NHL STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS : Capitals’ Miller, Ridley Pay Back Rangers

The New York Rangers went into a slump in the last month of the regular season and it carried over to the “second” season.

With former Rangers Kelly Miller and Mike Ridley getting early goals Saturday night at New York, the Washington Capitals knocked the Rangers out in the first round of the playoffs with a 4-2 victory.

After jumping to a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven Stanley Cup opener, the Rangers lost three in a row and were eliminated in six games.

Goaltender Mike Richter compiled a 2.19 goals-against average in the first five games, but in Game 6, he was no puzzle.

The Capitals scored on three of their first four shots in the first seven minutes and Richter was gone, along with the Ranger playoff hopes.

Soviet star Dimitri Khristich scored his first playoff goal at 2:46, then Miller scored and Ridley followed with his goal to make the score 3-0 in a hurry.

The Rangers were without Bernie Nicholls, who had four goals and three assists in the series. Nicholls’ foot was sore and they found he had a stress fracture in his left foot.

John Vanbiesbrouck replaced Richter and stopped 21 of 22 shots, but it was too late to save the Rangers.

Until their slump that cost them the Patrick Division title, the Rangers had been challenging for the best record in the NHL.

Pittsburgh 4, New Jersey 3--The Penguins, on the brink of elimination, were without goaltender Tom Barrasso and top defenseman Paul Coffey at East Rutherford, N.J.

But Kevin Stevens scored twice and referee Bill McCreary nullified an apparent game-tying goal and the Penguins evened the series at three games apiece.

The advantage shifts to the Penguins, because the final game will be played Monday night at Pittsburgh.

The Devils scored first, but Stevens scored two of the goals as the Penguins scored four consecutive goals. New Jersey battled back to within a goal in the second period.

It appeared they had tied the score when Laurie Boschman scored with 1:32 to play in the second period. McCreary ruled that Boschman kicked the puck into the net with his skate. The replay showed it caromed off Boschman’s stick into the net.

Frank Pietrangelo, playing his first game in the nets after Barrasso’s shoulder injury forced him to retire, shut down the Devils the rest of the way.

Boston 3, Hartford 1--The Bruins scored on their first two shots at Hartford and that was enough for goaltender Andy Moog to make sure they advanced to the second round of the playoffs.

Nevin Markwart and Bob Sweeney scored to give the Bruins a 2-0 lead less than nine minutes into the game. The Bruins had only 15 shots in the game.

The Whalers fired that many at Moog in the first period and had 32 in the game. Mark Hunter finally spoiled the shutout with seven minutes to play.

The Bruins, winners of the Adams Division, will face Montreal in the second round.

Montreal 5, Buffalo 1--In this series, unlike any of the other first-round battles, the home team won the first five games.

But Shayne Corson scored a short-handed goal and a power-play goal only 80 seconds apart in the second period at Buffalo and the Canadiens wrapped up the series, 4-2.

It was the sixth time in a row the Sabres failed to advance past the first round.