Rangers Rout Capitals, Keep Playoff Push Alive

0:00It's April 7th. This is NHL News today, driven by AI, your team, nonstop. The New York Rangers are done in the Eastern Conference playoffs, but they're still messing with the standings big time. Winners in five of their last six games, they just smoked the Washington capitals eight to one on April 5th at Madison Square Garden. The caps were right in the wildcard hunt and desperate for points. Instead, they got hit hard by a Rangers team on fire, turning a close first period into a route. Washington goalie Charlie Lindgren had a nightmare return after sitting since March 12th. He saw 32 shots and eight win-in, with the Rangers overwhelming him on deflections and power plays. In the second period alone, New York dropped five goals, matching their season high. Will Keele grab his first career hat trick, making it back-to-back games for a Ranger to hit that mark. These kinds of beatdowns show how the Rangers keep influencing the playoff push, even from the sidelines.