Rangers vs. Capitals Recap: Washington Rallies in the 2nd

The Washington Capitals beat the New York Rangers 3-1 on Friday night. The Rangers struck first on an Alexis Lafreniere power-play goal at 10:17 of the 1st. Washington tied it at 6:08 of the 2nd on a Timothy Liljegren slap shot, took the lead on Boone Jenner's goal at 17:38 of the 2nd, and Tom Wilson sealed it with an empty-netter at 19:59 of the 3rd. Washington outshot New York 27-22. Logan Thompson made 21 saves on 22 shots, and the Rangers used two goalies: Igor Shesterkin started and played 28:20 before Dylan Garand took over. Three DARIMARKET plays cashed on this game.

What cashed

Ryan Leonard 2+ shots on goal (-135 at DraftKings): CASHED - Our read: Leonard had 2+ shots in all 3 games this season, 8 in total, and did it in 51 of 75 games last season. - What happened: He finished with 2 shots on goal in 13:26, including 2:26 on the power play, clearing the 1.5 line by 0.5. He also had an assist on Liljegren's tying goal. - Worth watching: He got there on modest minutes, which says the shot rate is real. If his ice time climbs, this line gets more comfortable.

Alex Ovechkin under 2.5 shots on goal (-110 at DraftKings): CASHED - Our read: Ovechkin had played 12:46, 13:34 and 14:05 in three games this season with 3 total shots, and he was facing Shesterkin and a Rangers team allowing a league-low 23.6 shots per game. - What happened: Ovechkin had 2 shots on goal in 13:57, 0.5 under the line. His ice time stayed in the same range as his first three games. - Worth watching: He did get 4:32 on the power play, the most of the cashed players in this game, so power-play time is the thing that could push his shot count up. As long as his total minutes stay around 14, the under remains a fair look.

Igor Shesterkin under 26.5 saves (-125 at DraftKings): CASHED - Our read: Washington was averaging 25.0 shots a game and the Rangers were allowing 23.6, the fewest of the night's teams. Shesterkin had stayed at 26 saves or fewer in 3 of 4 starts this season and 30 of 51 last season. - What happened: Shesterkin made 13 saves on 14 shots in 28:20, finishing 13.5 under the line. To be clear about how it cashed: he played less than half the game, and Garand handled the rest. Washington's 26 shots on the two Rangers goalies were close to the volume we expected, so the under had support from the shot count too, but the early exit did most of the work. - Worth watching: Saves unders depend on the goalie playing the full game, and this one cashed with a big cushion for a reason that has nothing to do with the read. Judge the next one on shot volume, not on this margin.

How the game played out

The 2nd period decided it. Washington scored twice in that period to turn a 1-0 deficit into a 2-1 lead, and Thompson did not allow anything after the 1st. Each team had three power plays, and only the Rangers scored on one. New York threw 35 hits to Washington's 22.

Trends to watch

• Washington finished with 27 shots, close to its 25.0 average coming in. The Capitals are not a high-volume team so far, which keeps opposing goalie saves lines in check.
• Ovechkin's minutes held around 14 again. Until that changes, his shot totals are likely to stay modest.
• Leonard picked up 2:26 of power-play time. Any growth in that role is worth tracking for his shot and point lines.

Stats are from the ESPN box score. More hockey coverage lives on the NHL hub and in our NHL recaps. If you want the basics on these markets, see our guide to the player prop.