Kings shutout Rangers, now 1 win away from Stanley Cup

Things didn’t get any better for Girardi or the Rangers late in the second period.

And that was pretty much the knockout punch on the Rangers for the game, and most likely the series.

He’s stoned them with his stick.

He’s stoned them with his pads.

So maybe it’s for the best that they tried a different approach in Game 3.

Jeff Carter’s first period buzzer beater gave the Los Angeles Kings a 1-0 lead heading into the first intermission, and it happened just minutes after Rangers forward Mats Zuccarello had the puck on his stick with a wide open net in front of him, only to have this happen.

“We have to hold serve, and we know that,” Rangers coach Alain Vigneault said before Game 3. “But we know our game and we know the way to play. When we do that, we’re a good team. We have done that for the most part throughout this series. But even though we’re playing hard and we’re playing the right way, they’re a great hockey team. I mean, it’s been nine periods of real good hockey so far. Could have gone one way or the other. They’re up 2-0. Give them full credit. We’re going to try to make this a series.”

Darryl Sutter is never one to say much, but even he alluded to that advantage in his own dry way on Monday when a reporter asked him his biggest concern heading into the evening.