Rangers Take 2-0 Series Lead Over Capitals in Round 1 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs

The winner of the NHL’s President’s Trophy, awarded to the team with the best regular season record, hasn’t gone on to win the Stanley Cup since the 2012-13 Chicago Blackhawks accomplished the feat. Since then, it’s been the Kiss of Death for the most part with nine of the last 10 winners losing in either the first or second round. Last year, the Boston Bruins rolled up a record 135 points, going 65-12-5 in the regular season only to be eliminated in the first round by the Florida Panthers.

This year’s President’s Trophy winner is the New York Rangers, and they are doing their best to not be eliminated early. The Rangers took a 2-0 series lead over the Washington Capitals on April 23rd with a 4-3 victory at Madison Square Garden. Four different Rangers scored goals, and Eric Gustafsson and Alexis Lafreniere each had a pair of assists. New York has held Washington’s Alex Ovechkin to just one shot on goal in the first two games. The Capitals will need him to break out of it if they hope to comeback in this series.