Bruins vs Red Wings

ARLINGTON, Va. -- The Washington Capitals will continue to be judged for what they've failed to do as a team, no matter how many individual accolades they may receive.

Four players remain from the core assembled in Washington over the past decade-plus: captain Alex Ovechkin, forwards Nicklas Backstrom and Brooks Laich and defenseman Mike Green. These were the players who shouldered the expectation of a Stanley Cup championship in the nation's capital, but four times playing together the Capitals have blown a two-game lead and lost a Stanley Cup Playoff series.

This year, the New York Rangers dealt the blow in the Eastern Conference Second Round, preventing Washington from advancing to its first conference final since 1998.

ARLINGTON, Va. -- The injury that sidelined Washington Capitals forward Eric Fehr for 10 games during the Stanley Cup Playoffs was a separated shoulder, also known as an AC sprain, Fehr said Friday.

"The AC sprain is not a shoulder injury. It’s different, which is good for me," Fehr said. "These are injuries that just go away. They just need time, and unfortunately, come playoff time, you don’t have that."

He was injured in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference First Round from a hit by New York Islanders forward Kyle Okposo.

Fehr was out for 24 days but returned for Game 7 of the second round against the New York Rangers.

A pending unrestricted free agent, Fehr’s status with the Capitals is uncertain but he is confident the injury won’t affect the interest of other NHL teams.

For additional insight into the New York Rangers during the Eastern Conference Final series, NHL.com has enlisted the help of Dave Farrish to break down the action. Farrish will be checking in throughout the series.

Farrish was an assistant coach for the Anaheim Ducks and Toronto Maple Leafs from 2005-14. He won the Stanley Cup with the Ducks in 2007. He also coached 1,027 games in the minor leagues, including the American Hockey League. In addition, Farrish, a former defenseman, played 430 games over seven seasons in the NHL.

From watching the New York Rangers closely through two rounds featuring 12 games in the 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs, former NHL assistant coach Dave Farrish has found three things about them that impress him the most.

Henrik Lundqvist, the Rangers' overall team speed and their remarkable resiliency.

The Washington Capitals were eliminated from the Stanley Cup Playoffs by the New York Rangers in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Second Round after a 2-1 loss in overtime Wednesday at Madison Square Garden.

The Capitals have been eliminated from the playoffs by the Rangers three times in the past four years, twice from the second round. Washington has not been to the Eastern Conference Final since 1998.

"I don't know what to say," captain Alex Ovechkin said following the loss. "They're a great team, but we deserve a better result."

Here are five reasons the Capitals were eliminated:

The New York Rangers advanced to the Eastern Conference Final for the second straight season with a 2-1 overtime win against the Washington Capitals in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Second Round at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday, overcoming a 3-1 deficit in a best-of-7 second-round series for the second consecutive season. Last season they rallied against the Pittsburgh Penguins, winning Game 7 in Pittsburgh.

New York is 7-0 at home in Game 7 and will face the Tampa Bay Lightning in the conference final. Game 1 is Saturday at MSG (1 p.m., NBC, CBC, TVA Sports).

Here are five reasons the Rangers advanced:

NEW YORK -- Challenge the New York Rangers with any type of adversity, any type of style of play, physical or otherwise, and really any type of opponent other than the 2013-14 Los Angeles Kings, and they will not break.

"You can't ever count this group out regardless of what happens," New York captain Ryan McDonagh said.

No one ever should; the Rangers have proven at least that much in two seasons under coach Alain Vigneault.

They are back in the Eastern Conference Final for a second straight season because for a second straight season they found a way to recover from a 3-1 deficit in the second round.

No team in NHL history had ever done that before.

NEW YORK -- Alex Ovechkin said the Washington Capitals would win Game 7 against the New York Rangers.

They would not lose a third straight game and squander what was once a 3-1 lead in the Eastern Conference Second Round series, he said.

Ovechkin scored a goal, but the Capitals lost the decisive game Wednesday at Madison Square Garden when Derek Stepan scored 11:24 into overtime to give the Rangers a 2-1 victory.

"Great battle," Ovechkin said. "One shot, one moment. I think we played great in OT; we had chances. But one moment can end the series and end the game. It's over. I wish them luck."

It was the third straight Stanley Cup Playoffs appearance the Capitals were eliminated with a Game 7 loss to the Rangers.

NEW YORK -- New York Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist believes having a strong will to win usually leads to success in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

He proved his point Wednesday in a 2-1 overtime victory against the Washington Capitals in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Second Round series at Madison Square Garden. The win was New York's third straight against the Capitals after falling behind 3-1 in the best-of-7 series. The Rangers will play the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Final at Madison Square Garden on Saturday (1 p.m. ET; NBC, CBC, TVA Sports).

Lundqvist made 35 saves on the way to winning his sixth straight Game 7, tying Martin Brodeur and Patrick Roy for the most career Game 7 victories in Stanley Cup history.

NEW YORK -- New York Rangers defenseman Dan Boyle left Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Second Round against the Washington Capitals at 9:26 of the third period after getting hit by Capitals defenseman Brooks Orpik.

Boyle tried to get up twice as play continued but couldn't. He was tended to on the ice, and after skating off went to the dressing room.

Boyle played 25 shifts totaling 17:14. He had one shot on goal and two hits.

The Rangers won 2-1 on Derek Stepan's goal 11:24 into overtime to advance to the Eastern Conference Final for the second straight year.

GREENBURGH, N.Y. -- Chris Kreider arrived with a bang three years ago and then started looking like he might be a bust. Now his bang might be enough to help the New York Rangers bust the Washington Capitals right out of the 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Kreider heads into Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Second Round at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday (7:30 p.m. ET; NBCSN, CBC, TVA Sports) fresh off a two-goal performance in New York's 4-3 win in Game 6 on Sunday. He is the Rangers' hottest forward with four goals in the best-of-7 series, all in New York's three wins.

Kreider leads the Rangers with 16 goals in the Stanley Cup Playoffs since making his NHL debut in Game 3 of the 2012 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals.

"He always seems to play his best in the big games," Rangers defenseman Dan Girardi said. "He's just moving his feet. He's so fast, so big, so he's a hard guy to defend when he's hitting guys and getting in front of the net. He's definitely a force to be reckoned with out there."