from Larry Brooks of the New York Post,

A lot of the series was ugly really, it was and it is a compliment of the highest order to the Rangers that they were able to grind it through, one period after another, one game after another, to complete a first-round sweep of the Caps while penned into tight spaces for nearly all of the series 240 minutes.

This, though, was the hockey the Rangers were constructed to play from Day 1 of training camp by then incoming head coach Peter Laviolette. The clubs detail-oriented approach developed over the six-month regular-season marathon was critical in allowing the Blueshirts to prevail 4-2 in Game 4 and move onto the second round.

Only one team has won the Stanley Cup after a first-round sweep in the 18-year-old hard-cap era that began in 2006. That was Colorado two years ago, which swept Nashville before taking the title.

continued

Washington looked like they didn't belong there.  While four or five teams were floundering for the last two spots in the EC, what we were actually witnessing was proof that none were really going to be able to actually compete once they got in.  

7 goals.  That's how many goals the Caps scored in this series.