NEW YORK _ Rick Nash had scored just once in his previous 12 games, a goal on Monday which deflected off his leg. He's had a number of nights like Friday against the Kings when he's had several high-quality looks, some he's done a brilliant job of creating, but just hasn't been able to finish.
His fortunes turned around at a critical time. Nash took the puck away at the red line, skated ahead into the left circle and scored a tiebreaking goal with 3:27 left in the Rangers' 4-2 win, finished by a J.T. Miller empty-netter.
Los Angeles tied the game at 2 apiece 7:59 into the third after ex-Ranger Marian Gaborik blew right by Kevin Shattenkirk in the Rangers' zone. Henrik Lundqvist stopped the initial shot, but nobody picked up the trailing Torrey Mitchell, who easily buried the rebound.
Kevin Hayes had given the Rangers a 2-1 lead at 14:43 of the second, ripping it by goalie Jonathan Quick after Ryan McDonagh's three-zone rush up the right.
The first period was all Kings at five-on-five, but the Rangers made it through with a 1-0 lead thanks to a power-play goal. Shattenkirk's shot deflected off Los Angeles' Jake Muzzin before hitting Chris Kreider and going in.
Lundqvist allowed a soft tying goal 3:46 into the second period courtesy of Gaborik, who rushed up the left side and beat Lundqvist five-hole.
