Dustin Brown celebrates his double overtime winner giving the Kings a 2-0 series lead.
AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill

Dustin Brown’s goal in double overtime gave the Kings their second straight comeback win over the Rangers. This time, they rallied back from three two-goal deficits to post a crushing 5-4 win in Game 2 at Staples Center putting the Rangers in a 0-2 hole. Brown was able to redirect Willie Mitchell’s point shot at 30:26 of sudden death to put his team within two wins of their second Cup in three years.

For the Rangers, it was another lost opportunity. This one hurt even more with a controversial non-call factoring into a Kings’ third period comeback that forced a second consecutive OT. They entered the third ahead 4-2 on the strength of a Derick Brassard goal that came 11 seconds following a Mitchell power play goal. The game turned when Dwight King was able to get a piece of a Matt Greene point shot while making contact with Henrik Lundqvist at 1:58 of the third. On the play, Game 1 hero Justin Williams fed Greene, whose shot caromed off King past an incensed Lundqvist which cut the deficit to 4-3 with 18:02 left in regulation.

”I’m extremely disappointed on that call – or non-call,” Lundqvist told the Associated Press. ”I mean, they’ve got to be consistent with that rule. … They score a goal, and I can’t even move. It’s extremely frustrating for them to get life like that. After that, it’s a different game.”

While he is 100 percent right, it’s not the reason they lost. From my vantage point, King interfered with Lundqvist’s ability to stop the puck. At worst, it should’ve been wiped out for ‘incidental contact.’ Instead, referee Dan O’Halloran counted it despite protests from the Rangers bench. It’s a judgment call. One which he missed.

That didn’t stop the Rangers from sitting back and allowing former buddy Marian Gaborik to tie it with his playoff-leading 13th goal with 12:24 remaining. On that one, it was a folly of errors including Ryan McDonagh fumbling the puck with Chris Kreider basically handing Gaborik a freebie. Rick Nash’s inability to clear the zone allowed the Kings another chance and they cashed in. That’s been the story so far. Every Ranger mistake is magnified. Along with a pitiful power play that only has connected once in nine attempts, they’ve done just enough to lose including failing to protect a lead after two.

It’s easy to blame the refs. They also looked to have missed a delay of game on LA in overtime. You make your own breaks. Right now, the Kings are living proof of that. They’re getting the bounces and will bring a 2-0 lead to MSG for a do-or-die Game 3 Monday. The Rangers know they can play with them but haven’t been able to finish an opponent that has as many lives as Jason. This is the same team that pulled the same stunt against the Blackhawks. You have to put them away. At least when they return home, the Rangers will have overwhelming support on home ice.

The first two games have been electric. Whatever the experts thought hasn’t played out. It’s two evenly matched teams who have gone nearly nine periods so far. Similar to Game 1, the Rangers got the quick start scoring twice in the first. McDonagh broke a scoreless tie when he took a Dominic Moore feed and rifled one past Jonathan Quick at 10:48. Offensively speaking, he was a beast. It was McDonagh who later set up Mats Zuccarello’s fifth that increased the lead to 2-0 with 1:14 left. Brassard won a battle behind the net and fed McDonagh for a shot that hit Zuccarello in front where he steered in the rebound.

Undaunted, the Kings responded in true fashion when Jarrett Stoll cut the deficit in half 1:46 into the second. Taking complete advantage of a dreadful turnover from Brad Richards, King forced Lundqvist into a sliding save out of his crease. With him way out, Williams got to a loose puck and with nowhere to go, he wisely back passed for Stoll, whose one-timer rolled towards the net caroming off a sliding Lundqvist’s goal stick past Kevin Klein, who couldn’t quite come up with the save. It was one of the most bizarre Cup moments you’ll ever see.

After failing on their first two chances, the Rangers cashed in on a Kings bench minor. Martin St. Louis scored off a beautiful Derek Stepan rush and set up at 11:24 restoring a two-goal lead. The play was made by Chris Kreider, who trapped two Kings and sent Stepan in on an odd-man situation. He faked before dishing for an open St. Louis, who buried it from his knees for a power play goal. That should’ve been a killer. Instead, Zuccarello took an ill timed tripping minor which gave the Kings a man-advantage.

Just when it looked like they were about to get out of trouble, Slava Voynov passed across for an open Mitchell, whose seeing eye shot went past a screened Lundqvist by guess who- King. He never tracked it. That allowed the Kings to creep within 3-2 with 5:21 left. But just when you think you’ve seen it all, a miscommunication between Mitchell and Quick behind the net allowed Brassard to put the Rangers back in front 4-2 only 11 seconds later. Able to take advantage of an error from Mitchell, Brassard took a quick Zuccarello feed and wrong footed Quick.

Dwight King makes contact with Henrik Lundqvist while scoring a controversial goal in Game 2.
AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill

It all went haywire in the third. On a strong forecheck, Williams again made the play. This time, he held the puck behind the Rangers net before coming out and throwing a diagonal feed to a vacated Greene. Greene let go of a shot with King skating towards Lundqvist in the crease. King and McDonagh battled in front when King’s skate initiated contact with Lundqvist just as the puck deflected off him for a controversial goal. It was O’Halloran’s call all the way and there was no discussion. It counted giving LA new life.

The Rangers needed to respond. Instead, they didn’t take the initiative and let the non-call impact the game. Before you knew it, Gaborik went to the dirty area and found some loose change for an easy put away that suddenly tied it at four with 12:24 left. It really was an ugly defensive sequence that proved costly. You don’t expect it with McDonagh out. The top line got victimized. It’s the kind of postseason Gaborik’s having. Even with linemate Anze Kopitar doing little, Gaborik’s scoring clutch goals.

Meanwhile, Nash led the Rangers with eight shots and a bevy of chances. But he never did get that elusive goal that could’ve made a difference. Simply put, the man is hexed. Somehow, Alain Vigneault rewarded him with only 13 seconds on the power play. That included two critical failures in overtime including an interference call Nash drew on Williams while on the penalty kill. You can’t make it up. For some inexplicable reason, Vigneault refuses to use Nash, who coincidentally received 2:25 shorthanded time with 20:24 at even strength.

Even more puzzling is Vigneault’s blind faith in Richards. I admire Richards but let’s call a spade a spade. He’s been miserable. Last night, his turnover led to LA’s first goal and he was on for three goals against. Most ugly has been his work on the power play yet he paced the team with 5:18 while manning the point. The worst aspect is he had a couple of scary giveaways with one leading to a shorthanded chance. At this critical juncture, it’s time for Vigneault to put aside loyalty. Take Richards off the top unit. He’s killing them. He’s been made to look by a bigger, imposing team and is a defensive liability.

To be blunt, Vigneault hasn’t made enough in-game adjustments. He continues to roll four lines giving the fourth line plenty of shifts because they were one of two lines going. The other being the Brassard unit featuring Zuccarello and Benoit Pouliot. From a forechecking standpoint, the third and fourth lines were superb. It was the fourth line of Moore, Brian Boyle and Derek Dorsett that buzzed a couple of times with Boyle nearly setting up Moore in overtime. But the puck rolled on him on what was awful ice for both teams.

The Rangers’ best chance to win it came off the stick of Kreider. All set up from the slot by Nash, he sent a wrist shot off the outside of the post. Kreider played a more inspired game registering an assist, five shots with a team-high nine hits. He was also denied by Quick on a breakaway in the first overtime. St. Louis made a perfect backhand outlet that led him in but Quick was able to get a piece of it. He also robbed Anton Stralman off a Stepan set up. Despite allowing 4 goals, the former Conn Smythe winner was clutch finishing with 34 saves.

Lundqvist had 39. But it was all for naught. The Kings did a good job getting bodies in front. Ironically, the winner came due to Brown getting his nose dirty. Able to get inside position on McDonagh, he tipped in a Mitchell shot to send the Kings to their third consecutive win in sudden death. They also eliminated Chicago in Game 7. It was the longest postseason game in Kings history.

BONY 3 Stars:

3rd Star-Willie Mitchell, LAK (goal-1st, assisted on Brown’s winner, 3 blocks, +2 in 50 shifts-34:14-quiet veteran came through)

2nd Star-Justin Williams, LAK (3 assists, 4 SOG, 2 PIM, even in 38 shifts-23:05-2-3-5 for series-championship caliber)

1st Star-Mats Zuccarello, NYR (goal-5th, assist, 3 SOG, 6 hits, 2 PIM, +2 in 38 shifts-23:47-Zucc was the best player on the ice)