Early into the first period Friday night, as defenseman Mike Green sat behind glass for interference, the New York Rangers began a full-blown assault onto the Washington Capitals’ penalty kill. Over the next two minutes, they won the opening faceoff, enjoyed long stretches of uninterrupted zone time and heaved everything they had at goaltender Braden Holtby.
A slap shot from Derick Brassard caromed off Holtby’s shoulder. His left leg kicked away a one-timer from Martin St. Louis. His pads denied Derek Stepan, and then his blocker. He took a wrist shot to the belly, then kicked away another attempt from Brassard, who soon left the ice and waved his stick in the air, as though asking what more he could do to break Holtby.