NHL Three Stars: Stepan leads Rangers win in Game 7

No. 1 Star: Derek Stepan, New York Rangers 

The center won a faceoff and then won Game 7 of the Rangers’ series against the Washington Capitals, putting a rebounded Dan Girardi shot past Braden Holtby for the 2-1 win.

No. 2 Star: Henrik Lundqvist, New York Rangers

Lundqvist won his sixth straight Game 7 with a 35-save effort, including eight saves in overtime.

No. 3 Star: Alex Ovechkin, Washington Capitals

The captain scored his fifth playoff goal and his first Game 7 goal since 2009 in a losing effort.

Honorable Mention: Kevin Hayes had the other Rangers goal, on the power play and on a great feed from J.T. Miller. … Marcus Johansson made a brilliant pass to Ovechkin for the goal. … Braden Holtby made 37 saves in the loss.   

Did You Know? The Rangers are 7-0 in Game 7 at home and have won 10 straight home games when facing elimination since 2008, the longest streak in NHL history.

Dishonorable Mention: Mike Green took back-to-back penalties in the second period, with the Rangers scoring on that second one. … That said, after calling seven minor penalties in the first 32:12 of the game, Wes McCauley and Kevin Pollock lost their whistles for the rest of the game. … Curtis Glencross was a healthy scratch. … Rick Nash was stopped on a shorthanded breakaway and didn’t register a point.

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