Recap: Rangers Rout Capitals 8-1 With 5-Goal Second Period, Cuylle Hat Trick
Cuylle's hat trick headlined a dominant Rangers performance as New York played spoiler against their Metro Division rivals, winning 8-1 at the Garden.
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In the second half of a back-to-back in their second to last home game of the season, the New York Rangers hosted the Washington Capitals. A pair of important points was on the line for the Capitals as the Rangers looked to continue their solid play by playing spoiler for their Metropolitan Division rivals.
The Rangers rolled the same lineup that has been working for them as of late with Igor Shesterkin getting the start in net.
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First Period
It only took the Rangers 23 seconds to find the back of the net as a shot from Adam Fox at the point took a redirect on its way to Charlie Lindgren. Tye Kartye ended up whacking at the rebound which sent the puck back to Conor Sheary who ended up finding the back of the net to make it 1-0 early. This goal became the fastest Rangers goal scored this season.
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About a minute later, the Capitals were given the game’s first penalty as Will Cuylle was called for holding. The Rangers were successful in killing off the man advantage which brought the teams back to even strength for what was turning into another low event opening period.
However, with about six minutes to go in the period, Tom Wilson sent the puck out to center giving Connor McMichael a breakaway opportunity. Despite a bit of a desperate attempt from Vladislav Gavrikov to try and stop the pass from getting through, McMichael had a clear breakaway and fired a shot past Shesterkin to tie the game up, 1-1.
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The Capitals nearly took the lead on the next shift as Aliaksi Protas ripped a wrist shot off the post. From that point on, the Capitals ran the rest of the period, spending most of it in the Rangers’ end of the ice. Although the Rangers got their first power play in the final minute of the first as Dylan Strome was called for delay of game as the puck was sent out of play. The Rangers had enough time to generate some offense but wouldn’t convert as the score remained tied at one after the opening twenty minutes.
Second Period
While the Rangers wouldn’t convert on their first power play that carried into the start of the second period, they would pick one up on their second power play attempt. It was another delay of game call as this time, Anthony Beauvillier had sent the puck over the glass for Washington. As the Rangers settled back into the man advantage, Fox set up Mika Zibanejad for the one timer and J.T. Miller was right at the doorstep to regain the lead, 2-1 Rangers.
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About three minutes later, a shot from Braden Schneider at the point would tip in off of a net front Will Cuylle to extend the lead, 3-1.
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A nice goal for Cuylle but shortly after he would head back to the penalty box for another holding infraction. The Rangers continued to have success on special teams and as Cuylle returned to the ice, he picked up his second goal of the night. A nice pass from Vincent Trocheck found Cuylle as he wasted no time getting a shot off that deflected off the stick of Jakob Chychrun to find the back of the net, 4-1.
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Nearing the midway point of the outing, Zibanejad had a golden opportunity to extend the Rangers lead some more as he ended up on a breakaway. The shot just caught the top of Lindgren's pad and went off the post, staying out of the net.
With six and a half to go in the second, a tremendous zone entry from Jaroslav Chmelar set up a chance off the rush for his linemates. A quick pass over to Noah Laba gave Adam Sykora the time and space to set up on the right wing side where Laba found him right at the doorstep to make it a 5-1 game.
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In the final three minutes of the period, Cuylle laid a huge hit on Ryan Leonard which resulted in Chychrun challenging him to his second fight of the weekend.
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Shortly after, Tye Kartye and Brandon Duhaime dropped the gloves as the Capitals were desperately trying to spark some live back into their game.
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This resulted in another Rangers power play where a shot from Adam Fox found the back of the net, making it 6-1 in New York's favor.
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That would do it for a roller coaster of a period as the Rangers scored five unanswered to take a dominant lead over the Capitals. Shots after forty minutes were now 23-14 in the Rangers' favor.
Third Period
The Rangers picked up right where they left off to start the third as two and a half minutes in, Trocheck made it 7-1 by opting for the shot on an odd-man rush. On the following shift, Braden Schneider was off to the penalty box as he was called for slashing. The Rangers remained perfect on the penalty kill as the score remained the same through man disadvantage.
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Midway through the third, the Rangers went back to the power play as McMichael tripped up Fox. Sullivan put out the second power play unit to start, likely trying to give Cuylle the chance to complete his hat-trick. While the advantage came and went without it, Cuylle would eventually complete the hat-trick in the final 31 seconds of the game on a nice wrist shot that went off the post and in to make it 8-1.
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Four minutes prior to that, Noah Laba picked up his first career fight as he dropped the gloves with Hendrix Lapierre with four and a half to go in the outing.
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The Rangers would complete a dominant showing against the Capitals, picking up their fifth win in their last six games. Final shots on goal tally would clock in 30-21 in New York's favor. The Rangers will play their final home game of the 2025-26 season this Wednesday as they host the Buffalo Sabres.
