The New York Rangers came into the Staples Center following Saturday’s 3-1 loss to the Colorado Avalanche hoping to get some more goals against a struggling Los Angeles Kings team. Instead, the Blueshirts choked up a 2-0 lead and lost 4-2.
- New York Rangers 2
- NYR Goals: David Desharnais (5)- PPG, Jimmy Vesey (10)
- Los Angeles Kings 4
- LAK Goals: Jake Muzzin (4) -PPG, Jake Muzzin (4)-PPG, Tanner Pearson (9) -PPG, Trevor Lewis (12)
- Final, Boxscore
- Venue: Staples Center, Los Angeles, Ca
The New York Rangers began the hockey game with speed and solid forechecking leading to a 2-0 lead before the 10-minute mark of the first period had passed. As the second period began, with what is normally a bright spot for the team, the penalty killing turned out to be a Hollywood nightmare as the Los Angeles Kings tallied three power-play goals in a span of nine minutes and 38 seconds to take a 3-2 lead.
The Kings added an empty-net goal in the third, defeating the Blueshirts 4-2.
The Rangers lineup included the return of defenseman Marc Staal from a hip-flexor injury and Michael Grabner after battling the flu bug.
#NYR lines:
Nash- Zibanejad – Buchnevich
Vesey – Miller – Zuccarello
Carey – Desharnais – Lettieri
Grabner – Holland – Fast
McDonagh – Holden
Skjei – Staal
Smith – DeAngelo
LundqvistPer @MattCalamia
— RangerProud (@RangerProud) January 22, 2018
The Rangers received an early power play when Marian Gaborik took a high sticking penalty on Jimmy Vesey. David Desharnais made the Kings pay as he connected on the power play opportunity for his fifth goal of the year to give the Rangers an early 1-0 lead.
Desharnais, from DeAngelo and Lettieri, on the power play to give the NYR a 1-0 lead pic.twitter.com/BYve10K553
— Shayna (@hayyyshayyy) January 22, 2018
Jimmy Vesey scored his 10th of the year off a scramble in from of Kings goalie Johnathan Quick to give the Rangers a 2-0 second-period lead.
With the Jimmy Vesey goal, the Rangers are the only NHL team that has eight players who have recorded 10 or more goals this season.
Jimmy Vesey tallied his 10th goal of the 2017-18 season. The Rangers are the only NHL team that has eight players who have recorded 10 or more goals this season.
— NYR Stats & Info (@NYRStatsInfo) January 22, 2018
Brendan Smith took a late hit from Kyle Clifford, which was not called a penalty, but would anticipate and NHL review of the play.
This is a huge cheap shot by Kyle Clifford on Brendan Smith. He'll be getting a call from the league #NYR pic.twitter.com/OYKz88H8cN
— Fitz (@FitzyGSN) January 22, 2018
The first period ended with some fireworks as Brendan Smith and the Kings Adrian Kempe had a fight as the rough and nasty play began to pick up.
— Shayna (@hayyyshayyy) January 22, 2018
The second period began with a Kings power play as a result of the additional minor penalty Smith took at the end of the first period. It took Jake Muzzin only 30 seconds to score on the power play to get the Kings within one goal, 2-1.
Following a Peter Holland tripping penalty, Michael Amadio scored his second of the year on the Kings second power play of the game to tie it at 2-2.
Nick Holden continued the horrible second period as he then took a tripping penalty. This time Tanner Pearson scored his ninth of the year, on the Kings third power-play goal of the second period, to give the Kings a 3-2 lead.
A failed penalty killing in the second period cost any momentum the team had built up from their excellent first period.
First 45 games: Rangers allowed more than one PPG once. Last three games, twice.
— Rick Carpiniello (@RickCarpiniello) January 22, 2018
The Rangers only had six shot on goal in the second period.
The first ten minutes of the third period was uneventful as the two teams combined for only eight shots on goal. The third period concluded with a Kings empty net goal by Trevor Lewis to give the Kings a 4-2 lead.
Henrik Lundqvist made 26 saves in the loss. The will face the Anaheim Ducks Tuesday night, 10 p.m. ET.
