ARLINGTON, Va. -- The New York Rangers can sweep the Washington Capitals in the Eastern Conference First Round and become the first team to advance in the Stanley Cup Playoffs this season with a victory in Game 4 at Capital One Arena on Sunday.
New York, which won the Presidents' Trophy as the top team in the NHL during the regular season, would like to close out the series quickly, but expects pushback from Washington.
"I think we just have to be ready because, for sure, the Capitals keep trying and not [back down]," Rangers forward Artemi Panarin said. "We have to be ready for that and somehow show a better game."
The Capitals hope to become the fifth team in NHL history to overcome a 3-0 deficit in a best-of-7 series (4-202) and first since the 2014 Los Angeles Kings in the first round against the San Jose Sharks. Washington saw the New York Islanders (3-2 double-overtime win against the Carolina Hurricanes) and Tampa Bay Lightning (6-3 win against the Florida Panthers) avoid being swept and stay alive with victories Saturday and knows it must raise its level to do the same.
"Watching those games, it excited me a little bit because you see there's fight, the home crowds are into it," Capitals coach Spencer Carbery said. "This is we're not laying down and it's exciting to be able to play in another playoff game and have an opportunity to see tomorrow. … One game, we know all things that we need to do from an X's and O's strategic standpoint, but excited in the opportunity that we get to continue our season and find a way to win one game on home ice tonight."
With a chance to advance, the Rangers will try to follow the process that has gotten them to this point.
"I think we just stay focused on the game, and I think we've done a good job of that, down the stretch in the regular season and in the playoffs," Rangers coach Peter Laviolette said. "We just stay current in the day, and whatever's going to happen is going to happen when it's going to happen."
New York hasn't swept a first-round series since 2007 against the Atlanta Thrashers. Washington has never been swept in the opening round of the playoffs.
Here are 3 keys for Game 4:
1. Start strong
The Rangers can discourage the Capitals' comeback aspirations by taking an early lead. New York rebounded to take the lead after Washington scored first in each of the past two games but doesn't want to risk falling behind again.
"I think a good start is imperative," Laviolette said. "If you can start the right way -- fast, physical, moving the puck quickly, get into the offensive zone, feel good about getting some pucks at the net, establishing physical contact, have a good start. One way you feel like you're downhill, the other way you feel like you're uphill."
2. Be special
Expect special teams to continue to be important after they were an integral part of the Rangers' victories the past two games, including scoring the winning goal short-handed in each. New York was 3-for-10 on the power play the past two games and Washington was 2-for-11 but 0-for-6 in a 3-1 loss in Game 3.
The Capitals have averaged five power plays per game in the series and the Rangers have averaged four. Whichever makes the most of its man-advantage opportunities will likely come out ahead again.
"The power play has to step up," Capitals forward T.J. Oshie said. "You can't ask for more chances than we got last game, so to not walk away with a couple goals with that many odd-man opportunities, you're not going to win. You're going to need some kind of hero performance by someone, so the power play has got to get going."
3. Keep it tight
The Capitals' offensive struggles in this series have carried over from the regular season, when they were 28th in the NHL with 2.63 goals per game. They were able to overcome that to qualify for the playoffs by playing disciplined within their defensive structure in front of goalie Charlie Lindgren and getting timely goals.
Washington has yet to be able to duplicate that, but playing a low-event, defensive-minded game is still their best path to success against a deep New York attack that has gotten goals from nine different players. The expected return of defensemen Rasmus Sandin and Nick Jensen, who missed the first three games with upper-body injuries, could provide a boost.
Getting more scoring 5-on-5 would help. Connor McMichael is the Capitals' only forward to score a 5-on-5 goal in the series.
"We need someone to seize this moment, step up," Carbery said. "Whether it's Dylan Strome, Alex Ovechkin, Tom Wilson, we need some production."
Rangers projected lineup
Chris Kreider -- Mika Zibanejad -- Jack Roslovic
Artemi Panarin -- Vincent Trocheck -- Alexis Lafreniere
Will Cuylle -- Alex Wennberg -- Kaapo Kakko
Jimmy Vesey -- Barclay Goodrow -- Matt Rempe
Ryan Lindgren -- Adam Fox
K'Andre Miller -- Braden Schneider
Erik Gustafsson -- Jacob Trouba
Igor Shesterkin
Jonathan Quick
Scratched: Zac Jones, Jonny Brodzinski, Chad Ruhwedel, Filip Chytil, Louis Domingue, Adam Edstrom
Injured: Blake Wheeler (lower body)
Capitals projected lineup
Alex Ovechkin -- Connor McMichael -- T.J. Oshie
Aliaksei Protas -- Dylan Strome -- Tom Wilson
Max Pacioretty -- Hendrix Lapierre -- Sonny Milano
Beck Malenstyn -- Nic Dowd -- Nicolas Aube-Kubel
Martin Fehervary -- John Carlson
Rasmus Sandin -- Nick Jensen
Alexander Alexeyev -- Dylan McIlrath
Charlie Lindgren
Darcy Kuemper
Scratched: Michael Sgarbossa, Hardy Haman Aktell, Ivan Miroshnichenko, Lucas Johansen
Injured: Vincent Iorio (upper body), Trevor van Riemsdyk (upper body)
Status report
Sandin, who hasn't played since April 7, and Jensen, who hasn't played since April 13, wore regular jerseys at the morning skate and Capitals coach Spencer Carbery said he is optimistic they will play. … van Riemsdyk is out after the defenseman was injured on a hit by Rempe in Game 3. … Iorio, a defenseman, skated in a non-contact jersey. … Aube-Kubel returns to the lineup in place of Miroshnichenko.
NHL.com senior writer Dan Rosen contributed to this report
