Game 6: Rangers 4, Kings 2

Two of the hottest teams faced off in New York Wednesday. Both teams have been playing over their heads. The first team that shows a weakness, the other will find it and exploit it. One team was going to leave Madison Square Garden disappointed. That team was the L.A. Kings.

Riding high on a four-game winning streak, the Kings rode into the Big Apple, given the royal treatment by the league (no pun intended). Rob Scuderi and Dustin Brown hosted some kids at the NHL store, Kopitar was tabbed as the Kings' breakout star, and Madison Square Garden was rocking, even attracting the Princess of Sweden.

The Kings left the Rangers and the crowd with an impressive effort. The one thing that sunk the Kings' chances was the fact that they went with their backup goalie, Erik Ersberg. I understand why coach Murray went with Ersberg, playing back-to-back game would've been too much strain on Quick, who had played in all five Kings games this season. Plus, your backup goalie should give your team a chance to rest your No. 1.

But as my friend over at Kings Kool-Aid points out, Ersberg has now lost 11 out of 12 games he's started. He certainly does not belong in goal at this level, and I won't be surprised if Bernier gets the nod as backup sooner than later.

Onward to Detroit, where Quick will start.

• AP: Prospal scores 2, including No. 200, in NYR win

    Former Kings forward Brian Boyle scored a second-period goal, and Henrik Lundqvist stopped 34 shots for his fifth win in six games. It is New York’s longest winning streak since another six-game run in the 2005-06 season.

•  LATimes.com: Kings can't finish the job in loss to Rangers

    For the first two periods, the Kings held their own against a physical Rangers team that is riding a five-game winning streak and a 12-game regular-season home unbeaten streak that dates to last season. And that, Kings Coach Terry Murray said, actually makes the loss something of a victory for his young team.

•Yahoo!: Team report

    The Rangers took advantage of their power-play chances, and the Kings mostly wasted theirs. The Rangers scored two power-play goals in three chances (including a 5-on-3 goal) while the Kings went 1-for-7 with theman advantage.

• LAKings.com: Rangers beat Kings, 4-2

    The Kings outshot the Rangers 36-21 and, afterward, were generally pleased with their game, particularly with stretches in the second and third periods in which the Kings clearly outplayed the Rangers.

• LAKingsInsider.com: Goalie criticism

    Today, a good question came up. Murray was asked if, during a team meeting, he would talk to the team about a goalie’s poor game or, since it’s just one person, and has little relevance to the rest of the players’ responsibilities, he would leave it for individual discussion. Murray said it’s mostly the latter. Coaches (not just Murray) don’t seem too inclined to analyze goalie play. Goalies either play well or they don’t, and adjustments are left for the coaches to work on in practice.

They said it

      "We were on the puck, we had the puck possession, we made a lot of plays and we had a lot of offensive-zone time to do what we needed to do in order to tie the game. We just didn't take advantage of it." —Kings coach Terry Murray, on his team's play in the second and third periods.
    "The feeling here tonight, going into the third, we felt this game wasours to have if we wanted it. They had two special players that made alot of special plays out there tonight. Sometimes that happens inhockey."–on whether he sees a difference from last season, Kings captain Dustin Brown, on whether he sees a difference from last season.

Around the Kingdom

• The Royal Half: Ragtime Blues

The Los Angeles Kings looked lifeless at times during their game versus the New York Rangers tonight. They over skated pucks, bobbled blue line passes and just kind of looked like they weren't having fun at all. But with that said... they actually could have won tonight.

• Press Box Perspective: Rangers Extend Winning Streak to End the Kings’ Streak

Definitely not the best game to attend as a Kings fan, but there were up sides to not getting credentials from the Rangers. I got to talk to more fans (Kings and Rangers alike). I also didn’t have to talk to the Kings after the game and somehow I don’t think they were in the best mood – especially with their upcoming flight to Detroit immediately following the game.

• Kings Kool-Aid: I Would Just Like to Point Out That Erik Ersberg Has Not Won a Single Game Since Jonathan Quick Joined the Kings

His last win was in mid-December of 2008. Since Quick was called up, Ersberg has lost ten straight. (Ed.note: This has to be the longest title for a blog I've ever seen.)

• The Throne Room: Net Letdown As Kings Lose at MSG

While I’m not questioning management’s decision regarding the #2 goalie just yet, I would imagine there are quite a few Kings fans tonight pondering “Why didn’t Bernier make the team again?”

• View From Section 310: Kings Lose a Tough One

The Officials for tonight's game.  Can referees really not determine the difference between a "no goal" and calling the play dead.  The amount of time it took them to replay the second goal was unbearable.  And then the referees went upstairs to check on the Higgins hook of Brown when they went crashing into the Rangers net.  The NHL is the perfect example of why Major League Baseball doesn't want to expand their replay system.

From Across The Aisle, the New York viewpoint

•NYDailyNews.com: Vinny Prospal's two goals lift the New York Rangers over the Los Angeles Kings, 4-2 

They could argue they deserved it. L.A.'s potent top line of Smyth, Anze Kopitar and Justin Williams had stretches during which they would let the Rangers breathe, but the hosts helped themselves on special teams again. 

• Inside Hockey: One King Beats 20

On a night when the Rangers played perhaps theirworst game of the season, the New Yorkers had the best King, as King HenrikLundqvist protected his fiefdom by stopping 34 of 36 Los Angeles Kings shots ina 4-2 Rangers victory Wednesday night.

• The Dark Ranger: Crowned! King Henrik Reigns Over Kings

The Kings dominated large portions of the game -- hitting, shots (they outshot the Rangers every period including 10-1 in the 3rd), and territory -- but in the most important area, the scoreboard, they failed and that was due to the goalies in net.

• HFBoards: Los Angeles Kings @ New York Rangers

    broadwayblue: The Kings had 3 men deep on the forecheck on nearly every shift. They were attacking relentlessly and really made it hard for our D to make a good first pass out of the zone. Granted we were worn out...but I have to give credit to the Kings. They play an exciting aggressive game.
    OverTheCap: The Kings look like a playoff team. They arguably have the best youngdefense in the NHL and Kopitar has the potential to be a star. ThatSmyth trade seems to be working out for them as well. Hats off to DeanLombardi and Terry Murray for helping the Kings become competitiveagain.
    danno2530: I was at the game (419) and we were definitely out-played. The Kingsare a hard-working gritty team with a ton of young talent and Iwouldn't be surprised to see them make the playoffs this year. Justdepends on goaltending. If Quick stays like he's playing, great but Icould see them trying to work a deal because Ersberg is not that good.
    abev: I can't remember a team that moves the puck to the point and gets shots through as well as the Kings did last night.

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