The Rangers swept through the first two rounds, ousting the Islanders in four games and the Capitals in five.

"We're a pretty good team in November," Coach Colin Campbell said after his the Rangers had swept the Penguins with a 4-3 victory here at the Igloo.

The Capitals showed much more effort than the Islanders did when the Rangers swept them in four consecutive games late last month in the first round.

Zimmer, ecstatic with the rest of the Yankees that they lead the series, acknowledged that the Rangers easily could have swept it in three games.

He was absent last weekend on the team's trip to London, where the Rangers swept a two-game series from Toronto.

This series proved to be no contest, however, as the Rangers swept the series in four games.

It was the first time the Rangers swept the Yankees since 2003, and the first time to do so at home since 1996.

The Rangers who finished first overall with 112 points, swept their crosstown rivals the New York Islanders in the opening round.

The Rangers swept the series thanks to play from all around the ice.

Messier began chanting this mantra after the Rangers swept the Islanders in four games in the first round, while Washington needed six to beat Pittsburgh.