Harry Lichtman
The Washington Capitals (39-29-9) finish off their weekend set of back-to-backs. They will visit the New York Rangers (32-26-9) at Madison Square Garden on Easter Sunday.
The puck drops at 7:00 p.m. ET.
In addition to the game being shown on ESPN, you can also watch Capitals-Rangers on Disney Channel, Disney XD, and Disney+. There will be an alternate “Inside Out Classic” animated telecast with characters from the Disney/Pixar film Inside Out.
The Capitals began the back-to-back on a high note, with a 6-2 home victory over Buffalo on Saturday. Washington opened the game with three goals against a Sabres team that already clinched their first playoff berth since 2011.
The Capitals also got help from other teams to keep their playoff hopes alive with five games left. The team is now one point behind the second Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference.
The Capitals’ three first-period goals ended Buffalo netminder Alex Lyon’s night early. That’s when Rasmus Dahlin and Beck Malenstyn cut the Sabres’ deficit to 3-2.
Nevertheless, Aliaksei Protas, Ryan Leonard, and Tom Wilson added three more goals to seal it for the Capitals. Logan Thompson also made his 10th consecutive start, stopping 37 of 39 shots that went his way.
Meanwhile, the Rangers have underachieved this season under new head coach Mike Sullivan. While they enter Sunday’s game in last place in the East, New York has gone 4-1-0 in their last five games.
The last time the Capitals visited Madison Square Garden was back on Oct. 12, also the second half of a set of back-to-backs. Washington won 1-0 thanks to 35 saves from Charlie Lindgren and a second-period goal from Anthony Beauvillier.
Expected Capitals Lines
Forwards
Aliaksei Protas – Dylan Strome – Alex Ovechkin
Connor McMichael – Pierre-Luc Dubois – Tom Wilson
Anthony Beauvillier – Justin Sourdif – Ryan Leonard
Brandon Duhaime – Hendrix Lapierre – Ethen Frank
Defensemen
Martin Fehervary – Rasmus Sandin
Jakob Chychrun – Trevor van Riemsdyk
Cole Hutson – Matt Roy
Goalies
Charlie Lindgren
Logan Thompson
Expected Rangers Lines
Forwards
Gabe Perreault – Mika Zibanejad – Alexis Lafreniere
Tye Kartye – J.T. Miller – Conor Sheary
Will Cuylle – Vincent Trocheck – Jonny Brodzinski
Adam Sykora – Noah Laba – Jaroslav Chmelar
Defensemen
Vladislav Gavrikov – Adam Fox
Drew Fortescue – Braden Schneider
Matthew Robertson – Will Borgen
Goalies
Igor Shesterkin
Jonathan Quick
How to Watch
TV: ESPN, Disney Channel, Disney XD, Disney+
Radio: 106.7 The Fan/Caps Radio Network
