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| Dustin Brown, the hero in Game 2 for LA. Photo Credit:Alex Gallardo/AP |
For the second consecutive game in the 2014 Stanley Cup Finals the Los Angeles Kings defeated the New York Rangers in overtime. The Kings did it this time in double OT. Erasing two goal deficits three times in Game 2. Captain Dustin Brown deflected a Willie Mitchell out of midair past Henrik Lundqvist at 10:26. Los Angeles had rallied from 2+ goals down in the last three games, forth in the last games. Los Angeles has overcome 2+ goals deficits five times this postseason notching three victories.
By: Sunil Sunderraj
The Rangers got off to another great start in the first period as Ryan McDonagh rifled a shot top shelf past screened Jonathan Quick giving New York a 1-0 lead. A turnover by Justin Williams led to a Dominic Moore backhand pass to McDonagh for the tally. Lundqvist would flash the leather twice on Kings defensemen Alec Martinez.
The Rangers got off to another great start in the first period as Ryan McDonagh rifled a shot top shelf past screened Jonathan Quick giving New York a 1-0 lead. A turnover by Justin Williams led to a Dominic Moore backhand pass to McDonagh for the tally. Lundqvist would flash the leather twice on Kings defensemen Alec Martinez.
With 1:14 left in the first period the Rangers increased the lead to 2-0 on Mats Zuccarello’s fifth goal of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. A giveaway by Matt Greene in New York’s zone led to a surge by New York. Ryan McDonagh’s initial shot hit Zuccarello in the chest but he recovered the puck and buried it past Quick.
Early into the second period Los Angeles would cut the lead to 2-1. A failed clearing attempt by Mike Richards led to Justin Williams feeding Jarret Stoll whose shot hit off the goalie stick of Lundqvist past a diving defensemen Kevin Klein.
The Rangers regained their two goal lead at 11:24 of the second period. A long toss pass from Ryan McDonagh to Chris Kreider who fed Derek Stepan. Stepan slid a pass across the ice in the Kings zone to Martin St. Louis who ranged across to his right and went high top shelf past Quick.
The Kings reduced the lead to one goal at 14:39 on a Willie Mitchell blast from the point past a screened Henrik Lundqvist. Justin Williams worked the puck into the zone. Slava Voynov fed Mitchell for the shot on goal and Dwight King set up the screen in front of the net.
However, 11 seconds later the Rangers went up by two goals again for a third time in Game 2 as Derrick Brassard flipped the puck past Jonathan Quick. A turnover by Willie Mitchell led to Zuccarello’s pass to Brassard. New York had to feel good about leading after two periods of play as they posted a 10-0 record when leading after two periods in the playoffs while the Kings were just 2-7 when trailing after the second period.
Just 1:58 into the third period a controversial goal by Los Angeles off the stick of defensemen Matt Greene. Justin Williams able to pivot around the back of the net and set up Greene from the point. Dwight King and Ryan McDonagh were battling in front of the net. Appeared as though King bumped into Lundqvist before the puck crossed the goal line but the referees ruled it a good goal cutting Rangers lead to 4-3.
A momentum switcher in the game as the Kings tied up the game at 4-4 with 12:24 left in the third period. New York was unable to clear the puck out of their zone, which led to an LA scoring opportunity. Dustin Brown took a hit along the boards. Then Ryan McDonagh lost edge on the ice. A mad scramble in front of the net ensued as Marian Gaborik scored his Stanley Cup Playoff league leading 13th goal flickering the puck upstairs past Lundqvist.
New York had a golden opportunity to regain the lead but Brad Richards was stopped twice point blank by Quick.
Game 3 is on Monday night at Madison Square Garden on NBCSN at 8:00 p.m. Los Angeles became the first team in Stanley Cup history to lead a series 2-0 after not leading in either game.
