Rick Nash has been quiet, but the Rangers need his offense against the Capitals in Game 7. (Getty Images)

By Allan Muir

Five quick thoughts on the players and situations that could have an impact on tonight’s Rangers vs. Capitals matchup in Washington (8 p.m. ET on NBC Sports Network), one of two decisive games on tap tonight:

1. Ovechkin’s struggles: If Alex Ovechkin was looking for a way to make people forget his lousy start to the season, he’s found it: a lousier finish. The spectacular second half, the record-setting April, the Rocket Richard Trophy, the MVP nomination … none of that will mean anything if Ovechkin fails to steer the Capitals clear of another early playoff exit. It’s not a question of effort — he leads the series with 29 shots on goal and offered up a strong 200-foot game in Sunday’s 1-0 loss in New York — but there are no medals for trying hard at this time of year. Ovie gets paid to score goals, and he’s gone five games now without lighting the lamp. Excuses? Sure. He’s been blanketed by Dan Girardi and Ryan McDonagh, and Henrik Lundqvist has been in beast mode. But this is a lousy time to be needing excuses. If he can’t stop the streak from going to six, Ovechkin is likely to carry this dry spell into next season.

MUIR: Five keys to Maple Leafs vs. Bruins 

2. Discipline, discipline, discipline: The Caps have given the Rangers 26 power play opportunities in this series — more than any other team — and while it hasn’t cost them dearly (just two goals), there’s no upside to gambling. And it’s not just the threat of offensive retribution that makes Washington’s lack of control an issue. It’s that it disrupts the flow of the Caps’ own offense, as was obvious on Sunday when they took five minors to none for the Rangers. This has to be a turn-the-other-cheek game for Washington.

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Henrik Ludqvist made 27 saves in the Rangers’ shutout Game 6 win over the Caps. (Paul Bereswill/Getty Images)

By Sarah Kwak

The last minute of Game 6 between the Rangers and Capitals was playoff hockey in a nutshell. Tense, desperate, nerve-wracking, New York clung to its razor-thin, 1-0 lead to force a Game 7 in Washington on Monday night. In those frenetic final seconds, with the Capitals’ net empty and all their fearsome scorers on the ice, the Rangers blocked shots, made hits and did everything they could to help out Henrik Lundqvist. The Rangers’ spectacular goalie stood tall and saved the day for New York yet again, shutting out the Capitals for the first time this postseason.

Some thoughts and observations from Game 6:

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Mike Ribeiro scored the game-winning goal in overtime to give Washington the series lead. (MCT/Getty Images)

By Sarah Kwak

For the fourth-straight game in this series, one goal separated the two teams. The tight contests have made for fast-paced, tense hockey, never more so than on Friday night in Game 5. All tied after regulation, the overtime period offered a continuous string of gasps. The crowd collectively held its breath as Washington and New York traded scoring chances, but when Capitals center Mike Ribeiro scored 9:24 into overtime, the release was monumental. He was standing on the doorstep just to the right of Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist’s cage when a point shot that was blocked in front rebounded right in front of him. Ribeiro easily swept it in, giving Washington the 3-2 series lead and setting off an eruption from the crowd and the Capitals’ bench that nearly blew the roof off of the Verizon Center.

Some thoughts and observations from the Capitals’ 2-1 OT win:

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Alex Ovechkin (right) was largely hemmed in by the efforts of Rangers defenders such as Ryan McDonagh. (AP)

By Brian Cazeneuve

NEW YORK  – After returning to New York down 2-0 in their series against the Washington Capitals, the Rangers regained their footing with a 4-3 win in Game 3. Another victory by the same score followed in Game 4 on Wednesday, and just like that, a series that once looked lopsided is all knotted up at two games apiece.

Here are some more thoughts and observations from the game:

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Is that Bon Jovi? No, it’s Rangers alum and Zamboni racer Ron Duguay. (Angela Cranford/MSG Photo Services)

By Gabriel Baumgaertner

Decorated in racing jumpsuits, armed with a pit crew and seated behind the wheel of two massive ice cleaning machines, Rangers alums Stephane Matteau (also known as Matteau! Matteau! Matteau) and Ron Duguay competed in a Zamboni race on Monday afternoon to celebrate playoff hockey at Madison Square Garden. Rangers icon Adam Graves, who works as a special assistant for the team, stood at the finish line to greet the riders. Even model Alejandra Cata waved the green flag to kick the event off.

Perhaps street Zamboni racing should be the Rangers’ new playoff tradition; they came back in a thriller to beat the Capitals and pull the series to within 2-1.

Rick Nash (61) finally made a significant contribution by assisting Derek Stepan’s winner. (Scotty Levy/Getty Images)

By Brian Cazeneuve

NEW YORK — After being held to one goal while losing the first two games of their opening round series in Washington, the Rangers went home and got an emotional boost from the return of defenseman Marc Staal, who had not played since March 5 because of a brutal eye injury he suffered when he took a slap shot to the face and went down in a writhing heap. Staal, who replaced Steve Eminger in the lineup, was paired with Anton Stralman and tested on his second shift when Capitals forward Troy Brouwer plowed him into the sideboards. Staal emerged unhurt and the Rangers went on to snap a long scoring funk, get their power play back on track and hold off the Capitals for a crucial 4-3 win. The Rangers’ Game 3 victory cut the Capitals’ series lead to 2-1.

Here are some more thoughts and observations from the game:

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Winning goal-scorer Mike Green is one many options the Capitals have on the power play. (Greg Fiume/Getty Images)

By Sarah Kwak

The key to the Washington Capitals’ success in this series was always going to be patience in the face of New York’s stifling defense and goalie Henrik Lundqvist. On Saturday, after 68 minutes of trying to get a shot past the Rangers’ Vezina Trophy winner, the Caps finally broke through on a power play. Set up at the point, Caps defenseman Mike Green took a feed from Mike Ribeiro and whipped a one-timer that barely caught Rangers center Derek Stepan before hurtling past Lundqvist for a 1-0 overtime win at the Verizon Center that gave Washington a 2-0 series lead.

It was yet another demonstration of this team’s power play prowess. Though the Rangers had been much better about staying out of the box than they were on Thursday night, a delay of game call in OT proved to be their undoing. Here are some more observations from Game 2:

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Alex Ovechkin scored Washington’s first goal in its 3-1 Game 1 victory over New York. (Greg Fiume/Getty Images)

By Sarah Kwak

How far the Capitals have come since their dreadful start to this season. After a mesmerizing second half of the campaign, Washington brought its momentum right into the postseason, defeating the Rangers in Game 1 at the Verizon Center, 3-1.

The Capitals are a very different team than the one that took the ice in January. With a new coach and a new system to absorb on a compressed schedule, Washington seems to be a team that has finally begun to feel that it knows what it’s doing, and New York will need to up its game if it wants to make this a series. The Rangers need to better their power play and their 34.5 win percentage on face-offs in the offensive zone, and they’ll need to avoid the box.

Some observations from the first 60:

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Will this virtual Stanley Cup be the only trophy the New York Rangers earn this postseason? (EA Sports)

By Adam Levine

In a simulation of the 2013 NHL playoffs, EA’s popular NHL 13 game predicts Stanley Cup glory for the New York Rangers.

EA has the Rangers knocking off the Capitals, Penguins and Canadiens en route to a Stanley Cup showdown with the Blackhawks. EA has the Rangers taking that series in six games on the way to their fifth Stanley Cup.

The simulation credits Rangers center Brad Richards with a 24-point playoff surge behind seven goals and 17 assists.

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Henrik Lundqvist and the Rangers must find a way to cool white-hot Alexander Ovechkin. (Paul Bereswill/Getty Images)

By Sarah Kwak

EAST PREVIEWS: Pens-Islanders | Canadiens-Senators | Capitals-Rangers | Bruins-Leafs

WEST PREVIEWS: Hawks-Wild | Ducks-Red Wings | Canucks-Sharks | Blues-Kings

Regular-season recaps

Feb. 17: Rangers 2, Capitals 1

March 10: Rangers 4, Capitals 1

March 24: Capitals 3, Rangers 2 (SO)

Notable injuries

Capitals: C Brooks Laich (sports hernia, indefinite); RW Joel Ward (knee, indefinite)
Rangers: D Marc Staal (eye, indefinite); C Brian Boyle (leg, indefinite); RW Derek Dorsett (shoulder, day-to-day); LW Ryane Clowe (upper body, indefinite)

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