The Kings hosted the New York Rangers in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final. Justin Williams (Mr. Game 7) took charge of getting the game winning goal in overtime in a game that looked like the Kings had control after coming down from a 2-0 deficit and winning 3-2 against the Rangers to take a 1-0 lead in the Stanley Cup Final at Staples Center.
The Kings have won six straight series after taking a 1-0 series lead. They also won Game 1 of the 2012 Stanley Cup Final against the New Jersey Devils and won that series in six games. So it looks like history is repeating itself.
The Kings were in a two-goal deficit in the first period on Wednesday. This wasn’t the first time the Kings were down two goals in the playoffs. We saw them fall behind two goals against the Chicago Blackhawks in the Western Conference Final. The Kings fought each two-goal deficit and saw them tie the game and take the win all three times. Coming back from a 2-0 deficit saw the Kings win their fourth win when being down 2 goals.
As the game started we saw the Rangers take control of the 1st period and dominate the Kings in the ice. Pouliot put the Rangers up on the board at 13:21 when he scored a breakaway goal after stripping the puck from Doughty.
Hagelin then used his speed and blew past Slava Voynov, Kings Defenseman, to score a shorthanded goal 1:42 later. Quick did make a nice save, but the puck bounced of Voynov’s skate and into the net.
But as the 1st period was about to end Kyle Clifford scored 2:30. Derek Stepan tried to get the puck away, but Jeff Carter took the puck away to give it to Clifford and get the puck in the net. This was Clifford’s first playoff goal since April 23, 2011 and his first of any kind since December of last year.
Doughty, after giving away a turnover in the 1st period, got it back for the Kings to tie up the game in the 2nd period. On a beautiful play, Clifford sent Williams into the right side of the Rangers zone. Williams then curled back and found Doughty in stride with a backhand pass. That is when Doughty came into place; put the puck through his legs to get around forward Derek Dorsett. As Doughty was going full speed, he slowed down, stopped and found a perfect spot at the bottom of the left and beat Lundqvist with a near-side shot through a hole between the goalie’s right arm and right side.
The third period came into play and the Kings had control of the game at this time. The Kings outshot the Rangers 14-0 through the first 10 minutes and outshot them 20-3 in the third period. But it wasn’t enough for the Kings as Lundqvist stopped the puck from going in. This forced the game to go into overtime along with Quick’s glove save that gave the Rangers a chance to take first game but as Quick calls it, it was a lucky save. LA also had a chance after a rebound play to win it in the third period but Lundqvist went from post to post to make an incredible save.
Los Angeles had a chance to get it done in overtime because they took control of the third period and suffocated the New York Rangers. Justin Williams, who has been the lucky charm for the Kings, got it done in overtime. He delivered the game-winning goal at 4:36 in a play where New York defenseman Dan Girardi tried to clear the puck twice but on the second time Mike Richards was there to retrieve the puck, who found Williams alone in the slot and Williams just couldn’t miss from there. Williams beat goalkeeper Lundqvist with a stick-side shot for his second game-winner goal and his eight of the post-season.
Pouliot (4), and Hagelin (7) all scored for the Rangers as Clifford (1), Doughty (5), and Williams (8) all scored for the Kings to take game 1 of the Stanley Cup final. Lundqvist had 40 saves in game 1 while Quick had 25 saves. It comes to show who had a more chance at the goal during game 1.
New York isn’t too worried about losing the Final as it was just one game to them and believe they can come back and win it. But it won’t be easy. The Kings have shown us over and over again that they never give up and continue coming back from 2-0 deficits or out scoring or out-shooting their opponents.
The Kings will host the Rangers in game 2 at Staples Center. Los Angeles have a chance to take a 2-0 lead at home to head to New York with a great lead and try to at least get one win on the road and come back home and win it in 5 games. Game 2 will take place Saturday, Juen 7th, at 7PM ET/4PM PT.