NHL

Rangers have time to sleep it off after 2 OT loss

LOS ANGELES — So the Rangers had a chance to sleep on it, and the sleep didn’t come in a plane.

Following a dramatic 5-4 double-overtime loss to the Kings in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup finals on Saturday at Staples Center, the Rangers went down in the best-of-seven series, 2-0, and decided to stay in California before leaving for New York on Sunday morning.

“It’s just common sense,” coach Alain Vigneault said. “You [would] lose a full night’s sleep. Obviously you don’t sleep the same way on a plane than you do in your own bed, so we’re going to stay.”

During his days as the head coach of the Canucks, Vigneault saw his general manger, Mike Gillis, hire a “sleep doctor” in order to help with the rugged travel required in the Western Conference. It is something that he has carried over to his first year behind the bench for the Blueshirts.

“Mike Gillis was always trying to be proactive in different areas,” Vigneault said. “That was one of the different areas he was proactive. He found some research, found a company, helped us with our schedule and our travel.”


The Kings have played four overtime games in their past five contests (they are 3-1), making coach Darryl Sutter think about fatigue.

“Darn right,” he said. “Thought about it late in the third, and I thought about it in the first overtime. Takes its toll. Always does.”


Rangers defenseman John Moore returned the lineup and replaced Raphael Diaz. Moore completed his two-game suspension for a blindside headshot on the Canadiens’ Dale Weise in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals.

Moore was back paired with Kevin Klein and played 19:07, with 2:27 coming on the power play, which went 1-for-5.


Third-string goalie David LeNeveu backed up Henrik Lundqvist, as regular backup Cam Talbot is considered “day-to-day” with his undisclosed injury suffered in pregame warmups before Game 6 of the conference finals.


Veteran Kings defenseman Robyn Regehr took warmups but did not play. The 34-year-old has been out the past month with a knee injury.

“It’s a gut [feeling] you have, that’s all,” Sutter said. “Trying to make the right decisions. We’ve used a lot of defensemen already in the playoffs. It had nothing to do with Robyn or anybody else. Just felt, after going through, it was better not to make the change.”