Kiss Cam: Chris Kreider kisses Cam Talbot’s helmet following his 28-save performance in the Rangers’ 3-1 win that moved them into first.
AP Photo by Alex Brandon/Getty Images

There was a defining moment when the Capitals were on a power play and about to tie the game up. Only Nicklas Backstrom shook his head in disbelief following a remarkable glove save by Cam Talbot, who preserved a one-goal lead leading to Backstrom saying something to Talbot. It was the biggest save of what was another stellar night for the red hot backup who stoned Washington in leading the Rangers to a 3-1 win that moved them into first.

Talbot stopped 28 including all 16 Caps shots in a tired third that saw the Rangers hang on in the second of a back-to-back. Their third straight win followed up an emotional one-goal triumph over the Islanders sending them to the top of the Metropolitan Division with 91 points. The identical amount Montreal and Anaheim have. The Rangers deserve a ton of credit for catching up to take their place as the league’s number one ranked team. By virtue of 39 regulation and overtime wins along with games at hands, they now are in the hunt for the President’s Trophy.

During a challenging part of the schedule that has them on a five-game road trip with one last stop at Buffalo this weekend, they’re 3-0-1 having taken seven of eight points. Dating back to a dominant 4-1 home win over Nashville, the Rangers have picked up nine of 10 points since the deadline trade for Keith Yandle. While the former Coyote has yet to contribute offensively, his addition has strengthened the blueline making it much stingier for opponents. That includes league leading sniper Alexander Ovechkin, who after scoring his 45th struggled to hit the net and was frustrated.

Even with them nursing a one-goal lead in another tight checking game that may as well have been a playoff preview, they never panicked. Talbot was the last line of defense making every clutch save. He’s allowed five goals in his last five starts. The way he was seeing the puck, the Caps would’ve needed a huge break to even the match. They certainly tried with Troy Brouwer crashing into the net searching for a rebound that wasn’t there. That’s cause Talbot didn’t allow many. Whatever he saw, he stopped. It was like he imitated Henrik Lundqvist against an opponent who’s seen this act before.

From the outset, the Caps intention was to get the puck deep and finish every check. That was the strategy coach Barry Trotz wanted. Even though they got some good hits in, they still had trouble with the Rangers’ superior speed which made a difference the first two periods. In particular, the cohesive third line did most of the damage by scoring twice. Off a Caps mishap, Dan Boyle set up Kevin Hayes in front causing Braden Holtby to leave a rebound that Carl Hagelin deposited for his 15th at 8:20.

But Boyle went off for interference which meant the Caps biggest weapon. Not so much the power play but that guy wearing number 8. Indeed, Ovechkin struck for his league-leading 45th when off a Evgeny Kuznetsov set up, his shot deflected off a diving Jesper Fast going to the right of Talbot and in. It was also his league-leading 21st power play goal. Joel Ward picked up the secondary assist on Ovechkin’s goal that tied it at 11:43.

When the teams played five-on-five, the Rangers had the edge due to their speed. Even on a night the top line of Rick Nash, Derick Brassard and Mats Zuccarello were shutdown by Matt Niskanen and Karl Alzner, they were able to go back ahead thanks to the Hayes line. Off another Caps turnover, Hayes stole the puck, faked shot and passed for an open J.T. Miller, who went top shelf for his seventh at 16:34. Even though Miller only played 9:33 in 23 shifts, he was effective on both ends.

The Rangers ran into penalty trouble before the conclusion of the first. Following an undetected cheap shot from bruiser Tom Wilson, Dominic Moore went back at Wilson getting nabbed for interference with 56 seconds left. Tanner Glass was out and warned Wilson, who accomplished his goal taking one of their best penalty killers off the ice. Complicating matters, Ryan McDonagh high-sticked Marcus Johansson with 14 seconds left leading to a Caps 5-on-3 that spanned the first and second periods.

At the start of the second, Washington set up Ovechkin three times and he missed the net on all three one-timers by a wide margin. The one set up they did get was down low to a wide open Backstrom at the doorstep. He fired and Talbot stretched across and robbed him point blank making a huge save on the goal line. They reviewed it briefly in Toronto but they confirmed the obvious. Talbot made the save of the game.

”I just kind of instinctively reached back, and luckily, it ended up in my glove,’ “To take away their momentum on their power play, which they feed off so much, was a big momentum boost for us, that’s for sure.”

Part of that was the Caps tactics. Curtis Glencross didn’t take kindly to a clean Dan Girardi shoulder to Jay Beagle earning a roughing minor. But the Ranger power play was woeful again misfiring in three attempts managing only one shot. So much for Yandle solving the power play issues. They’re 1 for 13 since he came over and Girardi scored the one at Detroit. It’s the same old story with way too much passing and not enough shots.

Following the Caps’ penalty kill, Ovechkin took a run at Miller catching him up high with a dangerous hit resulting in an illegal check to the head minor. Glass drew an unsportsmanlike conduct for getting into it with Tim Gleason following the incident. For once, Alain Vigneault looks pretty smart having Glass in there for a second consecutive game. It was a rivalry game and a bit heated. To Glass’ credit, he continues to play better. I would still figure James Sheppard returns to the lineup Saturday in Buffalo. Vigneault likes to keep everyone fresh.

The Rangers outshot the Caps 12-4 in the second. But they’re failure to take advantage of Washington’s lack of discipline could have come back to bite them. With not much left in the fuel tank, they ceded territory in the third. The fresher team, Washington came hard from the very first shift searching for the equalizer. By that point, it was too late. Talbot was a brick wall turning away all 16 shots.

”He made four brilliant saves that were Grade-A and kept us right there,” Vigneault said while adding ”and we were able to pull it off.”

Happy St. Louis: Goalscorer Martin St. Louis gets a high five from Keith Yandle.
AP Photo by Alex Brandon/Getty Images

With Washington opening it up more, it was only a matter of time before the Rangers cashed in on their aggressiveness. As we noted in an earlier post, the second line had been silent. They were better in the third. Fittingly, it was Chris Kreider and Martin St. Louis who combined on a crushing insurance goal with 2:27 left in regulation. Kreider intercepted a John Carlson pass at the New York blueline and flew literally breaking in two-on-one and dishing across for a perfect St. Louis finish top shelf. St. Louis’ 19th was his first point in eight. Kreider made it happen ending a three-game pointless drought.

That put the finishing touches on another win. This one allowing the Rangers to improve to 31-7-3 over the last 41. At one point, Anaheim led the league in points by a lot. There was also a time where it was an uphill climb. That’s no longer the case. The Rangers are finally at the top of the standings. With 16 games remaining, home ice is there for the taking. And the pressure that will come with it promises to be a whirlwind the like we haven’t seen in this area since that special year.

What happens when Henrik Lundqvist comes back? Talk about a pressure cooker. The brilliant play of Talbot has allowed him to rest up. The countdown is on.

BONY 3 Stars:

3rd Star-Ryan McDonagh, NYR (4 hits, 4 blocked shots, +1 in 37 shifts-20:51)

2nd Star-Kevin Hayes, NYR (2 assists, 2 SOG, +2 in 23 shifts-10:40)

1st Star-Cam Talbot, NYR (28 saves incl. 16/16 in 3rd-CamBot)

Notes: Kevin Klein took a puck to the left arm and left the contest in the final minute. He’ll have x-rays tomorrow. If he is lost for any significant time, it would be a big blow. … Beagle suffered an “upper body injury” according to Trotz. … The Caps were minus defensemen Mike Green and Brooks Orpik. … The teams combined for 64 hits with the Caps holding a 34-30 edge led by Wilson’s 6. Girardi and Glass shared the Ranger lead with 6 each. … Blocked shots were 20-15 Rangers paced by McDonagh’s 4 with Fast blocking 3. Carlson led everyone with 6. … Faceoffs were in favor of the Caps 38-29. Eric Fehr dominated going 12-and-3. Despite no points in an eighth straight, Derek Stepan went 12-and-11.