Rangers 3 - 1 Kings
Final
  for this game

Rangers beat Kings for first win under Vigneault

Oct 8, 2013 - 6:01 AM Los Angeles, CA (SportsNetwork.com) - Brad Richards scored a pair of goals and the New York Rangers earned their first win of the season -- and the first for new head coach Alain Vigneault -- by beating the Los Angeles Kings, 3-1, at Staples Center.

Ryan McDonagh was credited with a short-handed goal in the third period after Kings goaltender Jonathan Quick misplayed a puck off the boards.

Quick finished with 25 saves in the loss, while Henrik Lundqvist stopped all but one of the 29 shots he faced after giving up four goals in a season- opening loss to the Coyotes last Thursday.

Jake Muzzin scored the only goal for the Kings, who have dropped two straight after opening the campaign with a shootout win against the Wild.

Los Angeles never led in its home opener, as Richards put New York in front to stay with 6:28 remaining the first period. Rick Nash created a turnover and threw a shot on net that was turned aside by Quick, who was knocked off balance and couldn't recover in time to stop Richards' sharp-angle rebound.

"I thought our guys did a good job of pressuring their defense, and because of that we created some turnovers that led to some grade-A scoring opportunities and we were able to capitalize on a couple," Vigneault said.

The next goal was also credited to Richards, whose pass intended for Derick Brassard deflected of Slava Voynov's stick and through the legs of Quick at the 10:46 mark of the middle stanza.

Both teams had a man in the penalty box 15 seconds later, and on the 4-of-4 Mike Richards found Muzzin between the circles for a wrister into the right corner that halved Los Angeles' deficit.

LA's Trevor Lewis hit the post on a breakaway late in the period, and the Kings found themselves in a 3-1 hole when McDonagh sent a length-of-the-ice clear off the boards that somehow fooled Quick at the 4:39 mark of the third.

"You play 60 minutes and you try to stop the puck for your teammates, that's the thought process. Everyone gives up that goal and it's part of the game," reasoned Quick.

Game Notes

Richards recorded the 24th two-goal game in his career ... Rangers captain Ryan Callahan, who missed the season opener while recovering from offseason shoulder surgery, needed dental assistance after taking a stick to the face in the opening period ... The clubs were meeting in Los Angeles for the first time since a 2-1 Kings victory on Feb. 2, 2010 ... The Kings fell to 23-15-8 all-time in home openers.






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