WASHINGTON — Henrik Lundqvist does not have to be in net for these Rangers to let one slip away.
Having won two in a row heading into the NHL’s Christmas break, Cam Talbot made 31 saves Friday night in his third straight start over a healthy Lundqvist, but a harmless, 43-foot low wrist shot from Capitals forward Eric Fehr slipped past the backup on a third-period four-on-four to drop the Rangers to a 3-2 defeat.
“That’s a game that we probably should have won based on our effort,” said Talbot, who likely will give way to Lundqvist on Sunday in Tampa. “I’ve got to come up with another save.”
Rangers winger Carl Hagelin scored shorthanded 17 seconds into the third period for a 2-2 tie, after winger Benoit Pouliot had wiped out an early 1-0 deficit with a power-play goal 1:37 into the second, extending his point streak to a career-high six games. Hagelin is tied for the team lead in goals (nine) despite missing the first month of the season.
Nick Wass/AP
Nicklas Backstrom celebrates a goal for the Capitals as Rangers defenseman Michael Del Zotto watches.
The Rangers (18-19-2), however, lost for the second time this month to Washington third-string goalie Philipp Grubauer (38 saves), who made major stops on J.T. Miller and Pouliot late in the second period before Nicklas Backstrom scored off the rush for a 2-1 Washington lead after 40 minutes.
The Rangers played the majority of the game without defenseman Anton Stralman, who left after four shifts with an undisclosed injury. Alain Vigneault was cautiously optimistic about Stralman’s availability for Sunday’s game against the Lightning, when the Rangers continue this five-game trip. Still, late Friday night, the Blueshirts recalled defenseman Conor Allen from the AHL to join them for Saturday’s practice outside D.C.
RELATED: RANGERS OPT TO LEAVE HENRIK ON BENCH VS. CAPS
The Rangers already are without top-four defenseman Marc Staal, who could return from a Dec. 7 concussion as early as Sunday, as well as one of their AHL reserves, Dylan McIlrath, who is out with a knee injury.
Top-pair defenseman Dan Girardi logged 27:35 of ice time, just behind Ryan McDonagh’s game-high 29:53 while assuming the minutes vacated by Stralman. Girardi rang one off the post just before Fehr came back down to score the game-winner, which felt like a gut punch after Girardi had made a hit on Caps forward Troy Brouwer early in the third period leading to McDonagh’s home run pass for Hagelin’s game-tying goal.
Nick Wass/AP
Rick Nash trips Capitals defenseman Mike Green.
“We want to be a hard team to play against,” Girardi said of his physical play. “It’s really close there, but it’s unfortunate, I hit the post and they come right down and score. That’s how it goes, but it’s kind of tough to swallow that one.”
Washington (20-14-4, 44 points) also got an early power-play goal from Mike Green to increase its lead in second place in the middling Metropolitan Division, six points ahead of a four-way tie between the Rangers, Flyers, Blue Jackets and Devils.
Lundqvist sat healthy for three straight games for the first time since Nov. 1-5, 2006, when he was backed up by Kevin Weekes, but he didn’t argue with Vigneault’s decision.
“I have to work harder,” said Lundqvist, who has won just 10 of his 27 starts. “Cam’s playing really well. We won the last two games (before Friday night). I think the team played really well. I didn’t expect a change. I didn’t.”
CAPTAIN’S LOG
Captain Ryan Callahan skated on his own for the first time since spraining his MCL on Dec. 10, wearing a brace on his left knee, and said he is working toward the early part of his 4-6 window for recovery, which would mean a return around Jan. 7.
To post your comments, please, Sign in » . X