Marian Gaborik snapped a second-period tie, and Jonathan Quick shook off an opening-minute goal to lift the Los Angeles Kings to a 4-2 victory over the New York Rangers on Tuesday night in a rematch of last year's Stanley Cup Final.
The Kings, fighting for a chance to defend their title, have won the first two games of a five-game trip on successive nights. Robyn Regehr scored a rare goal in the first period, and Jeff Carter and Jake Muzzin extended the lead in the third. Anze Kopitar had two assists.
Quick made 34 saves.
Los Angeles, which beat the Rangers in five games for the 2014 title, is tied in points with third-place Calgary in the Pacific Division, but the Flames hold the tiebreaker.
Muzz-IN pic.twitter.com/tTY7RWtDmr
— LA Kings (@LAKings) March 25, 2015
Mats Zuccarello scored just 51 seconds in, and Kevin Hayes made it 4-2 with 3:44 left, but that was the only offense for the Rangers two days after an impressive 7-2 victory over Anaheim. New York entered with an NHL-leading 99 points.
Cam Talbot stopped 31 shots and allowed more than two goals for the first time in 10 appearances. The Rangers had held opponents under three for 10 straight games for the first time since 1971, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
Talbot's time as the Rangers' starting goalie is running short, with Henrik Lundqvist practicing on Tuesday and eyeing a weekend return to the lineup. New York is 17-4-3 since a neck injury sidelined Lundqvist in February.
NYCe pic.twitter.com/9svBc8Ve1F
— LA Kings (@LAKings) March 25, 2015
Gaborik gave the Kings a 2-1 lead 4:35 into the second with his 23rd goal. It came at the end of a fine passing play in which Justin Williams dug the puck out of the left corner and sent it out front to Kopitar at the left of the net. Kopitar quickly slid the puck to the right to Gaborik, who had an easy redirection inside the right post.
Gaborik, who played parts of four seasons with the Rangers from 2009-13, is the last one to score at least 40 goals for the Broadway Blueshirts when he netted 41 during the 2011-12 season. New York's Rick Nash is on the verge of the milestone, but he hasn't scored in seven games.
The Kings outshot the Rangers 14-9 in the second and held a 31-21 edge through 40 minutes.
Carter's 26th goal at 1:05 of the third made it 3-1, and Muzzin pushed the lead to three at 5:28.
For the second straight game, the Rangers jumped to a quick lead - scoring on their first shot when Zuccarello beat Quick inside the left post from the slot. J.T. Miller set it up with a drive to the net that resulted in a loose puck sliding back to Zuccarello, who turned it into his 13th goal.
BIGGG RIGGG pic.twitter.com/FWJ5fiSx1n
— LA Kings (@LAKings) March 24, 2015
In Sunday's win, Chris Kreider put the Rangers in front at 1:24. Just like in that one, this lead was short-lived as Regehr tied it with his second of the season.
The Kings put plenty of pressure on Talbot, firing 17 shots at him - the same amount he faced in the first period against Anaheim two days earlier. He made a brilliant left pad save on Trevor Lewis, who ended up alone in front after a Rangers turnover in the defensive zone.
NOTES: Regehr had gone 41 games without a goal, dating to Nov. 18 against Florida. ... Quick played in his 399th NHL game. ... The Rangers, who won in Los Angeles in January, are 2-2 in their past four games.
