for a prospect and second-round draft pick. Vancouver tried to flip Roberto Luongo to Toronto but his albatross of a contract held them back from getting it done.

8) Los Angeles Kings (20-13-3, previous No. 10) – The Kings obtained defenseman Robin Regehr from the Sabres but other than that, the defending Stanley Cup champs are healthy and still loaded with talent. Thanks to Jeff Carter (20 goals, 4th in NHL), the Kings have scored more goals (104) than expected.

9) Toronto Maple Leafs (20-12-4, previous No. 12) – Toronto has won its last three games but it is weird that they didn’t make any moves at the trade deadline since their situation in goal is still muddled at best. It looks like they’ll make the playoffs which is a big deal for them, but advancing is another story.

10) San Jose Sharks (18-11-6, previously No. 14) – The Sharks are the hottest team in the NHL with five straight wins. It has taken them this long, but they have finally started to live up to their abilities – although it is interesting that they traded one of their emotional leaders, Ryane Clowe, to the Rangers for draft picks.

11) Ottawa Senators (18-11-6, previous No. 8) – If the Senators make the playoffs, they have to hope they don’t play the Bruins. Boston has won all four games against Ottawa this season (they meet once more) and making that more painful, they have all been by one goal. Craig Anderson is close to returning which is why they flipped backup goaltender Ben Bishop to Buffalo for rookie winger Cory Conacher.

12) Detroit Red Wings (18-13-5, previous No. 9) – The Red Wings didn’t make a single trade around the deadline which is interesting since this underachieving team hasn’t played nearly well enough to earn that respect. They are the only team currently in the top eight in the West without a positive goal-differential (zero).

13) New York Islanders (18-13-6, previous No. 19) – Nobody could have imagined this, and we’re still four weeks away from the playoffs, but at this moment the Islanders are the best team in the New York area (Islanders, Rangers, Devils and Sabres). Their next three games are against teams outside the top eight in the East: Washington, Tampa Bay and Philadelphia so they need to rack up the points there.

14) St. Louis Blues (18-14-2, previous No. 13) – Now that the Sharks have gained their skating legs, the Blues have to be called the most underachieving team in the West. Still, they are hanging on to the eighth spot so they haven’t been a complete train wreck. Defenseman Jay Bouwmeester, who they obtained from Calgary, should help them right away.

15) Edmonton Oilers (15-13-7, previously not ranked) – People have been waiting for years and it looks like the Oilers have finally put together enough good players to get to the playoffs. They have their work cut out for them since the West is better than the East but they’ve won their last four games and are playing well when it counts.

16) New Jersey Devils (15-12-9, previous No. 16) – The Islanders, Devils and Rangers are likely battling for the last two spots in the Eastern Conference playoffs. Of those, I like the New York teams better since New Jersey is treading water (3-3-4 in last 10 games) and their goal-differential is minus-11.

17) Nashville Predators (15-14-8, previously No. 17) – Pekka Rinne isn’t himself, although it’s not all his fault since the Predators are one of the lowest scoring teams in the West with 92 goals. Getting a goal-scorer seemed obvious at the deadline but apparently the front office felt otherwise.

18) Columbus Blue Jackets (15-14-7, previous No. 20) – The race for the eighth seed in the West is going to be one of the NHL’s best heading into the postseason and the Blue Jackets honestly have a decent chance to make it. The lowest scoring team (87 goals) in the West should receive a huge boost from Marion Gaborik (9 goals, 10 assists) who was having a poor season with the Rangers but he scored 41 goals last season and 40-plus two other times in the NHL.

19) New York Rangers (17-15-3, previous No. 15) – I have no idea why the Rangers traded their best goal-scorer when they have scored the fewest goals in the NHL (82) … and if they miss the playoffs, that will be the main reason why. Forwards Derick Brassard (7 goals) and Derek Dorsett (3 goals) along with defenseman John Moore (zero goals) better fit their trapping defensive style, but none of them can put the puck in the net.

20) Winnipeg Jets (18-18-2, previous No. 2) – The Jets are free-falling and they are only two points ahead of the Capitals for first place in the Southeast Division after losing four straight games. They are 3-7-0 with a goal-differential of minus-22 … not the resume of a playoff team in anybody’s eyes.

Follow Metro sports writer Richard Slate on Twitter: @RichSlate

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One game does not a season make. But one game could portend a good final month of the truncated season.

The Rangers played their most complete game of the season in beating the Penguins, 6-1, Wednesday night at the Garden. With the win, the Rangers jumped from ninth in the East to seventh. All three local teams are tied with 39 points.

“I think this was the best game we could have played following a huge win for us [Monday night] against Winnipeg,” Dan Girardi said. “We need to come back with a huge effort. I think from the get-go we were ready to play. I think that was a very complete game for us.

“It felt kind of like we were last year. We come out knowing we’re going to win games.”

Hours after organizational decision-makers overhauled the team by trading Marian Gaborik and two prospects to Columbus for Derek Dorsett, Derick Brassard and John Moore, the Rangers continually pressured the shorthanded Penguins while allowing head coach John Tortorella to roll four lines.

“I felt more comfortable about it. I was looking for certain matches along the way. When you’re not chasing a game all the time, it changes the complexion a little bit,” Tortorella said. “[Asham] did some good things. I think you have Ash, you have Clowe, maybe Dorsett gets in on that, you’re not all alone out there in that type of role. And I think you can feel more comfortable in that.”

Brassard and Brian Boyle each finished with four points. Fellow newcomer Ryane Clowe had a three-point night, while Brad Richards had two assists in his best game of the year. Eight Rangers were plus-1 or better, led by Clowe and Mats Zuccarello, both of whom were plus-2.

Clowe scored his first two goals of the season, while Boyle, Brassard, Moore and Ryan McDonagh added one each.

The Rangers won the game for all intents and purposes in an opening period that was their best of the season. Boyle opened the scoring 10:01 into the first with a deflection of Richards’s point shot. McDonagh potted the game-winner just 2:18 later with a one-timer off a Richards feed over Marc-Andre Fleury’s glove. Clowe scored his first of the game two minutes later.

“We didn’t want to wait this long to have these [offensive] games,” McDonagh said.

Brassard increased the lead to 4-0 just 1:53 into the second period with a power play backhander. Clowe pushed the advantage to 5-1 with a goal line stuff on the power play.

The specialty teams contributed in as the power play went 3-for-4, while the man-down unit killed the Pens’ only man-advantage opportunity. The three power-play goals were the most since April 3, 2012.

“The power play was the best we’ve seen all year,” Richards said. “If we can keep that going, that’s huge. That’s what it’s going to come down to when games get tight. Special teams [are] everything.”

Pascal Dupuis scored Pittsburgh’s only goal. Dupuis’s 18th of the season was Henrik Lundqvist’s lone blemish on a night in which he faced just 27 shots. Fleury allowed all six goals on 39 shots.

The win ended a seven-game losing streak to Pittsburgh.

Follow Rangers beat writer Denis Gorman on Twitter @DenisGorman.

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The Garden isn’t the only Midtown entity undergoing a transformation.

The Rangers entered last night’s nationally televised home date against the Penguins having been completely overhauled with the deadline additions of Ryane Clowe, Derek Dorsett, Derick Brassard and John Moore.

With 13 games remaining in this abbreviated season and the Rangers two points out of the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, time is running out for a team that hasn’t come close to living up to expectations.

What does head coach John Tortorella need from the newcomers?

“We don’t fill [them] with a bunch of thoughts,” Tortorella said in his pregame press conference. “Give them the foundation of how we play and we let [them] play. It’s just time to play.”

Tortorella, who said he participated in the decision-making process, believes the acquisitions will add depth and grittiness to a team that has lacked those attributes. Tortorella added that he spoke with Rick Nash about Brassard, as the two were teammates in Columbus.

Clowe, Brassard and Moore were all in the lineup Wednesday night. Clowe skated with Mats Zuccarello and Brad Richards, while Brassard centered Carl Hagelin and Brian Boyle on the third line. Moore replaced Roman Hamrlik on the third defense pair with Steve Eminger.

He’s a guy that certainly brings some jam to our lineup. Hasn’t scored this year but has been able to score. A good leader, good size,” Tortorella said of Clowe, before explaining what he thinks the former Shark and Dorsett will provide. “[He] and what I think we get with Dorsett, it gives us a little bit of the grind we’re missing right now; a little bit different than last year. Brassard and Moore, we gets some skill and skating.

“The deal helps us with depth, period — forward and defense,” Tortorella said. “The information given to me about Moore, just a fantastic skater. Learning the game. I think we can teach him the game. We need depth on our blueline.”

No falling out

Tortorella was quick to disavow any notion he and Marian Gaborik had a falling out.

“Gabby and I have a great relationship. I hope [the media] don’t go that way and interfere in our relationship because it’s a really good one, no matter what’s gone on with him,” Tortorella said. “He’s a good man. I’ll miss him.

“I respect him. I believe he’ll get his game back. You can see his game coming. So it’s a tough one for me because I really like the guy. I hope it works for him.”

Kreider gone

Chris Kreider and Jesper Fast were sent down to AHL Connecticut before the game, while J.T. Miller was sent down then immediately recalled. Miller was a scratch along with Hamrlik and Matt Gilroy.

Follow Rangers beat writer Denis Gorman on Twitter @DenisGorman.

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The Marian Gaborik era has come to an end.

The Rangers traded Gaborik, Steven Delisle and Blake Parlett to the Blue Jackets Wednesday afternoon for forwards Derek Dorsett and Derick Brassard, defenseman John Moore and a sixth-round pick in the 2014 draft.

“Got four pieces,” director of player personnel Gordie Clark told Metro in a phone conversation after the deadline passed. “It’s really four pieces.”

Clark stressed the importance of the sixth-round pick as the Rangers selected Carl Hagelin and prospect forward Jesper Fast in the sixth rounds of the 2007 and 2010 drafts.

Yesterday’s blockbuster was the second trade the Rangers made in as many days. The Rangers acquired left wing Ryane Clowe from the Sharks for 2013 second- and third-round picks and a conditional pick in 2014 Tuesday night. Clowe played in Wednesday night’s Garden match against the Penguins.

The acquisition of Dorsett, Brassard and Moore add depth, something the Rangers have lacked this season. Dorsett, 26, has 727 penalty minutes in 280 games. He suffered a fractured clavicle, but Clark told Metro he thought Dorsett could return before the end of the season.

Brassard, the sixth-overall pick in the 2006 Draft, has recorded 169 points in 309 games. Selected 21st overall in the 2009 draft, Moore has scored eight points in 86 NHL games.

“Each of them fit into a position we need,” Clark said. “Dorsett [is an] old-school grinder, hard to play against. [Brassard is a] Top-2 center. John might have been one of the best skating defenseman in the draft. [He] skates like Paul Coffey.”

The deal also gives the Rangers $14.8 million in cap room, which is vital as the restricted free agent deals signed by Hagelin, Derek Stepan and Ryan McDonagh are up this summer. All should expect significant raises.

Gaborik leaves New York having scored 114 goals and 229 points in 255 regular season games. He has totaled 333 goals and 666 points in 757 regular season games with Minnesota and New York.

He scored 42 goals in 2009-10 and finished last season with 41 goals. But he had fallen off this season, totaling just nine goals and 19 points while being shuttled throughout the lineup.

“When somebody wants you and somebody tries to trade you, it’s good somebody wants you on the team,” Gaborik told TSN’s James Duthie during the Canadian network’s TradeCentre broadcast.

When asked by Duthie why the Rangers were struggling this year, Gaborik said, “I don’t know. We weren’t playing consistently enough,” and specifically noted the 25th-ranked power play. “There’s a few factors there.”

Local deals

» The Devils acquired forward Steve Sullivan from the Phoenix Coyotes for a seventh-round pick in June’s draft.

» The Islanders did not make a deal at the deadline.

Follow Rangers beat writer Denis Gorman on Twitter @DenisGorman.

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Thirty-five games spanning two-and-a-half months have shown that the 2013 New York Rangers are flawed.

But flawed teams can qualify for the Stanley Cup playoffs.

“We’ve underachieved so far this year,” Ryan Callahan said after the Rangers’ 4-2 win over the Jets Monday night at the Garden. The win guarantees that the Rangers will wake up today as the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference, despite the Islanders’ 3-1 win over the Devils at the Prudential Center.

The Rangers and Islanders each have 37 points. Both trail the seventh-seeded Devils by two points. The Rangers have one fewer regulation loss than the Islanders.

The Rangers have a game in hand on both the Islanders and Devils. The Islanders and Devils have 12 games remaining this season. The Rangers have 13 left.

“We just have to make it and that’s the attitude we have right now,” Callahan said. “We got to get into the playoffs and it’s a new season. You saw it last year.”

In what was the most important game of the season up to this point, the Rangers ended a two-game losing streak in which they were unable to register a single goal.

Prior to the game, head coach John Tortorella reshuffled the forward lines and defensive pairs. It paid off, as the top line of Callahan, Derek Stepan and Rick Nash combined for eight points.

Callahan finished with four points (a goal and three assists). Rick Nash scored a goal and added an assist. Derek Stepan, who has been the Rangers’ best player this season, scored two goals.

“Cally had a heck of a game. That makes the chemistry certainly work itself out and Rick has been a special player since he’s been here,” Stepan said.

Stepan opened the scoring 19 seconds into the game with his 11th goal of the season, and his second goal of the game was the game-winner.

Stepan’s first, a snapshot that beat Ondrej Pavelec (31 saves) five-hole, ended the Rangers’ shutout streak at 128:06.

“Getting that goal right away, Step’s goal, [was] a pretty good confidence booster,” Dan Girardi said. “We finally get a goal. We know we can put it in the net.”

But for all of the positive feelings Stepan’s goal created, the Rangers trailed 2-1 early in the second and were down two men after Mats Zuccarello (high-sticking) and Girardi (tripping) took two-minute minors 1:21 apart.

But as his penalty expired, Zuccarello came out of the box and made a backhand touch pass to an oncoming Callahan. The two forwards came in on a two-on-one against Tobias Enstrom. The Winnipeg defenseman sprawled to the ice to take away the pass, but Callahan held onto the puck and cut toward the middle of the ice before tucking the puck past Pavelec.

“We get some fortunate bounces,” Tortorella said. “It certainly sparked us. As far as Ryan Callahan, it’s a huge play in the game. Not only killing the penalties but [the] wherewithal to kill and keep the puck and score a big goal like that. I thought we took off from there. I thought we took over the game from there.”

And, he hopes, maybe found some of the qualities that marked the 2011-12 team.

“I think they have confidence,” Tortorella said. “It’s just when something doesn’t go right for them in the game, we lost a little bit of that quick resiliency. Maybe tonight we find a way to come back; maybe this was a good lesson for us. They have to grab something to keep themselves aware that we’re not dead yet here because [an opponent] scored.”

Follow Rangers beat writer Denis Gorman on Twitter @DenisGorman.

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The season-long chemistry experiment for the Rangers continues.

Head coach John Tortorella reshuffled the forward lines and defense pairings prior to Monday night’s Garden matchup against the Jets in an attempt to create units that can find the solution to the Rangers season-long offensive outage.

The Rangers have scored a league-low 75 goals.

“I get asked [about the lack of offensive production] every day,” Tortorella said. “I don’t have an answer for you. We’ll continue to try.”

Ryan Callahan, Derek Stepan and Rick Nash comprised the first line. The second line was made up of recently signed Mats Zuccarello, Brad Richards and Marian Gaborik.

Brian Boyle, who Tortorella said would alternate between the wing and center, was on the third line with J.T. Miller and Carl Hagelin. Darroll Powe centered Chris Kreider and Taylor Pyatt.

“He’s done it before,” Tortorella said of Boyle switching between the wing and center. “His past couple games — past two out of three games — he’s played pretty well.”

On the back end, he opened with Anton Stralman and Ryan McDonagh. Dan Girardi and Michael Del Zotto made up the second pair, while Steve Eminger and Roman Hamrlik with the third unit.

Forward Arron Asham and defenseman Matt Gilroy were scratched.

“No,” Tortorella said when asked if Asham had either reinjured himself or played himself out of the lineup. Tortorella did expound on his answer.

Lee signed by Isles

Prior to last night’s game at the Devils, the Islanders announced prospect forward Andres Lee signed a two-year entry-level contract. Lee, a forward from Notre Dame will play with the Islanders instead of being assigned to AHL Bridgeport.

“He’s going to play,” head coach Jack Capuano told reporters at the early skate. Lee recorded 116 points in three seasons with Notre Dame. “He’s going to get his opportunity here shortly.”

The Islanders also announced prospect center Ryan Strome was assigned to AHL Bridgeport, and defenseman Joe Finley was placed on the injured reserve retroactive to March 22 with an undisclosed injury.

Strome, the fifth pick in the 2011 draft, led the Ontario Hockey League’s Niagara IceDogs with 94 points in 53 regular season games. He recorded three points in Niagara’s five game, first round series loss to the Oshawa Generals in the OHL Playoffs.

Deadline day approaches

Twenty-eight of the league’s 30 teams are alive for a playoff berth. The trade deadline is Wednesday.

With time dwindling to bolster teams in the final days of the regular season, three minor deals were announced yesterday. Chicago acquired center Michal Handzus from San Jose in exchange for a fourth-round pick. Philadelphia traded Harry Zolnierczyk to Anaheim for Jay Rosehill. The Kings landed defenseman Robyn Regehr from Buffalo Sabres in exchange for two second-round picks.

Those deals may be the precursor to a major one involving the Flames and Maple Leafs. According to multiple reports, the Flames and Leafs are talking about a deal that would send to Toronto.

Other names believed to be on the trade market are Flames defenseman Jay Bouwmeester and Sharks forward Ryane Clowe.

Follow Rangers beat writer Denis Gorman on Twitter @DenisGorman.

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Records through March 27

1) Pittsburgh Penguins (26-8-0, previous No. 3) – It’s hard to have a much better week than the Penguins. They are riding a 13-game win streak and they’ve acquired Brendan Morrow, Jarome Iginla and Douglas Murray. The only things to worry about for them is the health of Marc-Andre Fleury (who left Tuesday’s game) and Kris Letang who went back on IR after returning for a game.

2) Chicago Blackhawks (25-4-3, previous No. 1) – No longer on their epic win streak, the focus and pressure has been taken off the Blackhawks. Chicago has an NHL-best goal-differential of plus-37 while they have the best home record (12-2-1) and road record (13-2-2).

3) Anaheim Ducks (22-7-4, previous No. 2) – There is bad news in Disneyland as the Ducks have lost four games in a row, twice to Detroit and twice to San Jose. The surprising part is that the first three were at the Honda Center where the Ducks were 13-1-0. Anaheim scored one goal in each game against the Red Wings and were blanked by the Sharks on Wednesday, shocking for a team that has scored the second most goals in the Western Conference (104).

4) Montreal Canadiens (21-7-5, previous No. 4) – The Canadiens proved their resiliency by rallying twice in the third period  in Boston on Wednesday. This was after pulled Carey Price after the second period plus lost 1-0 in Pittsburgh the night before. Montreal and Boston will have a great battle for first place in the Northeast Division.

5) Boston Bruins (21-7-4, previous No. 5) – The B’s are understandably reeling after a brutal loss to the Canadiens on Wednesday followed by them losing out on the Jarome Iginla sweepstakes when it looked to be a done deal that he’d joined the spoked ‘B.’ Boston gets two days without a game for the first time in over a month which should do wonders for the banged up team that’s currently missing three regulars (Chris Kelly, Adam McQuaid and Johnny Boychuk).

6) Minnesota Wild (20-10-2, previous No. 7) – The Penguins understandably are getting most of the publicity but the Wild are the hottest team in the Western Conference, having won their last seven games in a row. Minnesota is 9-1-0 in their last 10 games and 12-3-1 at the Xcel Energy Center. The crazy part is that a team that is so reliant on its top lines has scored 90 goals.

7) Vancouver Canucks (18-9-6, previous No. 12) – Similar to the Wild, the Canucks have really found their game in the last few weeks. They’ve won five straight games to tie Minnesota atop the Northwest Division. Vancouver is 7-3-0 in their last 10 games and 9-4-3 on the road which are both good trends

8) Ottawa Senators (18-9-6, previous No. 8) – Head coach Paul MacLean and his comical moustache is close to wrapping up the NHL coach of the year award with this remarkable run his team has turned in. They might not do anything in the playoffs but with 15 games left in the regular season, they look like a lock to make it (barring a major collapse) which for them is still very impressive.

9) Detroit Red Wings (17-11-5, previous No. 11) – The Red Wings began their four-game road trip with two excellent wins in Anaheim then they won in Phoenix last night. If they can grab two points in San Jose tonight, you’ll know that the Red Wings are truly back after a uncharacteristically slow start to the season. The ironic part was that Detroit was under .500 (5-6-2) on the road before the trip.

10) Los Angeles Kings (18-12-2, previously No. 6) – It was a strange week for the Kings who lost two in a row at home, where they are great (12-4-1) but then won 5-4 at Chicago on Monday. They are 6-8-1 on the road this season but that victory against the NHL’s best team could go a long way to giving them confidence during the stretch run.

11) Winnipeg Jets (18-14-2, previous No. 13) – Up six points now on Carolina and seven ahead of Washington, the surprising Jets are in good shape for the third seed in the Eastern Conference. They are 6-3-1 in their last 10 games and 10-6-2 on the road this season which are good signs, unlike their goal-differential of -11 which is the worst mark of any team in the top eight of either conference.

12) Toronto Maple Leafs (18-12-4, previous No. 15) – The Leafs are treading water (3-3-4 in their last 10 games) but they are still in good shape to make the playoffs for the first time in nine years which in Canada is magnified tenfold. Toronto has identical 9-6-2 records at Air Canada Centre and on the road but they are 0-4 in shootouts. Good news for them is that if they make the postseason, they won’t face a shootout.

13) St. Louis Blues (17-13-2, previous No. 9) – The Blues have lost their last two games to drop into seventh place in the Western Conference. Anything can happen in the NHL playoffs as we see every spring but St. Louis really doesn’t want to face Chicago or Anaheim in the first round of the playoffs. Their next three games are really tough: vs. Kings, at Wild and at Blackhawks.

14) San Jose Sharks (14-12-2, previous No. 17) – The Sharks are hanging on for dear life to the eighth seed in the Western Conference but they are coming off their best two wins of the season: sweeping a home-and-home series with Anaheim. It’ll be interesting to see what they do at the trade deadline (April 3), they’ve already shipped defenseman Douglas Murray to Pittsburgh.

15) New York Rangers (16-13-3, previous No. 14) – If they make the playoffs, the Rangers are still a team that nobody in the Eastern Conference wants to face since their games always tend to be such physical grinds. New York’s margin for error is so small since they’ve scored a conference-low 78 goals. Up next, they play the three Eastern Conference Canadian teams (Ottawa, Montreal, Winnipeg) who would all be in the postseason if it started today.

16) New Jersey Devils (15-11-7, previous No. 16) – Ilya Kovalchuk is out with a shoulder injury for 2-4 weeks which means the Devils could drop out of the playoff picture if they’re not careful. This team hasn’t had any luck this season since Kovalchuk’s injury followed quickly in the footsteps of Martin Brodeur’s injury. Getting back to the Stanley Cup Finals for the second straight year seems highly unlikely.

17) Nashville Predators (14-13-6, previously No. 13) – The Predators haven’t been themselves for most of the season but they are turning it on (3 consecutive wins) when it matters most. Nashville needs to a find a way to win more on the road (5-11-2) since they are fine at home (9-2-4), otherwise they could miss the playoffs.

18) New York Islanders (15-15-3, previous No. 19) – One of the sneaky storylines in the NHL is that the Islanders have a decent chance to make the playoffs which would be a huge accomplishment for them. They’ve won their last two games and they are excellent on the road (9-4-1). Now they have to win at dumpy Nassau Coliseum (6-11-2).

19) Dallas Stars (15-14-3, previously not ranked) – You can certainly question Dallas’ desire to make the playoffs this season as they traded winger Brendan Morrow to Pittsburgh but they are only three points out of the eighth seed so like it or not, they will be a factor in who makes it. PS why is that franchise still there?

20) Columbus Blue Jackets (13-13-7, previous No. 20) – The Blue Jackets lost a heartbreaker, 1-0 in a shootout at Vancouver, on Tuesday but one of the worst road teams in the NHL (3-9-2) has a good chance to bounce back. They are in Edmonton on Thursday and Calgary on Friday, two of the worst teams in the Western Conference that aren’t going anywhere this season. If Columbus is serious about make the playoffs, they need more points on this trip.

Follow Metro sports writer Richard Slate on Twitter @RichSlate

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The Rangers earned one point, but they left another on the table.

New York dropped a 3-2 decision to the Capitals in the shootout Sunday night at the Garden.

“I’m thinking about points. We get a point,” head coach John Tortorella said. “Would we like to have two? Yes. But we didn’t get it.”

Nicklas Backstrom and Alex Ovechkin scored for the Capitals during both the game and skills competition. Ovechkin finished with a goal and an assist. Braden Holtby made 30 saves.

Ovechkin slipped the puck between the post and Lundqvist’s pad for the first shootout goal. Backstrom ripped a laser that beat Lundqvist glove side for the game-winner.

“I only stopped two-of-four in the shootout,” said Henrik Lundqvist, who made 22 saves in the first 65 minutes. “I have to be better. You face really good players. I think the last one was a really good shot but Ovechkin, [I] felt like I had him but I didn’t get the stick down.”

Despite having lost consecutive games, the Rangers moved to eighth in the East. Arron Asham and Derek Stepan scored for the Rangers. Stepan scored the Rangers’ lone goal in the shootout.

“I’m not even thinking about playoffs,” Tortorella said.

One of the themes that has marked this Rangers campaign has been slow starts. Last night was no different as Washington jumped out to a 2-0 lead on the power of goals from Backstrom and Ovechkin in a span of 2:09.

“After they got the first one, we were stunned a little bit. We just kind of sat back and let them play,” Dan Girardi said. “Obviously we want two points but we need to get any point we can at this stage. But there are a lot of good things we can take from today.”

Following Ovechkin’s goal, the Garden denizens booed the Blueshirts viciously. But by the end of the period, the 17,200 in attendance were delirious as the teams went into intermission tied at 2-2.

Asham began the comeback with an off-the-rush goal to cut the deficit in half 14:12 into the period. The goal was Asham’s second of the season. Stepan tied the game with 1:57 left on a shot that pinballed off Holtby’s stick.

“I thought after the first 10 minutes we responded well — getting two goals and tying it after the first,” Ryan Callahan said. “We had chances in the second and third. We just couldn’t find the next one and eventually they did in the shootout.”

The game remained tied despite the Rangers having a 25-10 advantage in shots spanning the final two regulation periods and overtime.

“We just closed out defensively,” Girardi said. “We tried to keep everything to the outside, blocking shots like we always do, getting through the neutral zone and not turning any pucks over. When we are playing down [in] their end, it limits their shots.”

The second period was not nearly as wild as the first because the goaltenders stepped to the forefront. Lundqvist turned away all four Capital shots he faced, while Holtby stopped the nine shots he faced.

While the majority of shots the goaltenders saw were harmless, each team had a chance to break the deadlock in the second period. Marian Gaborik missed on a breakaway backhander with 8:19 left in the second, while Lundqvist stopped consecutive shots off the sticks of Mike Ribeiro and Karl Alzner with a minute left in the period.

Follow Rangers beat writer Denis Gorman on Twitter @DenisGorman.

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