Stan Fischler On Rangers Cup Chances After taking the opener of their First Round series on Sunday, the New York Rangers [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-rangers/latest-news/fans-want-more-of-rempe-but-laviolettes-not-so-sure] play the Washington Capitals in Game T in search of a 2-0 series lead. Puck drop from Madison Square Garden is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. MORNING SKATE UPDATES: The Rangers will not be making any lineup changes ahead of Tuesday's game. Igor Shesterkin will once again be in the net for the Rangers (36-17-2, 2.58 GAA, .913 SV%). Shesterkin earned the win with 20 saves on Sunday. In regular season play against the Capitals, he is 8-4-0 with a 2.59 GAA and .916 SV%. Washington defenseman Vincent Iorio did not skate with the team on Monday, he is day-to-day after suffering an upper-body injury in Game One. Sammi Silber, The Hockey News' correspondent for the Washington Capitals, says that Lucas Johansen will slot in for Iorio [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/washington-capitals/news/washington-capitals-notebook-jensen-sandin-iorio] should he not be good to go. Charlie Lindgren will start Game Two for the Capitals after starting Game One (25-16-7, 2.67 GAA, .911 SV%). He took the loss on Sunday with 27 saves on 31 shots. In three previous starts against the Rangers this season, he is 2-1-0 with a 1.35 GAA and .955 SV%. GAME ONE RECAP: Neither team found the back of the net in the first period, but the difference-making goals all came in the second. New York lit the lamp three times in just over two minutes, with Matt Rempe starting the scoring at 4:17 of the frame. Artemi Panarin and Jimmy Vesey added on to make it 3-0 just under 6:30 into the period. Martin Fehervary attempted to start a comeback late in the period, but Shesterkin stood tall and allowed the Rangers to seal it in the third. Chris Kreider added a breakaway to seal a 4-1 win. PLAYERS TO WATCH: Kreider's empty netter gave him his sixth-career postseason goal against the Capitals, the second-most among teams he's faced in the playoffs. Panarin's red light gave him 19 career postseason points with the Rangers, totaling seven goals and 12 assists. He can become the 63rd player in franchise history to reach 20 points in Stanley Cup Playoff action. Mika Zibanejad leads active Rangers in goals and points against Washington with 18 and 34, respectively, in regular season play; Panarin leads the team with 21 helpers against them. While Lindgren lost Game One, he is a resilient goaltender. Per Tarik El-Bashir [https://x.com/Tarik_ElBashir/status/1782432182658572551], the Capitals' netminder is 13-6-3 after suffering a loss this season, including three shutouts. Fehervary's goal was the first of his Stanley Cup Playoff career, with Aliaksei Protas tallying his first postseason assist. Despite not tallying a shot on goal in their opener, Alex Ovechkin is still a candidate to score against the Rangers. He leads the team in lifetime goals and points against New York with 42 and 67, respectively. Carlson leads the active Washington roster in assists with 32 against the Rangers. NEW YORK RANGERS PROJECTED LINES: Chris Kreider -- Mika Zibanejad -- Jack Roslovic Artemi Panarin -- Vincent Trocheck -- Alexis Lafreniere Will Cuylle -- Alex Wennberg -- Kaapo Kakko Jimmy Vesey -- Barclay Goodrow -- Matt Rempe Ryan Lindgren -- Adam Fox K'Andre Miller -- Braden Schneider Erik Gustafsson -- Jacob Trouba Igor Shesterkin Jonathan Quick WASHINGTON CAPITALS PROJECTED LINES: Alex Ovechkin -- Connor McMichael -- T.J. Oshie Aliaksei Protas -- Dylan Strome -- Tom Wilson Max Pacioretty -- Hendrix Lapierre -- Sonny Milano Beck Malenstyn -- Nic Dowd -- Nicolas Aube-Kubel Martin Fehervary -- John Carlson Alex Alexeyev -- Dylan McIlrath Trevor van Riemsdyk -- Lucas Johansen Charlie Lindgren Darcy Kuemper HOW TO WATCH: Tuesday's game will air locally on MSG; the game will be carried nationally on ESPN. On the radio, the contest will air on 98.7 ESPN.
