STOCKHOLM, Sweden– The New York Rangers held a one-goal lead in the third period until Los Angeles Kings center and former Philadelphia Flyers captain Mike Richards tapped-in a Brad Richardson pass to tie it 2-2 with five minutes to play. Richards who played for the Rangers division rival for six years caused the Blueshirts some more heartbreak having the primary assist on the game-winning powerplay goal by Kings defenseman Jack Johnson.
Ryan Callahan, in his first game as captain of the Rangers, scored the first goal of the season for the Rangers in the first to tie it after Anze Kopitar gave the the Kings the lead ten minutes in. After no scoring in the second Marian Gaborik gave the Rangers the lead 10:29 into the third putting a Brandon Dubinsky pass over the right pad of a sprawling Jonathan Quick. Mike Richards tied the game at two and lead the Kings to overtime.
In OT penalties eventually caught up the Blueshirts as Jack Johnson scored a 4-on-3 powerplay goal after receiving a backhanded feed from Mike Richards. Johnson said, “A 4-on-3 is the biggest prime opportunity in hockey. We had drawn up something and were waiting for opportunity to drive through.”
The Rangers were on the PK five times and some of the penalties were just mental mistakes by the Rangers. Ryan McDonagh gave the Kings their powerplay in OT for tripping Kings d-man Willie Mitchell. ”I was reaching through him trying to get the puck and I don’t know why I put my hand out there and kind of pulled on him for no reason, I wasn’t going for the puck,” McDonagh told NHL.com. “It’s a hold for sure, so he’s got to make that call.”
“It smacked us right in the face,” Rangers coach John Tortorella said. “I think we should feel good about our second and third periods, we played the way we needed to play. But to take a stupid one at the end of the third, kill that off, and then take another stupid one in overtime — you’re not going to win.”
The Rangers (0-1-0) will take on the Anaheim Ducks (0-1-0) at 1:00 pm (NHLN) Saturday in Sweden before heading back to North America for a four game road trip.
Machurek’s 3 Stars of the Game
1. Mike Richards LAK 1G 1A 3SOG EVEN
2. Anze Kopitar LAK 1G 1A 3SOG EVEN
3. Ryan Callahan NYR 1G 11SOG EVEN
Buy New York Rangers Tickets | Buy New York Rangers Apparel[...] of the season and the boys in blue dropped both contest after regulation ended. Mike Richards remains a thorn in the Rangers side getting the game-tying goal, and assisting the game winning goal to help the Los Angeles Kings [...]
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