Capitals Roll Past Rangers

Jonathan Cheechoo scored a natural hat trick in the first period to lead the Washington Capitals to a 6-4 victory over the New York Rangers on Day 50. The win lifts Washington to 10-15-3.

Cheechoo started it off from Oleg Saprykin and Greg Watson at 8:49. The second goal came 5:42 later from Saprykin and Artem Chubarov. Severin Blindenbacher and Saprykin setup the third tally at 15:07. New York pulled a goal back through Prucha from Backer at 18:15.

The Rangers rallied in the second period and scored twice to make it 3-3. Prucha struck first from Backer and Lukowich at 4:44. Bure tied it up on the power play from Pilar and Sundin at 12:20.

Washington took over again in the final period. Ivan Rachunek made it 4-3 from Chubarov and Henrik Tallinder at 8:31, before David Vyborny netted the eventual game-winner from Rachunek and Peter Tenkrat at 10:40. Watson finished it off from Frantisek Lukes and Blindenbacher at 14:46. Prucha completed a hat trick of his own from Backer and Fedorov at 15:21.

Manny Legace stopped 22 shots to earn the win and improve to 6-9-3. Karl Goehring made 23 saves in the loss. Brant Nicklin stopped six shots in relief.

The clubs complete the home-and-home series in New York on Day 52.