WASHINGTON -- With a Presidents' Trophy already secured, the New York Rangers went into Saturday afternoon's game against the Washington Capitals hoping to get out of the nation's capital without an injury.

Resting left winger Rick Nash and defenseman Marc Staal, the Rangers jumped out to an early lead on goals by rookie right winger Kevin Hayes and centers Derick Brassard and Dominic Moore and left the rest up to goaltender Henrik Lundqvist, who turned aside 22 shots for a 4-2 victory.

Right winger Jesper Fast completed the Rangers' scoring with an empty-netter with 1:54 remaining in the third period.

The Rangers' 53rd win of the season set a franchise record and sent them into the playoffs on a 6-1-0 roll. Following the game the Rangers (53-22-7, 113 points) were still awaiting news on whether their first-round playoff opponent would be the Ottawa Senators, Pittsburgh Penguins, Detroit Red Wings or Boston Bruins.

Left winger Alex Ovechkin and rookie right winger Stanislav Galiev scored the only goals for the Capitals, who lost in regulation for the first time in eight games. The Capitals will face the New York Islanders in the first round of the playoffs.

The Rangers got on the board early when Hayes gained position on Washington defenseman Matt Niskanen in the crease and backhanded the puck out of the air and behind Capitals goaltender Braden Hotlby for his 17th goal of the season.

Brassard made it 2-0 just 3:14 later when he blasted a power-play goal through a thicket of legs and skates and past Holtby for his 19th goal of the season.

With home ice on the line, Capitals coach Barry Trotz decided to keep Holtby in the game and Moore greeted him with a poor-angle backhand goal 2:30 into the third period to give the Rangers a 3-0 lead. The goal was Moore's 10th of the season. Right winger Martin St. Louis assisted on two of the Rangers' three goals to finish the regular season with 52 points in 74 games.

Ovechkin gave the Caps some life 6:31 into the second period when he scored his league-leading 53rd goal of the season and league-leading 25th on the power play on a blast from the left circle. But that was all Lundqvist would surrender until Galiev beat him on a rebound with 28.7 seconds remaining in the game. The goal was Galiev's first career tally but it didn't stop Lundqvist from winning for the fifth time in his last six starts.

NOTES: The Rangers' leading goal scorer, LW Rick Nash, and D Marc Staal sat out their second straight games but are expected to be cleared for the start of the Stanley Cup playoffs. RW Matt Zuccarello returned to the lineup after missing two games with what the club called "soreness." ... Rangers D Keith Yandle, acquired from the Arizona Coyotes before the NHL trade deadline, played in his 84th game of the season, 63 for the Coyotes and 22 for the Rangers. ... G Braden Holtby tied a Capitals franchise record by playing in his 73rd game of the season, matching the mark set by Olaf Kolzig in 1999-2000. ... The Capitals learned Friday night they will face the New York Islanders in the first round of the playoffs. Asked his reaction before the game, Washington coach Barry Trotz said, "Good team. They're a great challenge." The Capitals went 2-0-2 against the Islanders in the regular season.