Stanley Cup Final: Kings defeat Rangers, 3-0; now one win from title

Jonathan Quick would not be denied. The New York Rangers were … repeatedly.

Quick owned the Rangers in a 3-0 victory in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final at Madison Square Garden Monday. It left the Kings with a 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven series. They win their second Cup in three seasons with a victory in Game 4 Wednesday.

The Toronto Maple Leafs are the only team to comeback from a 3-0 deficit in the Stanley Cup Final when they won a seven-game series over the Detroit Red Wings in 1942. But the Kings have personal experience in this area. They rallied from three down to beat the San Jose Sharks in the first round this postseason.

Jeff Carter, Jake Muzzin and Mike Richards scored goals. But it was Quick’s play that took the will from the Rangers, who were playing their first Stanley Cup Final game at home since 1994.

He stopped 32 shots, including 17 in the second period. He made several acrobatic saves, the best coming when he reached back with his stick while flat on the ice to deflect Derick Brassard's chip at an open net.

It was Quick’s second shutout of the playoffs.

The Kings had not led in regulation since Game 6 of the Western Conference finals. They had rallied from two-goal deficits in each of the last three games, beating the Rangers in overtime of Game 1 and double overtime of Game 2.

This time, the Kings took the lead and kept it.

Carter played beat the clock at the end of the first period. He scored on a short-handed rush with 0.6 seconds left for his 10th goal of the playoffs.

Muzzin made it 2-0 with a power-play goal four minutes in the second period. His shot from the blue line delfected off the skate of the Rangers’ Martin St. Louis and into the net. It was Muzzin’s sixth goal of the playoffs, one more than he had during the regular season.

Richards buried the Rangers deeper by executing a perfect two-on-one opportunity 17 minutes into the second period, first faking a pass and than feigning a shot before blasting the puck past Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist, who stopped 15 shots.

The Rangers were scoreless on six power plays as well as the final four minutes when they pulled Lundqvist for a sixth skater.

Kings 3, Rangers 0 (final)

The Kings have taken a 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven Stanley Cup Final series by defeating the Rangers, 3-0, tonight at Madison Square Garden.

The Kings can wrap up their second NHL championship in three years with a victory on Wednesday night in Game 4 at the 'Garden.

Kings 3, Rangers 0 (4:21 left in third period)

The Rangers have pulled goaltender Henrik Lundqvist for a sixth skater in hopes of getting on the scoreboard.

Kings 3, Rangers 0 (7:37 left in third period)

The Kings are closing in on a commanding 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven Stanley Cup Final series with a three-goal lead late in Game 3 tonight at Madison Square Garden.

The Rangers aren't quitting, though. On the attack at full strength, left wing Carl Hagelin skates behind the goal with the puck and tries a wrap-around shot that Kings goaltender Jonathan Quick turns away.

Kings 3, Rangers 0 (14:02 left in third period)

The Kings are back on the power play after Rangers left wing Chris Kreider is called for interference against defenseman Drew Doughty.

The Rangers kill the penalty, but not before goaltender Henrik Lundqvist is forced to stop wide-open shots by Kings centers Jeff Carter and Mike Richards.

Moments after the Rangers are at full strength, the Kings go on the attack and force Lundqvist to make another save, but the puck bounces around in the crease, where right wing Marian Gaborik tries twice to poke the puck into the net only to miss and then have Rangers defenseman Dan Girardi kick the puck off the goal line with his left skate as he's face down on the ice.

Kings 3, Rangers 0 (19:58 left in third period)

Kings goaltender Jonathan Quick will have to continue his stellar play because the Rangers open the third period on the attack and now on the power play.

Seven seconds after the puck dropped to begin the period, Rangers left wing Chris Kreider breaks through for a close-range shot that Quick stops.

Less than a minute later, Kings defenseman Matt Greene chases Mats Zuccarello into the corner and trips the Rangers' left wing as he tries to maneuver behind the goal.

The Kings are now four for four in killing penalties. With 16 minutes left in the period both teams are at full strength.

Kings 3, Rangers 0 (end of second period)

This was Jonathan Quick’s period.

The Kings’ goaltender has the New York Rangers baffled through two periods, leaving the Kings with a 3-0 lead heading into the final 20 minutes.

Quick stopped 17 shots during the period and has 21 saves for the game. None was better than when he reached back with his stick to deflect Derick Brassard's chip at an open net.

Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist couldn’t match Quick’s effort. He has given up three goals on the last nine shots.

Jeff Carter scored a short-handed goal with 0.6 seconds left in the first period. Jake Muzzin and Mike Richards added to that lead in the second.

Muzzin fired a shot from the blue line, with the puck going off the Rangers’ Martin St. Louis and into the net for a power-play goal 4:17 into the second period. Richards scored on a two-on-one break at 17:14.

The Rangers have been blanked on four power plays.

Kings 3, Rangers 0 (2:46 left in second period)

How do you protect a 2-0 lead? You make it a 3-0 lead.

Mike Richards brought the puck up ice on a two-on-one break into the Rangers’ zone, then messed with goaltender Henrik Lundqvist's head by faking a pass and feigning a shot before flicking a wrist shot into the net.

The Rangers will get another chance to score on a power play when moments after the ensuing faceoff Kings defenseman Jake Muzzin is called for interference against Rangers right wing Derek Dorsett.

Kings 2, Rangers 0 (6:09 left in second period)

The Kings go on the power play when Rangers left wing Carl Hagelin slashes the stick of Kings defenseman Jake Muzzin.

Kings 2, Rangers 0 (8:00 left in second period)

If the Kings win Game 3 tonight in New York, it will be because of goaltender Jonathan Quick, who has been under pressure most of the second period.

The Rangers nearly score twice on an attack when left wing Rick Nash beats the Kings up ice for a point-blank shot on goal that Quick turns away. Moment later, as the puck moves around the back of the goal, Nash tries a wrap-around shot to a wide open net that is prevented because of a hook by Kings defenseman Drew Doughty.

The Rangers have the last 11 shots on goal. Make it 12 when right wing Martin St. Louis gets a clean shot on goal to open the power play that Quick again saves.

Kings 2, Rangers 0 (11:46 left in second period)

The Rangers are back on the power play after Kings defenseman Willie Mitchell is called for elbowing left wing Mats Zuccarello.

Kings goaltender Jonathan Quick makes another great save toward the end of the Rangers' power play to maintain the two-goal lead.

Rangers center Derick Brassard rifled a shot from the right wing that went through traffic, with Quick reacting at the last moment to deflect it wide of the goal. The teams are at even strength with 9:11 left in the period.

Kings 2, Rangers 0 (15:43 left in second period)

The Rangers look to be in trouble.

The Kings work them ragged on the power play. Then defenseman Jake Muzzin fired a shot from the blue line, with the puck going off the Rangers winger Martin St. Louis and into the net.

The Kings rallied from two-goal deficits in Games 1 and 2, can the Rangers?

Kings 1, Rangers 0 (19:01 left in second period)

The Kings are on the power play after Rangers defenseman Ryan McDonagh hits Kings center Anze Kopitar in the face with a high stick.

The Rangers are able to kill off the penalty, with Kings defenseman Alec Martinez getting a wide-open look for a shot from the left wing that goaltender Henrik Lundqvist stops.

Moments later, at full strength, the Rangers are called for another high-sticking penalty as defenseman Marc Staal went to the crease and struck Martinez in the face when spinning around to follow the puck.

Kings 1, Rangers 0 (end of first period)

A first period dominated by the New York Rangers ended with the Kings leading, 1-0, in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final at Madison Square Garden.

Kings center Jeff Carter, on a short-handed rush, fired a shot that beat Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist with 0.6 seconds left. It's the first time the Kings have led in regulation in three games, dating to Game 6 of the Western Conference finals against the Chicago Blackhawks.

Right wing Justin Williams took a feed from defenseman Slava Voynov and brought the puck into the Rangers’ zone. He found Carter on his right, and Carter blasted a wrist shot into the net for his 10th goal of the playoffs.

The Rangers controlled play during the period, but couldn't solve Kings goaltender Jonathan Quick.Mats Zuccarello came the closest. A puck fell at his feet to the side of the crease and Zuccarello flicked it on goal. Quick pivoted to his right, dived along the ice and reached back with his stick just in time to deflect the shot through the crease before it crossed the goal line.

Quick has stopped four shots -- all quality chances for the Rangers. Lundqvist has stopped four of five shots.

Kings 1, Rangers 0 (1 second left in first period)

Kings center Jeff Carter plays to the end of the period, fires a shot that beats goaltender Henrik Lundqvist and then the horn sounds to end the first period.

Right wing Justin Williams and defenseman Slava Voynov are credited with the assists on the scoring play.

The goal is Carter's 10th this postseason, and he has 24 points.

Kings 0, Rangers 0 (2:18 left in first period)

The Rangers will have the first power play of the game as Kings defenseman Willie Mitchell is called for high sticking against left wing Mats Zuccarello when they were fighting for position next to the crease as teammates battled for control of the puck along the boards.

Kings 0, Rangers 0 (2:18 left in first period)

The Rangers will have the first power play of the game as Kings defenseman Willie Mitchell is called for high sticking against left wing Mats Zuccarello when they were fighting for position next to the crease as teammates battled for control of the puck along the boards.

Zuccarello gets the first shot on the power play, a blast from the right wing that Kings goaltender Jonathan Quick deflects away. The Rangers then get another blast on goal that Quick again stops.

Kings 0, Rangers 0 (7:22 left in first period)

The Rangers have been on the attack for most of the last three minutes, but defenseman Alec Martinez blocks a shot from the right wing and goaltender Jonathan Quick turns away another blast.

Then Rangers left wing Mats Zuccarello gets a point-blank shot at the left crease when a loose puck bounces his way, but Quick sprawls to the ice and gets his stick to the right point in time to make the save.

The fast-paced game has only had four stoppages in play. There have been no penalties. Each team has three shots on goal.

Kings 0, Rangers 0 (10:00 left in first period)

Right at the midway point of the first period, the Rangers get the best chance to score but come up empty.

Speedy right wing Martin St. Louis beats the Kings defenders to the puck behind the goal and feeds a nice pass to the left crease, where right wing Carl Hagelin tries to jam a shot past the right leg of Kings goaltender Jonathan Quick.

Quick stuffs the shot as defenseman Drew Doughty drives Hagelin behind the goal.

Kings 0, Rangers 0 (14:00 left in first period)

Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final is underway between the Kings and Rangers at Madison Square Garden in New York.

The scoreboard at the Garden isn't fully functional. Only the score and time are showing.

After a couple minutes of skating, big hits and line changes, Kings defenseman Alec Martinez gets the first shot on goal, with Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist making the stop.

Pregame

The Kings travel across country to face the New York Rangers today at 5 p.m. at Madison Square Garden for Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final. Follow along with us here as we cover the game live.

The Kings won Game 1 in overtime, with Justin Williams scoring to give them a 3-2 victory. They won again in Game 2 — in double overtime — 5-4, with Dustin Brown scoring the game-winning goal. Does that mean Game 3 goes to triple overtime? However long the game goes, the Rangers desperately need a victory to get back into the best-of-seven series.

“We’re right there," Rangers Coach Alain Vigneault said Monday morning. "It’s going to be a great night to be a hockey fan.

“A couple bounces haven’t gone our way, but things always even themselves out," he said. "We say if you work hard, luck will come. Well, I’m very confident we’ll be real good.”