Marc Staal and Dan Girardi each scored second period goals to lift the Rangers to the East Conference semifinals with a 2-1 victory over the Ottawa Senators in Game 7 at Madison Square Garden.

Henrik Lundqvist stopped all but one of the 27 shots he faced - Daniel Alfredsson's laser beam on the power play late in the second period gave the Sens some life cutting it to a one goal game. But Lundqvist was hot and fended off Ottawa's furious rush near the end of regulation to seal the first round win for New York.

The goals for Staal and Girardi were the first for each in the series. Staal was assisted by Derek Stepan and Ryan Callahan. Brandon Dubinsky and Brandon Prust assisted Girardi.

The top-seeded blue shirts will host No. 7 Washington on Saturday afternoon for Game 1 of the conference semifinals. The Capitals eliminated the defending champion Bruins on Wednesday with a Game 7 win of their own.

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