NEW YORK _ After a loss this season, Rangers coach David Quinn's message to his team has been the same: OK, you lost. Now, how are you going to respond?
Well, the Rangers responded to Friday's listless performance in Philadelphia with a better effort Saturday afternoon against the Stanley Cup champion Washington Capitals. Unfortunately, playing better, in this case, didn't mean winning.
Brett Connolly's one-timer with 6:24 to play broke a tie and Tom Wilson added an empty-net goal with 1:08 left as the Capitals handed the Blueshirts their second loss in two days, 5-3, Saturday.
The Rangers (12-10-2, 26 points) led 2-0 on goals by Jimmy Vesey and Brady Skjei, but three goals in the second period by the Capitals _ the third from Alex Ovechkin with 30 seconds left in the period, put Washington ahead 3-2 entering the third.
Ryan Strome's first goal as a Ranger on a wraparound tied the game, 3-3, at 5:30 of the third period, but Connolly one-timed a pass from John Carlson (three assists) to doom the Rangers.
Rangers backup Alexandar Georgiev made 23 saves. He allowed three goals on 15 shots in the second period and one goal on six shots in the third. Capitals backup Pheonix Copley made 27 saves.
Vesey's goal was his eighth. Kevin Hayes had two assists. Ovechkin's goal was his 17th of the season.
Both teams went 0-for-2 on the power play.
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