Kings score in final minute of regulation, stun Canadiens in shootout
There Los Angeles Kings blew a two-goal lead, rallied in the final minute then hung on for a dramatic 4-3 shootout victory over the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday night.
Just the way they drew it up.
Marian Gaborik scored a power-play goal with 45 seconds left in the third period to tie the game 3-3.
After overtime solved nothing, Los Angeles forward Anze Kopitar beat Montreal goaltender Dustin Tokarski in the fourth round of the shooout, and Canadiens forward Lars Eller was stopped by Kings netminder Jonathan Quick to clinch the victory.
Tokarski made 26 saves in a losing cause, while Quick was only required to stop 15 shots en route to his 27th win.
The Kings opened up a 2-0 lead in the first period before allowing three unanswered goals, including an impressive individual effort by Canadiens defenseman Tom Gilbert.
Los Angeles has now won seven of its last 10 games, while Montreal has lost three in a row.
The Canadiens are clinging to a one-point lead atop the Eastern Conference, while the Kings are tied with the eighth-seeded Calgary Flames in the West at 74 points.
The Flames hold the tiebreaker by virtue of having more wins in the same amount of games played.