New York Rangers Stay Alive Thanks To Henrik Lundqvist

The New York Rangers got a 2 goal lead for the third game in four attempts, but the difference this time was they were able to hold off a dominant Los Angeles Kings comeback and were able to stave off elimination forcing a game 5 back in LA.

Henrik Lundqvist was the star, making 40 saves in his best performance of the playoffs as the Rangers were dominated overt the second half of the game.  The Kings fell behind 2-0 after goals in the first period by Benoit Pouliot and the second period by Martin St. Louis.

Dustin Brown responded with a breakaway goal just over two minutes later and it looked like the Kings were bound for another comeback.

However, despite the fact the Kings outshot the Rangers 15-1 in the third period and on a couple of occasions in the game were millimeters away from goals that somehow stuck on the goal line, they couldn’t find the equalizer this time around.

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Jonathan Quick, who faced just 19 shots a game after a 32 save shutout in game 3, was beat on a double-deflection that was last tipped by Pouliot who was cruising through the slot.  St. Louis picked up a loose puck at the side of the net and lifted it past Quick to make it 2-0.

Brown was the beneficiary of a broken stick, as Dan Girardi‘s stick broke in the shaft as he was trying to make a cross-pass at the Kings blue line.  The resulting flub was right on the stick of Brown who went in at full speed and deked out Lundqvist.

The Kings will have a chance to wrap it up on home ice Friday night, while the Rangers want to bring it back to Madison Square Garden one last time.