Kuemper saves 32 Rangers as Capitals surge 4-0
NEW YORK (AP) — Marcus Johansson, defenseman Erik Gustafsson and Lars Eller scored, and Darcy Kuemper made 32 saves as the surging Washington Capitals downed the New York Rangers 4-0 on Tuesday night for their sixth straight road win.
The Capitals have won 10 of their last 11 games and are 13-3-1 since Nov. 23, when they entered that night’s game against Philadelphia at 7-10-3.
Washington held a 5-on-3 advantage after eight minutes of the contest. Chris Kreider, Ryan Lindgren, and Chris Kreider had been penalized by Rangers for their actions within 21 seconds. Washington scored quickly when Johansson touched a loose puck past Igor Shesterkin, at 8:44. This was his ninth goal of this season. Gustafsson was also an assist.
Gustafsson then made it 2-0 with his fifth goal of the season — all in the past five games — at 17:01 of the second. In a 5-2 win at home over Toronto, the blueliner journeyman achieved his first career hat-trick.
Gustafsson has 19 points (five goals and 14 assists) in 36 games, second among Capitals defensemen behind John Carlson, who was injured when he was struck in the face with a puck during Friday’s 4-1 home win over Winnipeg. Alex Ovechkin, who scored twice in that game, passed Gordie Howe to be the top goal scorer all-time.
Eller, with his seventh game of the season, increased the lead at 19:23 to 3-0.
Conor Sheary scored a short-handed, empty-net goal at 16.58 of the third. This was his 11th campaign.
Kuemper improved to 7-1 in eight career games against Rangers, with his third shutout of the season and the 28th overall. Kuemper, 32, was a netminder for the Colorado Avalanche, which won the Stanley Cup last season. He also signed a five-year contract in July with the Capitals. This season, Kuemper is 10-9-2
Kuemper denied Chris Kreider’s well-directed deflection in the second half and he steered Filip Chytil to victory at 5:21. He stopped Julien Gauthier at in-close by 12:18.
The Rangers denied him a power-play in the first period and he stopped a man-advantage opportunity from New York for just under five minutes.
Tuesday’s game was only Washington’s seventh against a division opponent this season and their first of four against the Rangers. In those games, the Capitals are 4-2-1.
The Rangers had just won 5-3 at home against the Islanders, Thursday before Christmas break.
New York had won eight out of nine, and four consecutively at home.
NOTES: Washington defensemen have combined for 22 goals this season … The Capitals are 20-1-1 when scoring three or more goals this season … In addition to missing injured defenseman John Carlson and forward T.J. Oshie, Washington scratched defenseman Lucas Johansen and forward Joe Snively … The Rangers scratched defenseman Libor Hajek and forward Sammy Blais … The teams meet again March 14 in New York, and Feb. 25 and April 2 in Washington.
Up Next
Rangers: Visit Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday.
Capitals: Thursday, Ottawa Senators will host.