Moore Celebration: Dominic Moore celebrates his goal in the Rangers’ 4-2 win over the Capitals.
AP Photo by Alex Brandon/Getty Images

The Rangers finished strong by going into Verizon Center and posting a 4-2 win over the Capitals Saturday afternoon. In defeating the Caps, they actually helped the Islanders. The Isles trail the Caps by a point entering tonight’s season finale at home against the Blue Jackets. With the Islanders beating the Penguins 4-1 Friday to guarantee themselves a first round meeting against the Caps, they now have a opportunity to clinch home ice for the match-up. A win in any fashion would leap frog the Isles over the Caps into second in the Metro.

While the Isles aim for home ice at the top of the hour, the Rangers were able to spoil the Caps’ final game. In winning a franchise record 28th road game (28-11-2), they set new regular season marks for most wins (53) and most points (113). In outscoring Washington 4-2, they finish with the NHL’s best goal differential (+60) outscoring opponents 252-192. Now, the President’s Trophy winners shift their focus to the postseason. With Game 1 still to be determined depending on tonight’s results, they’re expected to open up this Thursday, April 16.

”Obviously we had a good year,” coach Alain Vigneault said. ”I’m very proud of the way we played, but now our focus shifts on the playoffs.”

Everything they’ve worked for restarts. It now becomes about reaching their big goal of winning the Stanley Cup. Whoever it is (Boston, Detroit or Pittsburgh), it promises to be a challenge for a focused group who’ll face enormous pressure the likes we haven’t seen since 1994. The 2014 Eastern Conference Champions will have a target on its backs. They’ll get everyone’s best game. They better be ready.

”Everything we’ve done, the Presidents’ Trophy and everything, that’s gone,” goalscorer Derick Brassard said after notching his 19th goal on the power play and 60th point. His 60 points ranking second in team scoring behind Rick Nash’s 69. He sat this one out along with Marc Staal while Mats Zuccarello returned. ”When the buzzer sounded in the third period, everything’s gone. Now we have to look forward to the playoffs.”

The Rangers were able to escape the season finale without injury. Though the more physical Caps certainly put a hurting on a few of our players. J.T. Miller took an unpenalized Brooks Orpik slash in the first but didn’t miss a shift. Jesper Fast was hit knee on knee by pugilist Tim Gleason, who was ornery throughout picking a fight with Tanner Glass, who did fine once he got his gloves off. Dan Girardi took a big hit from nemesis Alex Ovechkin. He gave it back with a couple of stick jabs. The Caps also picked on James Sheppard, who got under their skin.

It was that kind of game between potential second round opponents. Washington plays a physical style. Not surprisingly, they outhit the Rangers 36-16 led by Ovechkin’s nine. The Rocket Richard winner was his usual pulverizing self getting the Caps on the scoreboard with his league-leading 25th power play goal and league best 53rd.

By that point, the Rangers had the first three. Rookie Kevin Hayes continued his strong second half scoring his 17th by chipping a puck out of mid-air past Braden Holtby at 12:36 of the first. Martin St. Louis started it by keeping a puck alive on the forecheck and passing for a Ryan McDonagh shot that Holtby got a piece of. But Hayes was able to beat two Caps with a very skilled backhand chip shot. A tremendous play from a talented player who looks poised for a big playoffs.

A Mike Green holding minor led directly to Brassard wiring his 19th from Hayes and Dan Boyle past Holtby for a 2-0 lead 3:14 later. Brassard doesn’t always shoot but when he does, he has success. Taking a feed from Hayes, he let go of a long wrist shot through traffic that Holtby never saw.

Leading by two early in the second, Dominic Moore increased it to 3-0 when he took a St. Louis feed and surprised Holtby with a backhand from a sharp angle short side. The Caps’ netminder didn’t have the goalpost covered. A Sheppard tripping minor allowed the Washington hosts to get back in it. Awarded a power play, they didn’t disappoint. Using some Globetrotter passing, Nicklas Backstrom and Norris darkhorse John Carlson worked the puck around to an open Ovechkin at the left circle for a quick one-timer far side on Henrik Lundqvist. Just textbook. That’s how to describe their power play.

That’s as close as they got. Lundqvist didn’t have a ton of work but made timely saves to keep the Caps at bay. He made a couple of big ones including a nice stack job off a Matt Niskanen backdoor feed. There also was an easy glove stop on another Washington chance. In his final tuneup before Thursday, Lundqvist was sharp making 22 saves to record his 30th win. Since entering the league in ’05-06, he’s won at least 30 in nine of 10 seasons. This year, he reached 30 in only 46 games due to a sprained blood vessel that he’s fully recovered from. How many would he have won if he wasn’t hurt? Might it finally have been a 40-win season? His most wins are 39 coming in ’11-12 when he won the Vezina.

”Coming back I kind of set a personal goal to win 30 games,” Lundqvist said. ”I knew it was going to be a challenge, but the guys played really well and I think really helped me find my game fast.”

As was previously noted, the game was chippy. Especially in the third. Gleason was going after Sheppard during a scrum getting some shots in following a Brassard shot post-whistle. Holtby made a save and Brassard snuck in which led to Gleason going after him. Then Sheppard came to Brassard’s aid and Gleason started punching him. They got matching roughs.

Gleason wasn’t done. Following another stoppage, he cross checked Glass and then proceeded to start a fight throwing punches before Glass could get his mitts off. Once he did, he came back well landing a couple of big ones. Both were bloodied. The Rangers didn’t score on the power play despite some good looks. It has looked better lately which at least is a positive they can take into the postseason.

With Washington coach Barry Trotz pulling Holtby for an extra attacker, a good defensive play from Glass allowed Moore to make the unselfish pass to Fast for an empty netter at 18:06. A nice gesture from the most underrated player on the roster. In a year where he didn’t have great linemates, Moore became the 10th Rangers to reach 10 goals. The others are Nash (42), Chris Kreider (21), St. Louis (21), Brassard (19), Hayes (17), Carl Hagelin (17), Derek Stepan (16), Zuccarello (15) and Miller (10).

The Caps were able to score late with Stanislav Galiev scoring his first career NHL goal with 29 seconds left. That concluded the scoring.

BONY 3 Stars:

3rd Star-Martin St. Louis, NYR (2 assists, 5 SOG, +2 in 21 shifts-17:00)

2nd Star-Kevin Hayes, NYR (goal-17th, assist, +1 in 21 shifts-16:51)

1st Star-Dominic Moore, NYR (goal-10th, assist, +2 in 21 shifts-12:49)

Alexander The Great: Caps’ leading goalscorer Alex Ovechkin celebrates his NHL best 25th power play goal and NHL-leading 53rd. The Rocket Richard winner will be seeing the Islanders in the first round next week.
AP Photo by Alex Brandon/Getty Images

Notes: In making his 73rd start of the season, Holtby tied Olaf Kolzig for the most in Caps history. It was also his team record 25th consecutive start. He finished with 30 saves. … Ryan McDonagh had an assist and was plus-two. He finished the season with 33 points (8-25-33) and a plus-23 rating in 71 games. The 33 points paced all Rangers’ defensemen. … In his first season, Hayes finishes fifth in rookie scoring with 45 points (17-28-45) unless Isles’ freshman Anders Lee records four points to tie him. … Ovechkin’s 25 power play goals are the most to lead the NHL since Teemu Selanne hit 25 in ’06-07. He also leads the league with 11 game-winners. … In Staal’s place, Chris Summers took 22 shifts logging 18:14 with four blocked shots and a plus-one rating. … Ryan Bourque was a healthy scratch.

Senators Clinch: The Ottawa Senators continued their amazing run by defeating the Flyers 3-1. Rookie Mark Stone stayed hot tallying twice for his 25th and 26th goals. His run tied Johnny Gaudreau for first in rookie scoring with 64 points. Entering Nashville’s final game, Filip Forsberg is third with 62.

The Sens got another great outing from The Hamburglar, Andrew Hammond who made 34 saves. Many were big due to the Flyers outplaying Ottawa in the first half. At one point, they had 21 of the game’s first 27 shots.

But the Sens were able to pick it up with Jean-Gabriel Pageau notching the winner in the second period by scoring for a third straight game. Stone added his second of the day when he pick pocketed Jakub Voracek and beat Steve Mason five-hole unassisted for an insurance marker midway through the third.

By reaching 99 points, the Sens can either finish third in the Atlantic or as the first wildcard. Neither Boston nor Pittsburgh can catch them. Each is playing for their playoff lives. A Pens win in any fashion at the Sabres eliminates the Bruins, who are at the Lightning. A Red Wings victory at the Hurricanes would guarantee them third in the Atlantic and a first round match-up with either Montreal or Tampa. The Habs lead the division by two points but must get at least a point at the Leafs to win it. If the Lightning win over the Bruins and the Habs lose, Tampa gets the division by virtue of more regulation/overtime wins.

The Rangers can play three teams depending on tonight’s results. It could be the Red Wings if they lose and the Penguins win because Pittsburgh would vault ahead of Detroit due to ROW. If the Wings get at least a point, they move into third in the Atlantic over Ottawa who becomes the top wildcard. That would mean either the Pens or Bruins. The Bruins must win to get to 97 points and have the Pens lose.

Updating the games, the Pens and Sabres are scoreless after one. Buffalo has already clinched 30th overall guaranteeing themselves one of the top two picks in the April 20 lottery. Something Brian’s been eyeing. The Bruins and Bolts are scoreless in the first. The Wings lead the Canes 1-0 after one. The Isles trail the Jackets 1-0.

I’ll have more on the playoff scenarios later.