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A little more than one month ago, the Rangers found themselves in this same spot, trailing 3-2 in a series and having to hit the road for a do-or-die Game 6. They would beat Ottawa 3-2 to even the series, and went on to vanquish the Senators in Game 7 at Madison Square Garden.

The Rangers believe that experience of winning an elimination game on the road will help them as they prepare to visit the Devils on Friday for Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals. The Rangers are 3-0 when facing elimination in the playoffs.

"We've been in this situation in the Ottawa series. We can draw off that experience, just the feelings going into the game," captain Ryan Callahan said after the team's practice at Madison Square Garden. "Try to stay even-keeled about it and go into an opposing building and win one game and try to get back here to the Garden."

In the quarterfinals, the Rangers lost 2-0 in Game 5 to the Senators, forcing them to the brink of elimination. Center Brad Richards called it a "tough day" to lose at home in Game 5.

Richards said the team was looser during its practice Thursday than when it prepared to travel to Ottawa.

"That's how you grow. You build on everything you've done through your career and the different games you've played in," Richards said. "We've been fortunate to get a lot of those games this year already."

In addition to the Game 6 win against Ottawa, the Rangers are also 2-0 in Game 7s this postseason, knocking off Ottawa and Washington in a pair of 2-1 games. Head coach John Tortorella said his team is a good group that "stays with it" and doesn't panic. He pointed to the team climbing out of a 3-0 deficit Wednesday night as an example.

Tortorella believes the experience of playing in those elimination games is invaluable.

"These are all situations you look at as an organization as far as what guys are in these situations," Tortorella said. "The more you're in it and the more situations you go through, the better. That's how you gain experience."

The prevailing thought around the Rangers was they played their best game of the series against the Devils on Wednesday. While that might be a good sign heading into the most critical game yet, the team still lost.

The Rangers realize they're going to have to kick it up another notch -- like they did in Ottawa on April 23 -- if they want to survive for at least one more game.

Said Callahan: "They're going to be a desperate team to clinch on their home ice and we have to find that next level and that extra desperation, and it's obviously a huge game."

At a glance: After a tepid start to what was expected to be a nasty set between bitter rivals, the snarl came out in Game 4 as the Devils knotted the series with a 4-1 win against the Rangers. Tied at two games apiece, the Rangers and Devils clash in a pivotal Game 5 at Madison Square Garden Wednesday night. As Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur surmised following his team’s latest victory: “I think the best hockey is yet to come.”

Prayer for offense: When asked what he could do to get his top-six forwards producing again, coach John Tortorella offered up an unorthodox suggestion: “Pray.” Tortorella was joking, but the Rangers’ scoring woes are no laughing matter. Ryan Callahan, Marian Gaborik, Brad Richards and Carl Hagelin have only one goal between them this series, in which the Rangers have combined for only nine in total.

Opponent set: With Dustin Penner’s overtime game-winner Tuesday night, the Kings dispatched the Coyotes and punched their ticket to the Stanley Cup Finals. Now L.A. waits to see whether they’ll head to Manhattan or Newark for Game 1 next Wednesday.

Zach attack: Limited to one assist in the first three games of the series, Devils captain Zach Parise delivered a stellar three-point performance in the team’s 4-1 win against the Rangers Monday. The 27-year-old winger tallied two goals and recorded one assist in leading his team to a decisive series-tying victory.

Dubinsky back? : With the Rangers in need of a “jolt” to their lineup, Brandon Dubinsky may be ready to return. The 26-year-old forward is expected to be available for the first time since suffering a right foot injury in the series finale of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals.

Prust returns: After missing Game 4 while serving his one-game suspension for an elbow to Devils defenseman Anton Volchenkov in Game 3, Rangers tough guy Brandon Prust returns to the lineup. The gritty 28-year-old winger had previously played in all 82 regular-season and 17 playoff games for the Rangers this season.

Retaliation? Really? : Will the Devils be looking to retaliate for the punch that “stung” Brodeur in Game 4? Probably not, but given Mike Rupp’s brazen jab to his former teammate -- a blow that ignited a boisterous scrum on the ice and a war of words between the benches – New Jersey may be looking to rattle Vezina/Hart Trophy finalist Henrik Lundqvist just a little bit.

Playoff performer: Held without a goal in 82 regular-season games, Devils defenseman Bryce Salvador is making up for lost time with his ample contributions. The 36-year-old veteran has chipped in for three goals and seven assists this post-season and has four points (one goal, three assists) through the first four games of this series.

NEWARK, N.J. -- The six-game goal drought that followed captain Ryan Callahan into Game 3 must have weighed a little heavier in the second period.

With a Grade A opportunity at the left post, Callahan was robbed by a diving Martin Brodeur, who looked half his 40 years in stymying the struggling spark plug and preserving the scoreless tie 4:16 into play.

Callahan never beat Brodeur on Saturday, but he did halt his skid with an empty-net goal scored with 2:13 left in the third. Burying a rebound from Brian Boyle's initial attempt that glanced off the end-boards, Callahan gathered with teammates for a subdued celebration that seemed more relief than elation.

Regardless of how it came, Callahan seemed relieved at to get himself back on the scoresheet.

"It's good to get that last one," he said, before taking a crack at himself. "Now I've got to just try to do it with the goalie in there."

Having witnessed Callahan's torment during a dry spell that has spanned almost the entire postseason -- only four goals and three assists in 16 games -- teammate Brad Richards anticipates a more carefree captain.

"It's amazing what goals can do, no matter how they’re scored,” said Richards, whose faceoff win set up the Rangers' first goal of the game. "He's the captain of our team. He takes everything very hard if we lose. He took the last game very hard and he wants to be part of it.

"You forget sometimes how valuable he is and what he does all over the rest of the ice. He wants to do everything," Richards continued. "We all were happy when we saw that. That will hopefully take a little pressure off him."

While Callahan never ceases to set the tone of the team's signature hard-nosed play -- blocking shots, crushing opponents with checks and killing penalties -- he couldn't escape the expectations of not chipping in offensively.

His torment was obvious to everyone around him.

"It's killing him. He's not helping us a whole bunch offensively. It's killing him. But he continues to do those other things," coach John Tortorella said.

Maybe, Tortorella surmised, the late-game marker will turn things around.

"You never know. You get an open-net goal like that, you never know what that does for you. I've seen it before. A guy takes off," he said. "That's what we're hoping will happen with him."

GREENBURGH, N.Y. -- Rangers forward Marian Gaborik isn't worrying about his third-period benching in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals.

Gaborik sat nearly the entire third period after a costly gaffe led to the Devils' game-tying goal in their eventual 3-2 win.

"I don't want to talk about it," Gaborik said Friday, as the Rangers prepared to face the Devils on Saturday afternoon. "It happened. I'm going to focus on tomorrow night's game. So is everybody else, and we need to be better and I need to be better and that's the bottom line."

With the Rangers leading 2-1 in the second period Wednesday, Gaborik failed to clear the puck and the Devils turned it into a game-tying goal. The Devils later scored in the third to win the game and even the series at 1-1.

"It was what it was," Gaborik said. "I have to do a better job there on the second goal. That's their strength and we need to be better there and win those battles."

Gaborik, the Rangers' highest-paid player, has four goals and six assists during the playoffs but has not produced like he did during the regular season, when he scored 41 goals and tallied 35 assists. He has not tallied a point against the Devils and has a plus-minus rating of minus-1 in each game.

Rangers coach John Tortorella said on a conference call Thursday that he makes lineup adjustments he feels will help the team win. Gaborik did not play for the final 1:29 when the Rangers pulled goalie Henrik Lundqvist to try to score the game-tying goal.

Tortorella added that the loss was not because of Gaborik's play.

"I think you're trying to put players in situations that are going to try to help you win games or help you in certain situations and momentum swings," Tortorella said. "Some guys, when you don't think it's working, they don't see the ice or they don't get the minutes.

"Those are decisions we make every games. You guys like calling them benchings and all that stuff, and as coaches we are trying to find a way to win hockey games and we make decisions accordingly."

Teammate Brad Richards, who plays on the same line as Gaborik, said every player has the same accountability and expects Gaborik to have a great game against the Devils. Gaborik last scored a goal in Game 6 of the semifinals against the Capitals.

"He'll be fine," Richards said. "He takes that stuff to heart and you expect him to be one of the better players tomorrow. That's the way it has been in this locker room all year."

If his brief interview Friday was any indication, it does not appear that Gaborik is going to let his benching bring him down.

"It's a series," Gaborik said. "I've been in that situation before and we all learn and just have to learn from it and make sure I do a better job. It goes for everybody."

At a glance: For the first time in 18 years, the New York Rangers and New Jersey Devils meet in the Eastern Conference Finals for a heated Hudson River showdown to determine which team will move one step closer to the Cup. After knocking off the Flyers in five games, New Jersey enters Monday’s match recharged and revitalized after five days rest while the Rangers hop right back into the action after a grueling seven-game series with the Capitals. The hatred between the two teams is genuine and venom between the division rivals is ready to be unleashed. Buckle up, hockey fans. This one is sure to be a bloody, bitter battle.

Lundqvist vs. Brodeur: Rangers netminder Henrik Lundqvist is trying to cap a sensational 2011-12 season and while he dominates Martin Brodeur in regular-season head-to-head meetings (23-7-5, 1.61 GAA, .941 save percentage), Brodeur is the one who sets the bar as far as post-season success. The four-time Vezina Trophy winner has won three Stanley Cup Championships during his 18-year tenure with the Devils. Which one will hold court in this best-of-seven set?

Stars to watch: Beyond the superior goaltending match-up, the Devils and the Rangers possess two of the best snipers in the league in Ilya Kovalchuk and Marian Gaborik, respectively. Both teams also feature hard working, heart-and-soul captains Zach Parise and Ryan Callahan and clutch playoff performers Patrik Elias and Brad Richards. X-factor players? Keep an eye on New Jersey’s David Clarkson, who is coming off a career-high 30-goal regular-season and New York’s talented rookie duo of Chris Kreider and Carl Hagelin.

Last time around: In a nasty regular-season finale between New York and New Jersey on March 19, the two teams wasted no time expressing their hostility. Six players dropped the gloves three seconds into play during an opening-faceoff line brawl that had the Garden crowd rocking and both coaches trading verbal jabs before, during and after the fight-filled contest.

Offensive outburst: Gone are the Devils teams of years past – the clubs that excelled with the trademark trap and a stingy defensive structure. They have been replaced with a high-flying, aggressive offensively opportunistic team under new coach Pete DeBoer. The well-balanced Devils are averaging three goals per game throughout the playoffs and required only five games to bounce the Flyers from the second round.

Cup stat “crap”: No team under the current playoff format has ever gone on to win the Stanley Cup after playing 14 games through the first two rounds. The Rangers needed a seventh game to dispatch of both Ottawa and Washington. How does coach John Tortorella feel about the statistical data stacked against his club? “That’s a bunch of cap,” he said in Monday morning’s press conference.

Revenge factor: Brodeur does not have fond memories of the last time the two teams met in the Eastern Conference finals back in 1994 en route to the Rangers’ first Stanley Cup since 1940. Stephane Matteau beat a then-22-year-old Brodeur with his iconic wraparound goal in double-overtime of Game 7 to send the Devils packing- a memory that still stings for the 40-year-old Brodeur.

Count Rangers coach John Tortorella as one person that does not subscribe to the theory that a team that plays 14 games through the first two rounds can't win the Stanley Cup.

When asked about the daunting stat -- no team in the current playoff format has won the Cup after being extended to seven games in each of the first two rounds -- Tortorella brushed it off as nonsene.

"That's a bunch of crap," he said.

The Rangers advanced to face the New Jersey Devils in the Eastern Conference finals -- their longest playoff run in 15 years -- but had to win two Game 7's to get there. Surmounting a 3-2 series deficit, the Rangers knocked off the Senators in the deciding game at Madison Square Garden in the quarterfinals; they needed seven games to dispose of the seventh-seeded Capitals as well.

Those that have been there before, however, aren't too concerned with the statistical data pointing against them.

"To me, it doesn't matter," said veteran Ruslan Fedotenko, who won a Stanley Cup with Tortorella and Brad Richards in 2004 and another while playing for Pittsburgh in 2009.

"I scored two goals in Game 7," he said, referring to his triumphant performance that clinched the Cup for the Lightning in the deciding game against the Calgary Flames eight years ago. "Did I score the last two goals [in the Rangers last pair of Game 7's]?

Rather than rely on statistics, Fedotenko bases his optimism on the mood around the team right now. Asked to assess the club's energy level and mental focus, he seemed satisfied.

"We have a good young team that is playing well and everyone is alert," he said. "If you're not alert right now, you're in the wrong business."

Recap | Box score | Photos

What it means: Bring on the Devils.

For the first time in 15 years the Rangers are headed to the Eastern Conference finals, following a 2-1 win to knock off the seventh-seeded Capitals in a thrilling Game 7 on Saturday. Goaltender Henrik Lundqvist led the way, making 22 saves en route to the series-clinching victory in front of a frenzied hometown crowd at Madison Square Garden.

Brad Richards and Michael Del Zotto tallied for the Rangers as they advanced to face the New Jersey Devils in a Hudson River showdown that begins Monday.

Quick turn: The Rangers took a two-goal lead midway through the third after a fantastic shift by Del Zotto resulted in his second goal of the playoffs, but the Rangers coughed one up on the other end just 38 seconds later when Caps defenseman Roman Hamrlik pulled Washington back within a goal at 10:43.

Early lead: Three shifts into the first period, coach John Tortorella went right back to his starting line of Carl Hagelin, Richards and Marian Gaborik -- a move that paid off. Hagelin chased down a dumped puck to feed Richards for a one-timer from the left circle that beat a screened Braden Holtby 1:32 into play. The team that scored first in each of the first six meetings of the series went on to win the game.

Big-goal Brad: The hero behind Game 5’s overtime stunner, Richards tallied his sixth goal of the playoffs with his early marker. The 32-year-old center, who won the Conn Smythe Trophy with six game-winning goals in the 2004 playoffs while playing for Tampa Bay, has seven goals and eight assists in 11 career games when facing elimination.

Showcase saves: Preserving the Rangers' 1-0 lead with the Capitals buzzing throughout the second period, Vezina/Hart trophy finalist Lundqvist made a pair of spectacular saves early in the frame. Lundqvist made diving pokecheck to deny Alexander Semin on a breakaway at 5:02, then made a swift save with his right pad to smother Mike Knuble's chance at the doorstep minutes later.

Dis-Laich: Caps alternate captain Brooks Laich took a beating physically in the second period. After hobbling to the bench after blocking Dan Girardi's shot with his left skate early on, he took a puck to the helmet later in the period.

Dog days: The Caps were without key forward Jay Beagle for the second straight game. The defensive-minded center, also a key penalty-killer for Washington, suffered a lower-body injury when blocking a shot during Game 5. Veteran pivot Jeff Halpern replaced him in the lineup for the second straight game.

Up Next: Rangers vs. Devils, Monday at 8 p.m.

The Rangers have been here before.

A little over two weeks ago, the team hosted the Ottawa Senators in a make-or-break Game 7 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals. This time, it will be the seventh-seeded Washington Capitals looking to knock off the Rangers on Saturday at Madison Square Garden.

"We know what to expect," captain Ryan Callahan said. "You realize how big the game is and how every little play matters."

In a series with little leeway in terms of scoring chances, open ice space and margin for error, the Rangers can expect the finale to follow suit.

But if that's what they can expect, here's what they can hope for:

Offense.

Of the teams still standing in the playoffs, the Rangers average the fewest goals per game -- a paltry 2.08 -- giving Hart and Vezina trophies finalist Henrik Lundqvist no cushion for anything but a superior effort.

"They've been playing pretty tight in their own end. It's tough for us to create scoring chances," Lundqvist said. "I hope that changes [Saturday] and we come out and play our best game of the year."

The Rangers have managed only 13 goals in six games against rookie netminder Braden Holtby and his stingy Capitals squad. And as much as the power play has underperformed of late (0-for-5 in Game 6, including a woefully disappointing four-minute opportunity), their even-strength production hasn't been much better.

The Rangers have been held without a true 5-on-5 goal in each of the past two games -- both markers in a stunning Game 5 comeback came on the power play; Marian Gaborik's late goal in Game 6 was scored with Lundqvist pulled for an extra attacker.

In practice Friday, rookie Chris Kreider and center Derek Stepan were promoted to the second line with Callahan, presumably a move to give the offense a jolt.

Despite personnel changes, alternate captain Brad Richards said the Rangers won't modify the team's overall approach.

"If we win 1-nothing it's the same as winning 5-1. We'd like to go out and score two or three in the first [period], but you play the game the way it's being played," he said. "We're not going to abandon our structure just because people are writing about lack of scoring. We've just got to win a game."

Surrendering only 13 goals in the six games of the series, Holtby doesn't seem to be fazed by much. With injuries to Washington's Tomas Vokoun and Michal Neuvirth, he transitioned into the Capitals' starting job with relative ease. Leading the Capitals past the defending Stanley Cup champion Boston Bruins and extending the Rangers to a seventh game, Holtby boasts a .935 save percentage and 1.95 goals-against average. Even in the wake of a life-altering event -- Holtby and his fiancée, Brandi, welcomed the birth of their first son Thursday -- he doesn’t appear to be a player who wilts under the spotlight.

The Rangers hope to change that Saturday.

"He's pretty calm back there, he's positionally sound. He's a good goalie, there's no questioning that," Callahan said. "We just have to continue to work and believe and get some shots [on net]."

At a glance: Coming off their most dramatic win yet -- a spirited late-game rally in Monday's 3-2 OT victory -- the Rangers can close it out against the Capitals in Game 6 Wednesday in D.C. With a 3-2 series lead heading into the match, the Rangers can punch their ticket for the team's first conference final appearance in 15 years. Meanwhile, the resilient seventh-seeded Capitals look to avoid elimination on home ice at Verizon Center following a heartbreaking loss on the road.

Do or Die: In a must-win situation, the Capitals hope to extend the series to Game 7 with a win against the top-seeded Rangers tonight. “It's a do-or-die game for us, so we're all pretty intense,” defenseman Karl Alzner told the Washington Times. “Obviously we want to do and not die, so we're ready for it.”

Avoid same mistakes: After prevailing in last week’s epic triple-overtime Game 3, the Rangers bungled the chance to take a commanding 3-1 series lead. With another prime opportunity within reach, the Rangers want to avoid letting it slip past. Said alternate captain Brad Richards: "It's backing up these big wins. We didn't do a good job coming out after Game 3. That'll be a focus. We want to back this up and at least give ourselves a lot better chance, especially to start."

Big-goal Brad: Richards contributed another clutch goal for the Rangers Monday, tying the game at 2 with 7.6 seconds left in regulation. The dynamic 32-year-old center has shown a knack for stepping up in big situations throughout his career, particularly the playoffs, and has a Conn Smythe Trophy to show for it. Richards, who holds an NHL record for seven game-winners during the Tampa Bay Lightning’s 2004 Stanley Cup run, has five goals and five assists in 12 games this post-season.

Guns blazing: A key for the Capitals will be to get the most out of their “Young Guns” Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom and offensive defenseman Mike Green. The Caps are 13-0 when all three players tally goals, which they did to lead Washington to an 3-2 win in Game 4.

Dog days: Caps forward Jay Beagle did not participate in the team’s morning skate Monday, but according to reports, he will be available for Game 6. Coach Dale Hunter said he was just “resting his legs.”

Devils beckon: Knocking off the Flyers in five games, the New Jersey Devils now must wait until their opponent is set for the Eastern Conference finals. The 6th-seeded Devils, who missed the playoffs last year, will face the winner of the Rangers-Capitals series.

With one of the most thrilling wins in franchise history Monday night, the Rangers are in the driver's seat with a 3-2 series lead heading into Game 6 in D.C. Wednesday.

And after letting the Capitals off the hook Saturday following a dramatic, triple-overtime stunner in Game 3, the Rangers want to drop the proverbial hammer.

"It's backing up these big wins," said alternate captain Brad Richards, who tallied the game-tying goal with 6.6 seconds left in regulation to send it into overtime. "We didn't do a good job coming out after Game 3. That'll be a focus. We want to back this up and at least give ourselves a lot better chance, especially to start."

Their potential opponent is set -- New Jersey dispatched Philadelphia in a five-game series that ended Tuesday night with the Devils 3-1 win in Philadelphia -- but before they look ahead to a Hudson River clash in the Eastern Conference finals, the Rangers anticipate a tough task in the pesky seventh-seeded Capitals.

Having done it themselves against Ottawa in Round 1, the Rangers know a 3-2 series deficit is not insurmountable.

"We know they're going to come hard," Richards said. "I think we've learned that lesson as we've gone through here in the last few weeks."

Facing elimination on home ice at Verizon Center Wednesday, the Capitals are expected to come out pucks blazing. Unlike Game 4, the Rangers feel ready.

"It's a do-or-die situation," veteran winger Ruslan Fedotenko, who has won two Stanley Cups in his 10-year career, said of the difficult fourth win in each series. "Teams are desperate. That's always the hardest to win."

"I feel like we're going to try and initiate our game," Fedotenko said of the team's approach. "not weather it....we don't need to sit back and wait."

Rangers backup goaltender Martin Biron was perusing Wayne Gretzky's playoff numbers recently when he came across a staggering statistic.

It didn’t belong to The Great One but rather to Biron's teammate, Brad Richards.

En route to his Conn Smythe Trophy-earning performance in 2004, Richards tallied an NHL-record seven game-winning playoff goals during the Tampa Bay Lightning’s Stanley Cup championship season.

Biron shared the number with his teammates, and fittingly, Richards added another pressure-cooker goal to his career totals Monday. With 6.6 seconds left in regulation and the Rangers trailing 2-1 in Game 5 at Madison Square Garden, Richards beat Caps netminder Braden Holtby for one of the most thrilling goals in franchise history.

“He’s a clutch player. We were actually talking about it in the room [Monday],” said defenseman Michael Del Zotto, who assisted on the goal. “Anytime there is a big play, he’s there to make it.”

It was that intrinsic big-game, big-goal quality that prompted the Rangers to court the coveted center in free agency in July, and it paid dividends again Monday as the Rangers took a 3-2 series lead after his stunning equalizer led the Rangers to a 3-2 overtime win.

Why does he seem to have a knack for stepping up in the most nerve-fraying moments?

“He’s got it,” said John Tortorella, who coached Richards with the Lightning from 2001-08. “I’ve known him since he was a kid, when he broke into the league, and he’s made big plays at key times.”

A player who thrives in the spotlight, Richards chose the Rangers and the bright lights of Broadway among his many clamoring suitors last July. Inking a nine-year, $60 million contract, he joined the team as a natural veteran leader and embraced the opportunity to mentor some of the younger players.

The opportunity was a rare one, and one that lured him to Eighth Avenue, but it also brought heightened pressure for the 32-year-old to perform up to mammoth expectations.

“It’s never been fun to lose,” Richards said. “I probably take it home with me a little too much, but that’s part of the experience of growing up. This is new; you want to make a good first impression. You’re new to the team and organization, so sometimes you think about that a little too much, but you just rely on good teammates that have been great all year.”

“It’s not just me,” he said. “Everybody’s picked each other up.”

It was his turn Monday, and he did not disappoint.

“He never lets the nerves get to him and he always produces when you need him,” Del Zotto said. “You watch any game and you see some guys get a little nervous and start fighting the puck when a big play is needed. A guy like him just gets better and better the deeper the game goes on and when you need a big play. He proved it again [Monday]. He just has that ability to find the back of the net when you need him the most.

“You see 19 open and you want to get him the puck.”

Five days after a thrilling, triple-overtime Game 3 win in D.C., the Rangers pulled off yet another playoff stunner.

With 6.6 seconds remaining in regulation, former Conn Smythe Trophy winner Brad Richards tallied a power-play goal to send the game into overtime and set up Marc Staal's clincher for the 3-2 win against the Caps. Per Elias Sports Bureau, Richards' marker was the third game-tying goal with less than 15 seconds in regulation in the 2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the most in NHL history.

Here's what goaltender Henrik Lundqvist had to say about the final moments of the game:

"I was almost thinking about the next game. There was only 10 seconds left. I looked up and thought this is gonna be tough. Then we score that goal and had 15 minutes to settle down and re-focus. Luckily for me, I didn't have to do anything in overtime. We took care of business on the power-play."

Read more about the Rangers' Great Escape from ESPNNewYork.com's Johnette Howard here.

New York Rangers assistant coach Mike Sullivan parted the throng of reporters surrounding Marc Staal's locker and gave him a quick fist bump for his efforts in the Rangers’ stunning 3-2 overtime win against the Washington Capitals. It was a simple gesture to acknowledge the latest accomplishment in what is becoming a pretty tremendous comeback for the 25-year-old defenseman.

After missing the first half of the season with lingering concussion symptoms dating back to February 2011, Staal is inching ever closer to a return to form as one of the league’s elite defensemen.

The alternate captain has been one of the team’s steadiest and, at times, dominant performers this postseason, and he delivered a gold-star game Monday. Capping a shocking late-game rally led by Brad Richards' game-tying goal with 6.6 seconds in regulation, Staal tallied the game-winning power-play goal 1:35 into overtime to give the Rangers a 3-2 series lead.

Staal, who earned the team’s MVP Broadway Hat, finished the game with a goal, assist and a plus-1 rating in 24:05 in ice time during the pivotal Game 5.

He also broke up a Capitals’ 3-on-1 rush in the third period to keep the Rangers within striking distance.

“I’m certainly feeling better and better,” Staal said of his progress since making his long-awaited season debut in the Winter Classic on Jan. 2. “As the year has gone on, I’ve felt better and better. Playoffs are a lot of fun and I’m having fun with it.”

Staal’s goal, which went off Brooks Laich's stick and beat a screened Braden Holtby, allowed the Rangers to re-assert control of a series that was threatening to slip away. Had the Rangers dropped the overtime decision to the Capitals, they’d have found themselves in a precarious position for the second time this postseason -- trailing 3-2 with the series headed back to an opponent’s home ice for Game 6.

The overtime marker was also the Rangers’ second power-play goal tallied in a span of 1:42, a drastic turnaround from the unit’s feeble efforts throughout much of the game.

“We kept talking about it, plays that would open it up for us. We just kept trying to come at them,” Staal said. “It wasn’t a set play or anything off the draw, just a good clean draw and guys went to the net and he couldn’t see it.”

With his second goal and third assist of the playoffs, Staal has already matched his output for his injury-shortened 46-game regular season. He is also nearing a return to the team-leading minutes he shouldered last season as part of the team’s top defensive pairing.

“He’s just getting better and better,” goaltender Henrik Lundqvist said. “He gets the goal and made some big plays to break up opportunities in the third. He was all over the ice.”

His contributions were something that may have gone overlooked at times last season. But now that the team knows what it was like to be without Staal, and what he has gone through to get himself back, the appreciation is magnified.

“No one understands that injury unless you go through it,” said Richards, who battled a concussion of his own while playing in Dallas last season. “I’ve gone through one and I didn’t miss half the season and jump into it, so the benefit of the doubt goes to him all the time and he’s gotten nothing but better.”

“He’s enjoying this fresh start in the playoffs,” Richards said. “He’s playing so much better, and I’m sure he’ll continue to get better.”

Brad Richards' point was simple, yet summed up the Rangers' plan on offense.

"We've just got to do more," the center said.

With another seven-game series possibly on the horizon, the Rangers are hoping they can galvanize their offense entering Game 5 against Washington on Monday at Madison Square Garden. The Rangers have scored just nine goals in four games, and have tallied just five in their last 12 periods of hockey, including three overtimes.

"We have to shoot the puck more and create more offense and the only way we're going to do that is to get pucks to the net," captain Ryan Callahan said at the team's optional practice Sunday. "It's definitely something we need to improve on and get more of."

While the defense has been solid and Henrik Lundqvist has been stellar for the most part, the offense hasn’t held up it's end of the bargain thus far. After scoring three goals in the first game, the Rangers have failed to reach that mark in each game since.

Washington has received good play in net in the series and has used strong defense to keep the Rangers at bay, its players not afraid to throw their body in front of the pucks and block shots. In Saturday's game, Washington blocked 26 shots, six more than the total number of shots the Rangers had on goal in a 3-2 loss.

"Frustration, you can't let that creep in," said Callahan, who had two shots Saturday. "You have to keep banging away and we're not frustrated in here, we realized what we have to do and we just have to go out there and do it."

For as much as Washington has been stingy, the Rangers are saying it's all about what they need to do. Richards mentioned how it might mean beating a defender by a step. Marian Gaborik talked about being able get more pucks to the net and creating better angles.

"We just got to figure out some way to get more pucks in the blue, try to find ways to get some shots through and there's a lot of different ways you try to do that," head coach John Tortorella said. "I thought that was the weakest part of our game, not finishing up plays. There were certain times we had chance to make plays and we didn't. They did."

As the top seed in the playoffs, the Rangers have not made it easy for themselves in the playoffs. They went seven games in the first round, and could be destined for another series that goes to the limit. The team is confident moving forward.

"All year, any time there has been a big game we've rose to the occasion. We've been there for it," defenseman Michael Del Zotto said. "You look at last series, people were counting us out and expecting an upset and we come back and won two in a row. We have the confidence here and we've been through so much as a team this year and we believe in ourselves."

Recap | Box score | Photos

What it means: After dropping a triple-overtime thriller on Wednesday, Washington bounced back with a 3-2 win over New York in front of a home crowd at the Verizon Center in Game 4 on Saturday. Nick Backstrom was outstanding for Washington, but it was Caps defenseman Mike Green's power-play goal with 5:48 left in regulation that sealed the win and tied the series 2-2. The teams head back to New York for Game 5 on Monday.

Questionable hit: Alex Ovechkin could be facing supplementary discipline after a nasty blow that leveled Rangers defenseman Dan Girardi in the second period. Showing little interest in the puck at his feet, Ovehckin left his skates to deliver a high hit that earned him a two-minute charging penalty.

A-OK: After getting an earful on the bench from coach John Tortorella early in the first period, Artem Anisimov figured into both of the team’s second-period goals. He stickhandled the puck past Braden Holtby's outstretched left pad to make it 1-1 just 70 seconds into play and then set up Marian Gaborik to erase another Caps lead later in the frame.

Gaborik gaining momentum: Taking advantage of a Capitals miscommunication, Anisimov chased down the puck to negate a potential icing and shoveled it in front to Gaborik to tie the game at 2 at 16:43 in the second. It was Gaborik’s second goal in as many games -- he tallied the clincher in Game 3 -- and his fifth point in the last four games.

Save of the series: Henrik Lundqvist made perhaps his finest save of the series, which is saying a lot for the Hart and Vezina Trophy finalist. Lundqvist denied Ovechkin's re-direct attempt at the right post with surgical precision, stunning the star on what should’ve been a gimme at 2:54 of the first. Lundqvist stopped six shots in total on the Caps’ first power-play opportunity before surrendering the game’s first goal to Ovechkin later in the period.

Rookie mistake: Rangers rookie Chris Kreider coughed up the puck in his zone, a brutal giveaway that led to Ovechkin’s second goal of the series. Kreider errantly chipped the puck back to Ovechkin in the slot, where No. 8 ripped a shot that trickled through Lundqvist’s glove for a 1-0 Caps lead at 12:43.

Different look: Gaborik was dropped to the third line with Ruslan Fedotenko and Brian Boyle to begin the game. However, he was reunited with rookie speedster Carl Hagelin and Brad Richards in the second period.