NHL: Washington 4, New York Rangers 0

WASHINGTON, April 24 (UPI) -- Simeon Varlamov, given the most important start of his brief career, kept Washington alive in the playoffs Friday with a 4-0 blanking of the New York Rangers.

The 20-year-old Varlamov appeared in only six regular-season games in this, his rookie NHL campaign, but with the Capitals' season on the line he was put in goal Friday ahead of Jose Theodore.

Varlamov made 18 saves to get a win that reduced Washington's deficit to 3-2 in the opening-round playoff series.

The Rangers will try again to finish off a surprising victory over Washington when they host the sixth game of the series Sunday. A deciding game, if needed, would be played in Washington next Tuesday.

After Theodore gave up four goals on 21 shots in the Rangers' Game 1 victory, Varlamov started the second game and has been starting ever since. He has two playoff wins, half as many as he had in the regular season.

Varlamov began the 2008-09 season in the minor leagues, having been a first-round draft pick in 2006.

Matt Bradley made Varlamov's job easier by scoring twice in the first period -- his first two goals of the series. The first one, coming 4:58 into the game, was scored shorthanded.

Alexander Semin and Alex Ovechkin added second-period goals.