LOS ANGELES — Tired? The Kings?
It was almost a laughable question going around in the aftermath of Game 1 of the Stanley Cup finals, a game the Kings took with a 3-2 overtime win over the Rangers on Wednesday night at Staples Center.
Having just come off their third Game 7 of the opening three rounds, an emotional overtime affair with the defending-champion Blackhawks in Chicago on Sunday, there were some who believed fatigue could be a factor for the Kings.
Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist almost didn’t understand the question.
“It’s a lot of talk [has been] about that, but they played one more game than us,” said Lundqvist, whose Rangers needed 20 games to get here while the teams became the only ones in league history to make it to a Cup final after going the distance in the opening two rounds. “We have to expect them to come hard. At this time of year, you’re not tired. You’re just excited to be out there playing.”
Agreeing with Lundqvist’s assessment was the Kings’ spectacular defenseman, Drew Doughty.
“Everyone’s legs were there,” Doughty said. “Even though we played all those games, we’re in the Stanley Cup final. You put that in the back of your head. You don’t pay attention to that, to your legs just being not there.”
Rangers coach Alain Vigneault had complained about the schedule between the first round and second round, when his team played five games in seven nights. But Lundqvist, for one, was just happy to get this one under his belt.
“It feels good to get the first one out of the way here,” he said. “We can start building on something. Obviously, we were looking for the first one here, but we’ll be looking for it in the next one, instead.”
Rangers forward Chris Kreider said he “didn’t remember” the play when he shoved Doughty in the back of the head, drawing much ire from the Kings defenseman.
Late in the second period, Doughty went down near the penalty boxes, and Kreider gave him a little push from behind on the way down. Soon thereafter Mike Richards got called for a high-stick on Derick Brassard, and the Rangers went on the power play.
“You always want to get in the their face,” Kreider said. “Take away time and space.”
Defenseman John Moore has now completed his two-game suspension, and will be eligible to return for Game 2 on Saturday night. With Raphael Diaz doing an admirable job in his place, Vigneault will have a decision to make on who to play.
“I haven’t talked about lineup decisions as we move throughout the playoffs,” Vigneault said, “and I’m not going to start tonight.”
Fourth-line wing Derek Dorsett got just two shifts in the third period and one in overtime, playing a game-low 8:35.