Though President Trophy winners often don’t have as much playoff success (the record-setting Boston Bruins were stunned with a first- round exit last year), the Rangers have looked to prove something different with this year’s run. The Rangers finished exceptionally well on both sides of special teams and continued that success in this 4-game series. New York had finished third throughout the NHL in penalty-killing and power-play goals during the regular season and went 8 for 8 not giving up a Capitals power-play goal in games 3 and 4.
With a 4-2 win over the Washington Capitals last night, the New York Rangers have already secured their spot in the second round of the 2024 NHL Playoffs. They will wait for the winner of the Carolina Hurricanes and New York Islanders series, as the Hurricanes can clinch their spot (up 3-1 in the series) in the second round with a win tonight. This New York Rangers win has made history and marked the first post-season sweep for the Rangers since the year 2007.
The New York Rangers were in this position one year ago playing the New Jersey Devils and started losing sight of the second round after the Devils had won 3 straight to force a game 7. They ended up losing the series in game 7, which led to head coach Gerard Galant’s firing. Peter Laviolette led the team this season to a franchise-record of 114 points and the best record in the league. On top of the sweep over the Capitals, the Rangers are the only team in NHL History to hold Alex Ovechkin to zero points in a playoff series. In a post-game press conference with Artemi Panarin, he was asked how they got it done to hold Ovechkin to 0 points. Artemi had said, “It’s a secret.”
Only one team has won the Stanley Cup after a first-round sweep in the 18-year-old-hard cap era that began in 2006. That was Colorado two years ago, who swept Nashville before taking the title. But you know who else won the Cup after a first-round sweep? Thirty years ago, from now, it was Mark Messier and the New York Rangers in 1994. Everything seems to be clicking for the Rangers, raising the expectation each game. Who’s next?
