Henrik Lundqvist stopped 36 in win over LA – file photo by Lewis Bleiman
NEW YORK (NY) – Despite being outshot 38 – 17, the New York Rangers were able to hold off the Los Angeles Kings Monday night, winning 3-2. The loss was the Kings fourth straight and was Henrik Lundqvist’s 21st win of the season.
After going four games letting up 20 combined goals against, Lundqvist has regained his form, going 3-0-0 in his last three games, posting a 1.33 GAA and a shutout. Monday night he stopped 36 of 38 shots (the Kings last goal coming with .8 seconds left).
The Rangers were out worked and out shot for the entire game and came out flat-footed to start. Despite only getting five shots on net in the first 20 minutes, the Rangers headed to their first intermission with a 1-0 lead off of Brandon Pirri’s stick. The fourth line sniper came off the right boards in the offensive zone and was able to steal the puck off a defenders stick and rip a shot past Jeff Zatkoff’s right side. The Kings recorded 14 shots in the first period.
Despite being sidelined with a concussion, Matt Puempel, the former Ottawa Senators first-round pick looked quick and strong on the ice. He was rewarded for his hustle when he took Chris Kreider’s spot on the second line with Stepan and Mats Zuccarello. He was rewarded again when that line switch led to his sixth goal of the year, having only played 13 games with the Rangers. An alert breakout pass by defenseman Dan Girardi fed Derek Stepan and Puempel on a 2-on-1. Coming off the right side, Stepan fed a pass through the defenseman to Puempel’s stick who caught a sliding Zatkoff off guard to give the Rangers the 2-0 lead.
Puempel now has a point in four of his last six games.
After an onslaught of pressure for LA, the Kings finally figured out Lundqvist when Jordan Nolan fired a slap shot from the left circle that caught the goalie’s glove, but not enough as the puck found the back of the net.
The Kings were half an inch away from tying the game seconds after scoring their first, but Lundqvist got some luck off the iron when a deflected shot off Girardi’s skate rang the right post and out.
Rangers would take a 2-1 lead heading into the third period, although they were outshot 22-9 at that point.
At 6:40 of the third period, Mats Zuccarello broke his 16-game goal-less streak off a beautiful dish from J.T Miller deep in the corner. After stealing the puck from Zatkoff’s clear, Miller was able to back hand the puck to a streaking Zuccarello who promptly roofed the puck over Zatkoff’s left shoulder.
That would end up being the game winning goal as Kyle Clifford ripped a shot from the point to beat Lundqvist with less than a second left in the game. Henrik’s stick was behind him in the net and the shot found its way to his five hole to cut the lead to 3-2.
Without defenseman Marc Staal and center Kevin Hayes the Rangers were able to play behind incredible goaltending and solid defense.
The Kings have now lost four games in a row, all in regulation. Normal goaltender Jonathan Quick has not played all year after suffering an injury in the first game of the season.
New York’s next game will be at home for Wednesday night rivalry night against the Philadelphia Flyers at 8pm.
The Kings head across the pond to New Jersey to face the Devils at 7pm Tuesday night.
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