NHL Update: New York Rangers beat Los Angeles Kings, 4-3
Mats Zuccarello scored the deciding goal in the shootout to help New York Rangers squeak out 4-3 win over Los Angeles Kings at Madison Square Garden on Thursday night.
Marian Gaborik and Brandon Dubinsky each tallied a goal in regulation while Ryan Callahan had a goal and an assist for the victors.
Henrik Lundqvist made 25 saves of 28 shots in his 200th career victory.
"It's a great feeling to reach that. It's a milestone for me. I'm happy I've been able to be here for almost six years now. I just hope I get the opportunity to stay here and get another 200," Lundqvist said of his achievement.
New York held a one-goal lead twice in the third stanza, but Los Angeles equalized it soon after. Matt Greene had a goal with a shot that caromed in off Brian Boyle. Kings captain Dustin Brown tallied his second goal by banking a shot in off goalie Lundqvist.
“It was a game of ups and downs,” said Lundqvist. “The second one hit our guy, and the third one hit me in the head and went in. They never gave up. I’m just happy with the two points. They are very important right now.”
New York is seventh in the Eastern Conference and it has won two in a row after a six-game skid.
“It was a really important game for us to get two in a row and try to start a good streak,” Lundqvist said. “Teams are catching up.”
Dustin Brown lit the lamp twice and Matt Greene once for Los Angeles, which lost a three-game win streak. Bernier stopped 34 of 37 shots in the defeat.
Los Angeles is 5-0-3 on its ten-game road trip which has stops left on Long Island and at Anaheim. Los Angeles has not dropped any game in regulation since a 2-0 loss against Phoenix Coyotes on 20 January.
“That point is huge,” Brown said. “Shootouts, it is what it is. We’ve won our fair amount of those. This was a huge point not to get. We just have to refocus. We’ve had a good road trip but we can make it a great one if we win against the Islanders.”
Kings held a 1-0 lead with less than six minutes left in the first stanza when Brown hit a shot from the slot on a power play past goaltender Lundqvist.
At the four minutes mark of the middle stanza, Rangers knotted the game at 1-1 as Callahan knocked in a Derek Stepan rebound in front.
At 6:10 mark of the third stanza, Gaborik hit a shot under the crossbar from the right circle to put New York up 2-1, but Kings tied the game at 7:50 on Greene's one-timer from the right wing.
Rangers extended their lead to 3-2 with less than four minutes left in regulation when Callahan gave a pass to Dubinsky who turned around the far post and banked the disc off Kings’ goalie.
Kings pulled the game even at 3-3 with less than three minutes left in regulation when Brown banked the puck off Rangers’ goalie from behind the goal line.
New York started overtime with a four-minute power play but got a penalty which wiped out the advantage just after two minutes.
“I was real pleased to get into a tie game and get into the overtime,” Los Angeles coach Terry Murray said. “Unfortunately, we started the overtime with a 4-minute penalty.
“I hate the shootouts. I don’t even watch it.”
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