Los Angeles, CA (SportsNetwork.com) - Justin Williams lit the lamp just over six minutes in to help the Los Angeles Kings take a 1-0 lead over the New York Rangers after the first period in Friday's Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Finals from Staples Center.
The Rangers killed off a Rick Nash hooking minor less than two minutes into the tilt, thanks in large part to a left pad save from Henrik Lundqvist on a deflected Drew Doughty blast, but with the teams skating 5-on-5 just past the 6:00 mark, Los Angeles broke through.
After Williams dumped the puck into the New York zone from the red line, the Kings' forecheck went to work and the puck ended up at the left point, where Willie Mitchell fired a shot that Lundqvist turned aside.
The New York netminder then fought off a rebound attempt amid a flurry in front, but Williams swooped in and backhanded the puck under a prone Lundqvist to give the home team a 1-0 lead at 6:04.
Kings captain Dustin Brown was sent off for holding just under two minutes later, but the Rangers came away empty on the man-advantage after missing the net on a pair of chances.
Los Angeles was awarded the game's next power play at 17:34 after New York forward Benoit Pouliot charged the net during a rush and collided with Los Angeles goaltender Jonathan Quick, who went sprawling to the ice as his helmet flew off.
However, after being denied on a shot from atop the left circle early in the ensuing man-advantage, Doughty took an ill-advised cross-checking minor in the offensive zone to nullify the final 46 seconds of the power play.
Quick turned aside all six shots he faced in the frame, while Lundqvist also posted six stops for the Rangers, who will start the second on a power play.
The Kings are one win away from winning the title for the second time in three years.
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