Rangers at Kings: Oh, the Rangers Won a Game, How Cute

It’s a Stanley Cup Final rematch with the Rangers revisiting the scene of their crushing defeat. But it’s early January and the Rangers are on a red-hot winning run right now, so of course the Kings weren’t able to reassert their dominance.

The Kings make good early though with Pearson burying it from Carter’s behind the net pass, thus ending his 11 game goal drought. Justin Williams snaps one 1:37 later because that’s just what Justin Williams does (and also why we should GIVE HIM A CONTRACT ALREADY). Just like that, the Kings are sitting pretty with a 2 goal lead.

But just like in the series between these two teams in the spring, a two goal lead early in the game is not a safe thing to have. If you need evidence as to how well the Kings PK is doing, watch as the Rangers score just 5 seconds into their power play to cut their deficit in half. The Rangers used that, and came out even stronger in the second period. They outplayed the Kings to the tune of 3 more unanswered goals, leaving the Kings trailing by 2 at the start of the third.

Justin Williams scores one more for the Kings because he is magnificent (and deserves a contract), and with just one more goal needed to tie it, a little bit of hope starts to bloom. After that ridiculous display in Nashville, it feels like anything is possible. The Kings are gifted with a power play near the end of the period and with Quick pulled, it’s a 6-on-4 opportunity for the Kings. Though there were rushes and shots and flurries aplenty, they just couldn’t get another one past Talbot.

Can’t be too bummed about this loss though, and I think we all know why…