st. The Mariners led the division into late May and by the end of June, the wild card was the only option left. Wi

WASHINGTON -- Its been more than a decade since a goalie was as perfect over Games 6 and 7 of a playoff series as Henrik Lundqvist was for the New York Rangers against Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals. Willson Contreras Jersey . Yes, Lundqvist certainly had help, including goals from some unlikely teammates. Still, there is one key reason the Rangers are heading to the Eastern Conference semifinals. "Henrik Lundqvist," Capitals forward Troy Brouwer said. "Plain and simple." Led by Lundqvists 35 saves in a second consecutive shutout, the Rangers beat the Capitals 5-0 in an anticlimactic finale of an otherwise tense and tight seven-game series Monday night, eliminating Washington for the second year in a row. "Goaltending is the big thing," said Arron Asham, a fourth-line winger whose goal Monday gave him a pair for the series, twice as many as two-time NHL MVP Ovechkin. "Hanks been our backbone all year." The last NHL goalie to pull off the double shutouts in Games 6-7 was Detroits Dominik Hasek in 2002 against Colorado, according to STATS LLC. "Theres moments where you enjoy it and you think Wow, this is great. And you have fun. But theres also moments where you dont feel great. You feel the pressure and you just want to get it done, so badly," Lundqvist said. "You try to control your emotions. Thats the key for me. Im an emotional guy when I play. I try to just stay calm. Good or bad. I just try to stay calm and focus on my thing." Did that rather well on Sunday and Monday, lifting his career post-season shutout total to eight. "He was really good, but the team was also good, too. I have to give the team some credit. They played hard in front of him," Rangers coach John Tortorella said. Lundqvist, Ovechkin said, did an "unbelievable job; he makes incredible saves." By winning a Game 7 on the road for the first time in its history, New York completed its comeback after trailing in the series 2-0 and 3-2 -- the latest in Washingtons long history of playoff collapses. Now the sixth-seeded Rangers face the No. 4 Bruins, with Game 1 on Thursday at Boston. The Original Six rivals have not met in the playoffs since 1973. New York won that series in five games. "Well enjoy this one tonight," Rangers forward Rick Nash said, "and then get back to work." Nash was held without a goal by Washington, but New York found other scorers. Asham put New York ahead Monday in the first period, before Taylor Pyatt and Michael Del Zotto made it 3-0 early in the second on goals 2:10 apart. Ryan Callahan added a goal 13 seconds into the third period, and when Mats Zuccarello scored with about 13 1/2 minutes remaining, thousands of red-clad fans streamed to the exits. Soon after, when Lundqvist fell forward to smother a puck, chants of "Hen-reeek! Hen-reeek!" from the no-longer-outnumbered Rangers supporters rose in the arena. While Callahan did have 16 goals this season, the other four Rangers who put pucks past Braden Holtby on Monday combined for a total of only 14. "You need your third and fourth lines to get some goals to win games," Asham said, "and it was proven tonight." Also made clear: Lundqvist gives the Rangers a chance to win every game. From the moment Mike Ribeiros overtime goal gave Washington a Game 5 victory, Lundqvist was simply superb. The Swede stopped all 62 shots he faced in Games 6 and 7, showing exactly why he won the Vezina Trophy as the leagues top goalie last season and is a finalist this season. "In a game like this, obviously youre looking for a great start. I thought we set the tone in the first. You just need a couple of good bounces and we got them tonight. A couple of big goals for us," Lundqvist said. "When we scored the fourth one, I thought, OK, we got this. As long as its three, you never know with (the Capitals). They have so much skill, they can turn it around quickly." But Washingtons offence managed to score 12 goals the entire series -- and zero over the final six periods. Indeed, Ovechkin was held without a point in Games 3-7. The Russian wing led the NHL with 32 goals but he heads into the off-season after the longest playoff point drought of his career. He had a goal in Game 1, an assist in Game 2, and that was it. "Its very frustrating," said Ovechkin, never past the second round of the playoffs. "Thats the whole point: Youre here to win the games and try to win the cup." The Rangers-Capitals finale began only a little more than 24 hours after the shoving- and wrestling-filled end of Game 6, which New York won 1-0 on Derick Brassards second-period goal. That, of course, was played at Madison Square Garden, continuing the pattern of the home team winning each of the first six games of the series. That ended emphatically Monday, in a Game 7 so similar to Washingtons 6-2 loss to Pittsburgh in 2009, even Ovechkin brought up that defeat afterward. Another pattern done away with: Games 2-6 between New York and Washington were all decided by one goal. "Quite honestly, tough to explain," Capitals coach Adam Oates said. "Its funny how over the years sometimes the seventh game turns into some form of blowout." Since the start of the 2008 playoffs -- when Washingtons core of Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom and Mike Green made their post-season debuts -- the Capitals have appeared in nine series, and this was the seventh to last the full seven games. Theyre now 2-5 in those, and Ovechkin and Co. have never been beyond the second round. Going further back, to 1985, the Capitals have lost nine series in which the club led either 2-0 or 3-1. "Nobody is yelling at each other here. Nobody was pointing a figure that it was somebodys fault we (lost) the game. Its everybodys fault," Ovechkin said. "All the guys fault. My fault. (Backstroms). Its everybody. Its not about one person or two people. Its about the team." Truthfully, not much anyone on his team could do Sunday or Monday with the way Lundqvist performed. "We threw the kitchen sink at him at times, and he stood there and defended," Green said. "Hes a great goaltender. We knew that." Notes: The Rangers were 0-5 in Game 7s on the road entering Monday. ... Ovechkins longest span without a point this regular season was three games, something he went through twice: Feb. 14-21 and March 9-12. The Rangers were the opponent in the middle game of both of those droughts. ... The Rangers lost in the Eastern Conference finals last year to the New Jersey Devils, for whom Oates was an assistant coach. Jake Arrieta Jersey . -- Gus Malzahn finally had his day in Fayetteville. Jon Lester Jersey . -- Washington Redskins tight end Fred Davis was charged Thursday with driving while intoxicated, a day after he was suspended for an NFL substance-abuse policy violation. http://www.authenticcubsteamproshop.com/...n-grimm-jersey/ .Y. - General manager Billy King says the Brooklyn Nets are looking to add a big man and confirmed the team worked out centre Jason Collins, who would become the first openly gay active NBA player if signed. SEATTLE -- Two years ago, the Seattle Mariners went into the final weekend of the regular season with a chance at the playoffs.They missed the postseason but winning 87 games under a first-year manager provided optimism and the expectation that the Mariners were a club on the rise. They tanked the following year, losing 86 games and forcing an overhaul of the entire front office, coaching staff and a majority of the roster.This brings the Mariners to the end of the 2016 season. Once again, Seattle was in contention for the playoffs heading into the final weekend, only to fall short. Once again, there is a buzz and optimism that Seattle could be on the cusp of being a breakout team next season.Why would this be any different than the last time Seattle was in this place two years ago?Were not the same old Mariners. Were not, Seattle manager Scott Servais said. I think if people watched us closely this year, and the personalities of the team, got to see the team, theyd realize that this is a different group. ... We laid a foundation and well build upon that, but it is not the same old Mariners.Seattle heads into the offseason still with the longest playoff drought in baseball -- now at 15 years -- but the belief it will be ending soon. Seattle was equal parts entertaining and infuriating in posting an 86-76 record that put them on the outside of the AL playoff picture.It was a roller coaster of a season. Consider that between April 24 and the end of the season, Seattle spent only one day under .500. But it took until game No. 160 for Seattle to get any better than 10 games over .500.The Mariners lived in the space between contender and average. But the late surge that put Seattle into contention validated for Servais the processes he put in place and the changes that were made from the previous regime.I wish it was easy as just putting it all on paper, Servais said. Its not. Players change, seasons change, and you just have to wait and see, but I feel great about our team, I really do.Other things to know as the team looks toward 2017:MEN IN THE MIDDLE: Robinson Cano, Nelson Cruz and Kyle Seager combinedd to post three of the better seasons for any position players in the American League. Kyle Schwarber Jersey. Cano showed the injuries he played through last year truly were impacting his performance at the plate, rebounding to hit .298 with a career-high 39 home runs and 103 RBI. Cruz posted his third straight 40-homer season with 43 homers and 105 RBI. And Seager reached 30 homers for the first time in his career and finished with 99 RBI.RECLAIM THE THRONE: Felix Hernandez was far from kingly in 2016. Hernandezs most inconsistent season ended at 11-9 with a 3.82 ERA, his highest since 2007. He was slowed by a calf injury that cost him two months and Seattles rotation never fully recovered. Servais was blunt on the final day that Hernandez needs to be in better shape for 2017 and continue his evolution as pitcher. Hes not a high-90s strikeout machine anymore but Seattle needs him to return to being the ace of its staff.YOUNG STARS: Young closer Edwin Diaz emerged this season as a minor-league call-up who ended up becoming crucial to Seattles run. Who will it be next year? Maybe outfielders Ben Gamel and Guillermo Heredia, who give Seattle the athleticism it wants defensively in the outfield but need to be better at the plate to become regulars in the lineup. Perhaps its time for minor-league slugger Tyler ONeill to finally get his chance in the majors.One name to watch: first baseman Daniel Vogelbach. Acquired from the Cubs, Vogelbach could be primed for a major role in Seattles lineup going into next season.WIN THE WEST: Servais was thrilled to be in the race in his first season. He was bothered it was for the wild card and not the AL West. The Mariners led the division into late May and by the end of June, the wild card was the only option left. With the talent that Texas and Houston have, the Mariners have quite the task if theyre going to reach the top.Everyone has the feeling that we can make it, Cano said. I hope everyone goes and prepares themselves not to play just 162 games. Cheap MLB Jerseys cheap jerseys Cheap Jerseys Free Shipping cheap nfl jerseys Cheap Jerseys USA China Jerseys Cheap NFL Authentic Jerseys Cheap Jerseys For Sale Cheap NFL Jerseys China Wholesale Jerseys Cheap NBA Jerseys ' ' '