Final
Jagr, Rangers use the power play to defeat Capitals
Oct 13, 2007 - 3:58 AM By Larry Fleisher PA SportsTicker Contributing WriterNEW YORK (Ticker) -- A great start and dominant first period led to some extremely positive results for the New York Rangers' power play.
The Rangers scored three times with the man advantage in the first period as captain Jaromir Jagr collected three assists en route to a 3-1 victory over the previously unbeaten Washington Capitals on Friday.
Through three games, the Rangers had been scoreless on 15 power-play opportunities. They were the only team in the Eastern Conference without a goal with the man advantage and, along with Chicago, Edmonton and Minnesota, were one of only four clubs in the league to hold that dubious distinction.
Despite the slow start on special teams, Jagr and coach Tom Renney have remained patient.
"It's going to take time," Jagr said. "It's not easy. You've got two great players (Scott Gomez and Chris Drury) coming from different teams. They play different styles. It takes time and everybody has to play together."
"It's the same thing we have doing for two years," Renney added. "We were able to utilize our talent better, and it is just about moving the puck quickly and not taking too long to take the inventory and get it to the net."
New York quickly had a chance to end the futility on the first shift of the game, when Ryan Callahan drew a tripping penalty on Alex Ovechkin just 10 seconds into the contest.
Shortly thereafter, the Rangers broke through as Gomez netted his first goal with New York. The Rangers took the first seven shots of the game, and Gomez's wrister from the low slot sailed by goaltender Olaf Kolzig.
"That was those two guys," Gomez said, referring to Jagr and Brendan Shanahan. "I was nervous they wouldn't give me the puck after the last game. I just got it and kind of shot it."
"Scott's going to have a great career here in New York," Renney said. "We're happy that he was able to get one here tonight. Now he can move on."
The Rangers also allowed Ovechkin's power-play tally at 7:47. After two defenders had sandwiched defenseman Mike Green in the slot, Ovechkin took the puck, flew past blue-liner Paul Mara and fired a wrister over netminder Henrik Lundqvist.
It was Ovechkin's 100th career goal, making him the fastest player to reach that mark since Eric Lindros in 1995.
That was the lone blemish for the Rangers, who dominated during their next three power plays and got goals from Martin Straka and defenseman Michal Rozsival just over 4 1/2 minutes apart.
Straka gave the Rangers the lead for good with 6:34 to go, tapping the rebound of Marcel Hossa's shot into a vacant net. Rozsival, who scored New York's first goal of the season, made it 3-1 during a 5-on-3 advantage when he charged the net and converted a nice cross-crease feed from Jagr.
The Rangers finished 3-for-8 on the power play, spending 12 minutes, 50 seconds with the man advantage as Washington took five penalties in the opening period - its worst of the season.
"Their power play, both of them are two of the top units in the league," Capitals defenseman Tom Poti said. "Ultimately, I think that's what killed us. We took too many penalties, and it's tough to recover from that."
Jagr has not scored in his first four games but notched at least three assists for the 10th time during the regular season since being acquired from Washington in January 2004. He also moved past Hall of Fame defenseman Paul Coffey for 11th place on the all-time list with 1,533 points.
Lundqvist made 24 saves for the Rangers, who have won six straight at home against the Capitals. Their last loss to Washington at Madison Square Garden came on January 28, 2004.
As for the Capitals, four days after getting outshot, 31-12, in a 2-1 victory over the New York Islanders, the margin was even worse as they were outshot by a 41-25 margin. That, along with the inability to stay out of the penalty box, prevented Washington from its first 4-0-0 start since 1997-98 and third in franchise history.
Kolzig finished with 38 saves for the Capitals, who had allowed two goals in their previous three contests and none in 12 previous shorthanded situations.
"It is hard when you've got your penalty-killers killing 13 minutes in the first two periods," Washington coach Glen Hanlon said.
- NHL
FINAL 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL
--- --- --- -----
WASHINGTON 1 0 0 1
NY RANGERS 3 0 0 3 FINAL
GOAL SCORING:
1ST PRD: NYR - (PP) SCOTT GOMEZ 1 (BRENDAN SHANAHAN, JAROMIR JAGR)
1:33
WAS - (PP) ALEXANDER OVECHKIN 2 (MIKE GREEN, TOM POTI) 7:47
NYR - (PP) MARTIN STRAKA 2 (JAROMIR JAGR) 13:26
NYR - (PP) MICHAL ROZSIVAL 2 (JAROMIR JAGR, C
Oct 12 9:36 PM - NHL
END OF THE 2ND 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL
--- --- --- -----
WASHINGTON 1 0 1
NY RANGERS 3 0 3 END OF THE 2ND
GOAL SCORING:
1ST PRD: NYR - (PP) SCOTT GOMEZ 1 (BRENDAN SHANAHAN, JAROMIR JAGR)
1:33
WAS - (PP) ALEXANDER OVECHKIN 2 (MIKE GREEN, TOM POTI) 7:47
NYR - (PP) MARTIN STRAKA 2 (JAROMIR JAGR) 13:26
NYR - (PP) MICHAL ROZSIVAL 2 (JA
Oct 12 8:40 PM - NHL
END OF THE 1ST 1ST 2ND 3RD TOTAL
--- --- --- -----
WASHINGTON 1 1
NY RANGERS 3 3 END OF THE 1ST
GOAL SCORING:
1ST PRD: NYR - (PP) SCOTT GOMEZ 1 (BRENDAN SHANAHAN, JAROMIR JAGR)
1:33
WAS - (PP) ALEXANDER OVECHKIN 2 (MIKE GREEN, TOM POTI) 7:47
NYR - (PP) MARTIN STRAKA 2 (JAROMIR JAGR) 13:26
NYR - (PP) MICHAL ROZSIVAL 2 (JA
Oct 12 7:48 PM - NHL
WASHINGTON 1
NY RANGERS 3
1ST PRD: NYR - (PP) MICHAL ROZSIVAL 2 (JAROMIR JAGR, CHRIS DRURY)
17:59
Capitals vs. RangersOct 12 7:46 PM - NHL
WASHINGTON 1
NY RANGERS 2
1ST PRD: NYR - (PP) MARTIN STRAKA 2 (JAROMIR JAGR) 13:26
Capitals vs. RangersOct 12 7:35 PM - NHL
WASHINGTON 1
NY RANGERS 1
1ST PRD: WAS - (PP) ALEXANDER OVECHKIN 2 (MIKE GREEN, TOM POTI) 7:47
Capitals vs. RangersOct 12 7:25 PM - NHL
WASHINGTON 0
NY RANGERS 1
1ST PRD: NYR - (PP) SCOTT GOMEZ 1 (BRENDAN SHANAHAN, JAROMIR JAGR)
1:33
Capitals vs. RangersOct 12 7:12 PM
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