The ever-resilient Los Angeles Kings rallied from two goals down to beat the New York Rangers 3-2 in overtime in an action-packed Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals at the Staples Center on Wednesday.
Right wing Justin Williams scored the game-winning goal with a snap shot, on an assist from Mike Richards after a turnover by Dan Girardi, almost five minutes into the extra period as Los Angeles struck the first blow in the best-of-seven series.
“Certainly it was not the start we wanted, but we got the result we wanted,” Williams, who is known for his remarkable Game 7 exploits, told NBC television after scoring his eighth goal of the post-season. “I was able to make a shot.”
Photo: USA TODAY
Los Angeles head coach Darryl Sutter, whose team became the first ever to win three Game 7s en route to the Stanley Cup Finals, was delighted with yet another comeback victory.
“Nobody is ever out of it,” Sutter told reporters after the Kings won the series opener in a heavily anticipated series between teams representing the two biggest media markets in the US. “Keep plugging away and make a big play to tie it, make a big play to win it.”
The visiting Rangers jumped to a 2-0 lead in the opening period when left wing Benoit Pouliot scored on a breakaway before fast-moving Swede Carl Hagelin added a short-handed goal.
The Kings, widely regarded as favorites going into the finals, pulled one back before the end of the first period when Kyle Clifford buried the puck in the New York net from a sharp angle.
Los Angeles tied the game at 2-2 when defenseman Drew Doughty scored in the second period, but neither team was able to score in the final period of regulation, when both goaltenders pulled off a series of breathtaking saves.
Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist ended the night with 40 saves and almost single-handedly kept his team in the game after they failed to build on their fast start.
Pouliot stole the puck from Doughty and stormed clear to score his fourth goal of the play-offs when he beat goaltender Jonathan Quick with a wrist shot.
Worse was to follow for Los Angeles less than two minutes later when the Rangers went 2-0 up through left wing Hagelin.
Los Angeles cut the deficit to 2-1 with less than three minute to go in the period when Jeff Carter pounced on a failed clearance by the Rangers and fed the puck to Clifford, who scored.
Doughty, helped by a pinpoint pass from Williams, redeemed himself by moving the puck deftly to score with a wrist shot after six minutes of the second period.
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