Top Players Guide Kings Once Again
The Garden was ready. The capacity crowd - wearing special blue Stanley Cup finals T-shirts - was loud and prepared for the Rangers' first home game in the finals since 1994. But the experienced Los Angeles Kings, who had never won a playoff game at Madison Square Garden, spoiled the party.
Once more the Kings' top players guided them to a victory, a 3-0 win that put them up by three games to none over the Rangers. And a former Ranger, forward Marian Gaborik, was prominent in the mix.
The veteran Jeff Carter scored with 0.8 of a second left in the first period, and then Gaborik and Anze Kopitar set up defenseman Jake Muzzin for another score early in the second. Mike Richards made it 3-0 late in the second, and goaltender Jonathan Quick turned away 32 shots, leaving the Kings on the verge of completing a sweep.
Carter and Richards, who were key pieces when the Kings beat the Devils in six games to claim the franchise's first Cup two years ago, each had a strong game, with Carter collecting a team-high four shots on goal.
Kopitar had his team-leading 21st assist.
Gaborik, who leads all scorers this postseason with 13 goals, was making his first appearance on Garden ice since the Rangers traded him to Columbus in April 2013. The Blue Jackets dealt him to the Kings this past March.
His line, with Kopitar on the right and the captain Dustin Brown at center, buzzed Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist all night. The Kings had only 15 shots, but it felt as if they had the better of play for much of the game.
Gaborik had his ups and downs while with the Rangers. Two seasons of 40-plus goals, a 22-goal campaign in which he was hampered by injury and a difficult final season under John Tortorella culminated in a departure that was less than ideal.
With Gaborik exasperated with his coach, and vice versa, the Rangers traded him to Columbus for forwards Derick Brassard and Derek Dorsett and defenseman John Moore. All three played key roles in helping the Rangers reach the finals.
Gaborik, however, has done nothing but flourish in his three months as a King. Now he is a victory from hoisting the Cup on his former home ice at the Garden.
'I have great memories of my time here,' he said Monday after the Kings' morning skate. 'But it's all about business now.'
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