Stanley Cup Final: Justin Williams lifts Kings to 3-2 OT win over Rangers

Oh, Dan Girardi. You fumbled the puck in the defensive zone, and obviously it was Justin Williams who was there to capitalize on your mistake.

Tanner Pearson puts the pressure on, Girardi with a failed clear, Mike Richards with the assist, and Williams with the wide open chance at the net. No chance, Henrik Lundqvist.

There’s no doubt that it was worthy of a penalty, but Twitter wasn’t buying whatever else Brassard was selling.

In other news, the Canadian Olympic ice dancing team just filled an open roster spot.

There are definitely worse ways to spend an early summer evening.

And it seems that the atmosphere is quite jumping, especially after the Rangers took an early 1-0 lead.

Brassard was sent to the penalty box for two minutes, but the Kings were unable to take advantage on the power play.

Go ahead and add that one to the Conn Smythe campaign. That goal was Doughty’s fifth of the playoffs.

Kyle Clifford is a very large man and Stralman launched him a good two feet off the ice with that check. Now that’s impressive.

The Los Angeles Kings decided to pick up where they left off in the Western Conference Final, getting themselves into a wild, back-and-forth game to kick off the Stanley Cup Final against the New York Rangers.

The two teams combined for three goals on 27 shots in the first period on Wednesday night, with all three goals coming during one sensational four-minute stretch.

It was Pouliot’s fourth goal of the postseason.

The Rangers added to the lead less than two minutes later when Carl Hagelin scored a shorthanded goal. You know, maybe Darryl Sutter should have been a little more concerned about his team’s start.

But the guy has great comedic timing when he’s being blunt. So when NBC reporter Pierre McGuire told him that the Kings looked sluggish to start Game 1, Sutter straight up rejected his observation.

Stay amazing, Darryl Sutter. And get some caffeine.

Wayne Gretzky spent 10 of his 19 NHL seasons playing for the Los Angeles Kings and New York Rangers, scoring 303 of his 894 career goals with the two teams.

With Kings and Rangers facing off in the Stanley Cup Final this year, it was only natural that Gretzky, the greatest player in NHL history, would on hand to drop the ceremonial first puck before Game 1 on Wednesday night.

Both teams are deep up front with four lines that can threaten to put the puck in the net, but the Kings are currently the most potent team in hockey, scoring at an amazing rate of 3.48 goals per game in the postseason. Whether they’ll be able to keep that up against a strong New York defense and an even better New York goaltender remains to be seen, but the Rangers certainly have their work cut out for them in stopping LA’s offensive output.

Game 1, Stanley Cup Final

8 p.m. ET | Staples Center | Los Angeles, Calif.