Rangers’ Mika Zibanejad vocal after eliminating Alex Ovechkin, Capitals

Alex Ovechkin and the Capitals were outmatched for most of the series. Still, they fought to the end on Sunday night. In fact, one could argue that Washington was the better team through two periods of play. However, they could not stand up to Mika Zibanejad and the Rangers.

Rangers forward Kaapo Kakko started the scoring less than a minute into the game. Washington bounced back, though. Martin Fehervary scored his second goal of the series to tie the contest 1-1. Unfortunately for the Capitals, New York scored with less than a minute remaining in the first period to regain the lead.

The Capitals controlled play through the second period. They fought hard to find the equalizing goal that would give them a new lease on life in this series. Around the halfway point, they got it. Forward Hendrix Lapierre scored his first career goal in the Stanley Cup Playoffs to tie the game again.

In the third period, though, the Rangers pulled ahead for good. Superstar Artemi Panarin scored early in the final frame to claim the lead again. And Jack Roslovic would put home an empty net goal to put the final nail in the coffin for the Capitals.

Washington fails to score vs New York

The Capitals needed to generate offense in this series to have a chance. It was something they struggled with during the regular season. In the Stanley Cup Playoffs, their weak offensive game would be their undoing. As it turned out, it truly was what ended their season.

The Capitals scored just seven goals throughout this season. That gives them the fewest amount of goals scored in these playoffs so far. Their offensive issues were highlighted by how Alex Ovechkin performed. The Rangers held him without a shot in two of these four games. And the future Hall of Famer failed to record a point in this series.

“It’s always tough to lose a series, especially we have pretty good chances,” said Ovechkin, via The Athletic. “We just didn’t score. Our line didn’t score lots of goals and me, I didn’t play well, so it kind of sucks that we played bad.”

The Capitals head into the offseason with a somewhat murky future ahead of them. Meanwhile, Mika Zibanejad and the Rangers are off to the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. New York will take on either the Carolina Hurricanes or New York Islanders in round two.