Berwyn Lapesey blog

Rangers outlast Kings for 4-3 shootout win

NEW YORK – Henrik Lundqvist knocked Anze Kopitar's shootout shot over the net to earn his 200th NHL win and give the New York Rangers a 4-3 victory over the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday night.

The Kings rallied twice in the third period to stretch their streak with at least one point to a team record-tying 11 games (8-0-3).

Erik Christensen and Mats Zuccarello scored on the Rangers' first two shootout attempts before Jarret Stoll got a shot past Lundqvist to send the tiebreaker into a third round. Jonathan Bernier poke-checked the puck off Wojtek Wolski's stick to keep the Kings alive, but Lundqvist turned aside Kopitar to give New York its second straight win after six consecutive losses.

Ryan Callahan had a goal and assist, and Marian Gaborik and Artem Anisimov both scored in the third for New York, which had several minutes of power-play time in overtime.

Los Angeles captain Dustin Brown scored two goals and Matt Greene had a rare one for the road-weary Kings, who haven't lost in regulation since a 2-0 defeat against Phoenix on Jan. 20.

When Brandon Dubinsky shoved a wraparound shot that went in off Anisimov with 2:21 left in regulation, it appeared the Kings' point streak would end. But Brown banked a shot in off Lundqvist less than a minute later to rescue a point for Los Angeles.

Only one other time — in 1974 — have the Kings earned a point in 11 straight games, and that was before the advent of the overtime loss and the shootout. Los Angeles also recorded a point for the ninth consecutive road game (6-0-3), three shy of the team mark set in the 1973-74 season.

The Kings are 5-0-3 on their 10-game road trip that has stops left on Long Island and at Anaheim.

Greene snapped a 72-game drought with his first goal in more than a year, with help from Rangers forward Brian Boyle. Greene let go a drive from the right point that clipped Boyle's stick and found its way past Lundqvist at 7:50 — just 1:40 after Gaborik gave New York its first lead.

Gaborik had gone only seven games without a goal, but it probably felt much more like Greene's stretch of futility for a player who netted 42 last season. The speedy forward wristed a shot that beat Bernier's outstretched blocker and found its way into the long side at 6:10 for his 17th goal.

New York had gone 1-5-1 since Gaborik's previous goal at Washington on Jan. 24.

Callahan got the Rangers even 4:01 into the second period after New York controlled the puck following a faceoff in the Los Angeles zone. Derek Stepan moved the puck in front to Callahan, who slammed in his 15th goal.

Callahan has five goals in seven games after missing 19 because of a broken hand.

The Kings jumped in front 1-0 just 5:25 in when Brown capitalized on Dubinsky's early boarding penalty.

Los Angeles missed chances to take advantage of the Rangers in the second period when the Kings had the only two power plays. Despite calls against defenseman Michael Del Zotto and Dubinsky less than 3 minutes apart, New York held an 11-9 edge in shots and scored the only goal of the frame.

The Kings were 1 for 3 on the power play after going 0 for 9 in the previous four games combined.

Notes: Greene, a defenseman in his sixth season, has six career goals in 355 NHL games. He hadn't had one since Jan. 28, 2010, at Columbus. ... Stoll scored the shootout winner for the Kings on Wednesday at Columbus. ... New York hadn't played since beating Pittsburgh on Sunday.