Familiarity Breeds Contempt

The Rangers and Capitals are set to meet for the 8th time in the post season, with this being the fourth time in the last five years that the teams will have met.  The Capitals hold a 4-3 series lead to date, having won in 1990, 1991, 2009 and 2011, while the Rangers have prevailed in 1986, 1994 and last year.

In fact, only the Canadiens (61) and the Flyers (47) have played the Rangers more than the Capitals (41) in the post season.  19 of the 41 games the two teams have played in the post season, have come in the last four seasons, two seven game series and a five game series.

The Rangers are 19-22 in the 41 games, with a solid 12-9 record at MSG, but a less than stellar 7-13 record in DC.  They’ve been outscored 120-105 in those 41 games.

Before last year’s series win, the last time the Rangers had beaten the Capitals was in 1994 on the way to the Stanley Cup.

4 of the last 12 games have gone to OT, with the Rangers and Capitals each winning 2.  The Rangers have won the last two, including a triple OT game last year, which was the 20th longest game in NHL history, and 4th longest in Rangers history.

In the seven previous meetings, four have been in the first round, and three have been in the second.  Ranges are 1-3 when meeting the Capitals in the first round.

Three Rangers have played in all of the games in the last three series against the Capitals – Dan Girardi, Henrik Lundqvist and Marc Staal, but Marc Staal will miss at least some of the games this time round.  Ryan Callahan missed the 2011 series after breaking his hand blocking a Zdeno Chara shot leading up to the playoffs.

Active Rangers Playoff Stats against Capitals