Jack Johnson's power-play goal 4:08 into overtime lifted the Los Angeles Kings to a 3-2 victory over the New York Rangers 3-2 in the clubs' season opener Friday in Stockholm, Sweden.
With Ryan McDonagh in the penalty box for tripping, Johnson one-timed a pass from Mike Richards past Henrik Lundqvist, who made 27 saves in his return to his home country.
Jonathan Quick turned aside 25 shots to preserve the victory. Richards finished with a goal and an assist in his first game with Los Angeles after coming over in an offseason deal with Philadelphia.
With the score even at 1-1 entering the third, Marian Gaborik put the Rangers ahead midway through the period. Linemate Brandon Dubinsky flailed at a loose puck in front, and it ended up on the stick of Gaborik, who slid a shot past a prone Quick.
Richards knotted things 3 1/2 minutes later, redirecting Brad Richardson's pass from the side boards.
Los Angeles opened the game with sustained pressure and it paid off at the 10:51 mark. After the Kings forced a turnover at the New York blue line, Justin Williams fed Anze Kopitar a backhand saucer pass and the Slovenian star rifled a one-timer past Lundqvist.
The Rangers evened matters with just under five minutes remaining in the period. Shortly after New York registered its first shot, Ryan Callahan took a pass from behind the net and beat Quick from a bad angle.
NY Rangers | Los Angeles | |
Ryan Callahan 1 | Points | Anze Kopitar 2 |
Ryan Callahan 1 | Goals | Anze Kopitar 1 |
Artem Anisimov 1 | Assists | Anze Kopitar 1 |
N/A | Power Play Goals | Jack Johnson 1 |
N/A | Short Handed Goals | N/A |
Henrik Lundqvist .900 | Save Percentage | Jonathan Quick .923 |
Henrik Lundqvist 27 | Saves | Jonathan Quick 24 |
Team | Shots | Goals | Power Play | Penalty Kill | Penalty Mins | Face Offs Won |
NY Rangers | 26 | 2 | 0-1 | 4-5 | 25 | 34 |
Los Angeles | 30 | 3 | 1-5 | 1-1 | 7 | 26 |