Rangers roll over Capitals to widen lead in the East

2011-12 Game No. 54; Home Game No. 26	Rangers' Record: 36-13-5
VIDEO: HIGHLIGHT OF THE GAME
• Full Highlights | Tortorella | McDonagh		• Prust, Dubinsky, Lundqvist Postgame

GAME RECAP Associated Press Ryan Callahan scored for the fifth time in four days and defenseman Ryan McDonagh snapped a second-period tie to lift the Rangers to a 3-2 victory over Washington on Sunday. Callahan, who notched his second NHL hat trick Saturday with three goals in a 5-2 win at Philadelphia, got the Eastern Conference leaders going on Sunday in the first period. McDonagh gave the Blueshirts a 2-1 lead with 6:39 left in the second with his fifth of the season, and Brandon Prust snapped a 48-game drought with a short-handed tally in the third. Henrik Lundqvist did the rest, making 24 saves to earn his second win in two days. The Rangers (36-13-5) have won three straight, four of five, and six of eight (6-1-1). They are 19-5-1 in their past 25 games and 33-10-3 since starting the season 3-3-2. Alexander Semin scored, defenseman John Carlson had a goal and assist, and Michal Neuvirth stopped 25 shots for the Capitals, who have lost four of six (2-3-1). Callahan has been on a three-game tear and has been the driving offensive force in the Rangers' latest winning streak in a season that has been full of them. He deftly dealt with a puck in his skates, off a pass from defenseman Anton Stralman, who found him on the goal line to the left of Neuvirth. Callahan kicked the puck to his stick, shifted to his backhand and lifted a shot under the crossbar for his 22nd goal of the season as he fell to the ice at 11:01 of the first. Washington got even 6:31 into the second when Semin took a smooth drop pass from Jason Chimera above the right circle and fired a shot past Lundqvist for his 15th of the season. The lead didn't last long, as McDonagh struck late in the period. • COMMENT ON BLUESHIRTS UNITED | PHOTO GALLERY

PHOTO OF THE GAME STAT OF THE GAME The Blueshirts’ penalty kill held the Capitals scoreless in two shorthanded situations (4:00 total icetime), while tallying one shorthanded goal, and finished the back-to-back weekend set 6-for-6 on the penalty kill. The Rangers improved to 26-6-2 when not allowing a power-play goal, and are currently tied for third in the league with seven shorthanded goals on the season. THREE STARS (selected by the local media) 1. McDonagh 2. Prust 3. Dubinsky

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THE BIGGER PICTURE This win was a statement on many levels. It ran the team's current winning streak to three games; it defeated the team that knocked the Rangers out of their last two playoff appearances, and pushed them ahead of the Red Wings in the standings.

RANGERS LEADERS Icetime -- McDonagh (25:23) Shots -- Gaborik (5) Hits -- Callahan (6) Blocks -- McDonagh (5) Takeaways -- Richards (3) Faceoffs -- Boyle (20)

NEW YORK RANGERS LINEUP VS. WASHINGTON
FORWARD LINES
Left Wing	Center	Right Wing
Artem Anisimov	Derek Stepan	Marian Gaborik
Carl Hagelin	Brad Richards	Ryan Callahan
Brandon Dubinsky	Brian Boyle	Brandon Prust
Mike Rupp	John Mitchell	Stu Bickel

DEFENSE PAIRINGS
Left Defense	Right Defense
Ryan McDonagh	Dan Girardi
Michael Del Zotto	Anton Stralman
Marc Staal	Steve Eminger
Goaltenders: Henrik Lundqvist, Martin Biron Starting Lineup: Lundqvist, McDonagh, Girardi, Dubinsky, Boyle, Prust.

POWER PLAY UNITS
FORWARD LINES
Left Wing	Center	Right Wing
Ryan Callahan	Derek Stepan	Marian Gaborik
Artem Anisimov	John Mitchell	Brandon Dubinsky

POINT MEN
Left Point	Right Point
Michael Del Zotto	Brad Richards
Ryan McDonagh	Anton Stralman

PENALTY KILLING UNITS
FORWARD UNITS
Forward	Forward
Brandon Prust	Brian Boyle
Ryan Callahan	Brandon Dubinsky
Artem Anisimov	Brad Richards

DEFENSE PAIRINGS
Left Defense	Right Defense
Ryan McDonagh	Dan Girardi
Michael Del Zotto	Steve Eminger