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Brown's double-OT strike gives Kings 2-0 series lead over Rangers

Jun 8, 2014 - 5:22 AM Los Angeles, CA (SportsNetwork.com) - Dustin Brown's deflection hit the back of the net with 9:34 remaining in the second overtime, and the Los Angeles Kings have gone two-up on the New York Rangers courtesy of a 5-4 decision in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Finals on Saturday.

Brown was initially stationed near the top of the crease, but, while wrestling with defenseman Ryan McDonagh, was pushed into the high slot. Nonetheless, he was able to bat a Willie Mitchell point drive out of the air and past Henrik Lundqvist for the winner.

"We've been down in these playoffs a lot, so we're not focused on winning or losing, we're focused on the next shift," Brown admitted. "When we do that, we find ways to score big goals, and big saves allow us to stay in it."

Mitchell and Dwight King recorded a goal and assist each while Jarret Stoll and Marian Gaborik also tallied for the Kings, who showed resilience in overcoming deficits of 2-0, 3-1, and 4-2 on Saturday.

Justin Williams contributed three assists to back a 34-save effort by Jonathan Quick.

"I'm a little bit drained, but you know if that's what it takes to win a game, I think every single guy in here is prepared to drain himself pretty good," said Kings forward Anze Kopitar. "It doesn't matter what period you're playing in really. You're just trying to move your feet as good as you can, support the play, make the plays that are there and just be focused really. It doesn't really matter that it's double overtime."

McDonagh, Mats Zuccarello, Martin St. Louis and Derick Brassard lit the lamp for the Rangers, who have the next two contests on home ice, starting with Monday's Game 3 at Madison Square Garden.

Lundqvist once again played well, but suffered the loss despite 39 stops.

McDonagh's blast from near the blue line somehow went untouched through traffic and beat Quick for the game's first goal at 10:48 of the opening period. Williams' failed clear along the left-wing boards behind the net found the stick of Dominic Moore, who dished back to the left point for the successful chance.

The visitors were unscathed after McDonagh committed a cross-checking penalty inside of five minutes left, and Lundqvist made a lunging glove stop on an Alec Martinez drive with 2:20 left before intermission.

The Rangers took a 2-0 edge with 1:14 on the clock when Zuccarello tapped in a McDonagh rebound at the right post.

Los Angeles halved its deficit just 1:46 into the second period. Behind the defense thanks to a lead pass by King, Williams was unable to get a shot off from the right circle. He instead shuttled the puck back to the point, where Stoll's slow roller eluded both Lundqvist and New York defenseman Kevin Klein before sliding into the net.

St. Louis one-timed a Derek Stepan feed past a diving Quick from the right wing to give New York a 3-1 edge at 11:24 -- only 40 seconds after the Kings were guilty of leaving too many men on the ice.

"There's no better way to get into it than with two overtime games," St. Louis offered. "This is fun hockey. We're just on the bad side of the results."

Mitchell pulled the hosts back within a goal as the second-period clock read 5:21, ripping a left-point shot home past a screened Lundqvist with only four seconds left on a Zuccarello tripping call.

However, only 11 seconds later, Brassard rushed the Kings' crease to tap in a centering feed to make it 4-2. Quick and Mitchell had a miscommunication behind their net, with Zuccarello swooping in and stealing the puck.

The two scores were one off the all-time Cup record of 10 seconds, set in 1936 (Maple Leafs/Red Wings) and equaled in 1947 (Canadiens/Leafs).

It took less than two minutes of the third period for L.A. to reduce its deficit, as King's screen helped a right-point Matt Greene blast sail home for a 4-3 contest. Lundqvist was visibly upset, since he contended that King was guilty of interference. Replays seemed to suggest McDonagh pushed King into the crease and kept him wedged there until the score.

"I'm extremely disappointed on that call -- or non-call. They have to be consistent on that," Lundqvist said. "They scored a goal, and I can't even move. It's extremely frustrating for them to get life like that."

Gaborik's second-chance rebound try at the right post tied the game at 7:36, and Quick did the splits to deny a wide-open Brad Richards from atop the crease on the next shift.

Rangers center Chris Kreider cranked a shot off the left post from the right circle with 7 1/2 minutes elapsed in OT, the first quality chance of many during a high-octane stanza.

Moore went to the box for high-sticking Jeff Carter in the face at the midway point, but the final 37 seconds were wiped out after Williams was sent off for tripping Rick Nash.

Carter then careened into Lundqvist on the left side and paid the price on an interference call with 5:33 left in the first extra session. Shortly before the advantage expired, and in a frantic sequence, King was set up by Mike Richards and misfired on a one-timer looking at a half-open net, then Kreider fired wide left at the other end on a breakaway.

Quick dove from right to left to deny Anton Stralman's one-timer just under four minutes into the second overtime.

Game Notes

Los Angeles also won the first two games of the 2012 Stanley Cup Finals in overtime, but on the road at New Jersey, and went on to win the series in six games ... The Kings improved to 4-4 all-time in playoff games decided in double overtime, and won their first since Glen Murray produced the lone goal in Game 6 of the Western Conference semifinals on May 6, 2001 ... New York has scored first in 15 of its 22 postseason contests, but fell to 10-5 in those games ... The Rangers have also claimed a plus-14 differential (25-11) over their opponents in first-period scores ... Los Angeles now claims a plus-13 scoring edge (29-16) over its 2014 playoff foes in the third period ... Rangers defenseman John Moore returned after completing his two-game suspension for a hit to the head of Montreal's Dale Weise ... New York suffered its first defeat this postseason when leading after two periods (10-1).