This was an impressive one from the Rangers, who were not necessarily at their sharpest, but played with grit and moxie throughout Friday’s 4-2 victory over the imposing, fourth-overall Kings at the Garden.
“When you’re playing a big team like that with a heavy style, you have to win a majority of the 50-50 battles to get something going offensively,” said Ryan McDonagh, stout without the puck and sharp with it. “That was the emphasis early and I thought we got better and better as the game went on, outnumbering them and coming away with the puck.
“We knew it was going to be a challenge. These are the games you get up for and want to make sure you’re prepared the best you can. I like the way we responded.”
The Blueshirts blocked 15 shots during a first period in which they were out-attempted 28-9 at even strength, but dug in and for the most part were able to clog shooting lanes. Henrik Lundqvist faced only 10 shots in the period and 35 for the match in which the Rangers finished with 25 blocks.
“The key is to work really well with the D. They boxed out guys really well,” Lundqvist said. “They crash the net hard so it’s a physical game for me to play in and try to find pucks. It was a battle and a fun game for me to play.”
Lundqvist was beaten on a second-period snipe by Marian Gaborik and Torrey Mitchell scored in the third period on rebound off a speed and finesse rush from the Great Gabby, who was, in McDonagh’s words, “jacked up,” in his NHL career 1,000th game.
“Best player on the ice,” Rick Nash said in admiration of his short-time mate on the Broadway 2012-13 Money Line centered by Brad Richards.
But it was Nash, who had a pretty dandy one himself, getting the winner at 16:33 of the third period. Nash picked up a loose puck in the neutral zone during a Kings line change and raced ahead before scoring to the top-corner short side from the left circle on Jonathan Quick to break a 2-2 deadlock.
It marked only the second goal in the past 13 games and ninth overall for Nash, who had created oodles of chances for himself the last month with scant reward.
“It’s hard not to get discouraged when they don’t go in, for sure,” said Nash, who led the Blueshirts with five shots. “I feel the other parts of my game have been good, my penalty-kill has been strong, and I’ve been getting the opportunities.
“At this point in my career, I feel that if I get to the inside and keep working, eventually the goals will come. At the same time, it’s easier said than done not to get down when I know I’m being counted on to score.”
There was never a point in this one that the Rangers, 2-2-1 in their past five and with the Bruins coming up Saturday in a quick 5 p.m. turnaround in Boston, were outworked. They stood in and traded metaphorical punches throughout.
“They’re one of the best teams in the West,” Nash said. “I thought we played pretty much as close to a full 60 as we have all season.”
Chris Kreider’s power-play deflection in front off a Kevin Shattenkirk drive from the top after glancing off Jake Muzzin’s leg ended the club’s five-game, 0-for-9 man-advantage drought. It gave the Rangers a 1-0 lead at 10:23 of the first. After Gaborik tied the score by sneaking one through Lundqvist’s pads from the left circle at 3:46 of the second, Kevin Hayes beat Quick up top far side from the right circle at 14:43 of the second in converting a right-wing rush feed from McDonagh.
Yes, Hayes actually shot the puck. Apparently there was no one open for whom to dish it. We kid.
The Kings tied the score 2-2 at 7:59 of the third, but Nash struck. And then, protecting the lead after Quick had been pulled, J.T. Miller got the empty-netter to seal it on a sequence triggered by a Jimmy Vesey block of a right point Drew Doughty drive. Vesey was on because Michael Grabner had to hop off after being slashed across the arm.
“To win a game like this, you need contributions from a lot of guys,” McDonagh said. “We got it from the whole team.”