The Los Angeles Kings beat the New York Rangers 3-2 in game one of the NHL's Stanley Cup Finals, courtesy of a Justin Williams overtime goal.
The Kings battled back from an early two-goal deficit, and Williams sealed the win 4:35 into overtime to give the Kings a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven NHL championship series.
Rangers defenseman Dan Girardi tried to stick-handle his way out of his zone on the right wing, but didn't control the puck.
Mike Richards turned around and pushed the puck forward to Williams, who was left alone in the slot.
He beat Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist for his first overtime goal in a playoff game.
"Richards made a great play getting the puck out," Williams said.
"We screwed up a three-on-two royally. Fortunately for us, one of their 'D' men was following, I was sitting in front of the net with the puck, I was able to make a shot."
Lundqvist stopped 40-of-43 shots, including all 20 he faced in the third period.
His opposite number Jonathan Quick made 25 saves for the Kings, who host game two on Saturday.
The well-rested Rangers, who completed their Eastern Conference finals win over Montreal last Thursday, had taken a 2-0 lead with goals from Benoit Pouliot Carl Hagelin.
"I liked the way we played in the first two periods," Rangers coach Alain Vigneault said.
"They definitely took it to us in the third and they were able to get a bounce on the winning goal and put it in the back of the net.
Williams, who notched his second game-winning goal of this post-season, said the Kings were able to draw on the knowledge that they had erased an early deficit in their game-seven Western Conference finals win over Chicago on Sunday.
But it would be better not to put themselves in the hole.
"It's a great result of the hockey game for us, definitely, but we have a lot of things to clean up," he said.
Los Angeles are seeking to add a second Stanley Cup crown to the one they captured in 2012.
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