Schedule and 2011-12 Results
Regular Season Records: New York Rangers 51-24-7=109pts, Washington 42-32-8=92pts
Game 1 on Saturday, 28 April: Washington loses at New York Rangers, 3-goals-1
Game 2 on Monday, 30 April: Washington wins at New York Rangers, 3-goals-2
Game 3 on Wednesday, 02 May: New York Rangers win at Washington, 2-goals-1 (3OT)
Game 4 on Saturday, 05 May: New York Rangers lose at Washington, 3-goals-2
Game 5 on Monday, 07 May: Washington loses at New York Rangers, 3-goals-2 (OT)
Game 6 on Wednesday, 09 May: New York Rangers lose at Washington, 2-goals-1
Game 7 on Saturday, 12 May: Washington loses at New York Rangers, 2-goals-1

SERIES NOTES:

After Game 7: Posting a 4-games-3 win in MLB/NBA/NHL best-of-7 playoff series 1163, the New York Rangers hosted and defeated the Washington Capitals 2-goals-1. With the series 1163 win, the New York Rangers improve their best-of-7 NHL playoff series record to 26-35 overall and 10-12 in the NHL Quarterfinals. With the series 1163 loss, the Washington Capitals see their best-of-7 NHL playoff series record fall to 11-21 overall and 2-8 in the NHL Quarterfinals. The victorious New York Rangers posted a series 1163 win order of WLWLWLW: Series 1163 thus becomes the fourth NHL Quarterfinals series, the sixth NHL series (all rounds), and the 21st MLB/NBA/NHL series (all rounds) to follow this win order to completion ... a punch-counterpunch win order originally achieved by the Pittsburgh Pirates in series 5 (the 1909 MLB Finals, against the Detroit Tigers). The New York Rangers thus advance to meet the series-1164 winning New Jersey Devils in series 1167, in the 2012 NHL Semifinals.

After Game 6: The Washington Capitals hosted and defeated the New York Rangers 2-goals-1 to knot MLB/NBA/NHL best-of-7 playoff series 1163 at 3-games-all. In Game 7 of a best-of-7 NHL playoff series, the New York Rangers have a 4-5 record, while the Washington Capitals have a 3-7 record. All else equal, home teams in Game 7 of best-of-7 NHL playoff series have an 86-57 (.601) Game 7 record.

After Game 5: With MLB/NBA/NHL best-of-7 playoff series 1163 back in Madison Square Garden for Game 5, the host New York Rangers tied the game with but seven seconds left in regulation play, and won it 3-goals-2 with a goal 1:35 into the first overtime period to take a 3-games-2 series 1163 lead. When leading a best-of-7 NHL playoff series 3-games-2, the New York Rangers have a 12-2 series record and a 10-4 Game 6 record. When trailing a best-of-7 NHL playoff series 3-games-2, the Washington Capitals have a 2-9 series record and a 5-6 Game 6 record. In the history of best-of-7 NHL playoff series from 1939 through 2011, home teams such as the New York Rangers which trailed by a goal with as little as eight seconds left in regulation had a game record of only 2-348 (.0057). In best-of-7 NHL playoff history from 1939 through 2011, inclusive, the only home teams to trail later into a game but emerge victorious were the Carolina Hurricanes in series 966 Game 2 (which tied the visiting New Jersey Devils with but three seconds left in regulation and then won their 2006 NHL Quarterfinals game) and the Vancouver Canucks in series 884 Game 1 (which tied the visiting Minnesota Wild with but two seconds left in regulation and then won their 2003 NHL Quarterfinals game).

After Game 4: The Washington Capitals hosted and defeated the New York Rangers 3-goals-2 to tie MLB/NBA/NHL best-of-7 playoff series 1163 at 2-games-all. When tied 2-games-all in a best-of-7 NHL playoff series, the New York Rangers have a series record of 10-13 and a Game 5 record of 9-14, while the Washington Capitals have a series record of 3-7 and a Game 5 record of 3-7. When tied 2-games-all in a best-of-7 NHL playoff series, the Washington Capitals have a 3-0 series record when they win Game 5, and a 0-7 series record when they lose Game 5.

After Game 3: With MLB/NBA/NHL best-of-7 playoff series 1163 in the District of Columbia for Games 3-4, the visiting New York Rangers defeated the Washington Capitals 2-goals-1 (on a goal 14:41 into the third overtime period) for a 2-games-1 series 1163 lead. When leading a best-of-7 NHL playoff series 2-games-1, the New York Rangers have a 14-5 series record and an 11-8 Game 4 record. When trailing a best-of-7 NHL playoff series 2-games-1, the Washington Capitals have a 5-6 series record and a 5-6 Game 4 record. Series 1163 Game 3 is the 15th-longest best-of-7 NHL playoff game ever, and is the longest best-of-7 NHL playoff game since the Dallas Stars hosted and defeated the San Jose Sharks 2-goals-1 at 9:03 into the fourth overtime period in series 1034 Game 6, in the 2008 NHL Quarterfinals. Series 1163 Game 3 missed becoming the longest best-of-7 NHL playoff Game 3 (in any round) in history by just six seconds (series 862 Game 3 saw the Detroit Red Wings visit and defeat the Carolina Hurricanes 3-goals-2 at 14:47 into the third overtime period during the 2002 NHL Finals).

After Game 2: The Washington Capitals visited and defeated the New York Rangers 3-goals-2 to knot MLB/NBA/NHL best-of-7 playoff series 1163 at 1-game-all. When tied 1-game-all in a best-of-7 NHL playoff series, the New York Rangers have a 14-14 series record and a 12-16 Game 3 record, while the Washington Capitals have an 8-11 series record and a 9-10 Game 3 record.

After Game 1: The New York Rangers hosted and defeated the Washington Capitals 3-goals-1 to take a 1-game-nil MLB/NBA/NHL best-of-7 playoff series 1163 lead. When leading a best-of-7 NHL playoff series 1-game-nil, the New York Rangers have a 17-10 series record and a 12-15 Game 2 record. When trailing a best-of-7 NHL playoff series 1-game-nil, the Washington Capitals have a 6-7 series record and a 7-6 Game 2 record.

Pre-series assessment: In the 2011-12 NHL regular season, the New York Rangers finished 17 points ahead of Washington. From 1939 through the 2012 NHL Preliminary round, when NHL teams led their best-of-7 playoff series opponents by 17 regular-season points, they have posted a 12-2 (.857) best-of-7 series record in those series against those opponents. MLB/NBA/NHL best-of-7 playoff series 1163 is the 32nd best-of-7 playoff series for Washington, and the 61st for the New York Rangers. In best-of-7 NHL playoff series, Washington has a 11-20 series record, a 2-7 Quarterfinals-round series record, and an 18-13 Game 1 record, while the New York Rangers have a 25-35 series record, a 9-12 Quarterfinals-round series record, and a 27-33 Game 1 record. Series 1163 is the seventh best-of-7 NHL playoff series meeting between Washington and the New York Rangers: New York won series 460 (1986 NHL Quarterfinals) and 659 (1994 NHL Quarterfinals); Washington emerged victorious in series 560 (1990 NHL Quarterfinals), 579 (1991 NHL Preliminary round), 1057 (2009 NHL Preliminary round), and 1122 (2011 NHL Preliminary round) for a 4-2 lead.