Game #45: New York Rangers vs Los Angeles Kings Open Thread

The west coast road trip continues for the Rangers tonight, and west coast road trips mean late start times. 10:30 PM eastern time is the scheduled puck drop time for this contest between the Blueshirts and Los Angeles Kings, which means only the bravest of souls will be up for the duration of this 2014 Stanley Cup Finals rematch.

Aside from the 2014 rematch, there are two other storylines heading into this contest. Tonight will mark Jonathan Quick’s first game in Los Angeles since being traded away from the only organization he had ever known. Quick spent parts of 16 seasons in Los Angeles, winning two Stanley Cups and putting himself on a Hall of Fame trajectory prior to finishing the season with another championship in Vegas. In addition to Quick’s return, both the Rangers and Kings have been riding the struggle bus as of late after hot starts to the season. New York is 4-6-1 in its last 11 games, and Los Angeles is mired in a 1-6-4 slump over that same time frame. Both teams are in desperate need of a win tonight, so expect an intense effort out of the Rangers and Kings.

Player to Watch: Jonathan Quick

After receiving a brief tribute video in his return to Vegas after last season’s post-deadline stint, Quick will be the subject of another tribute video in Los Angeles tonight. Quick got the start against the Kings when these two teams met at Madison Square Garden in December, and he responded with a solid performance to lead the Rangers to a 4-1 victory. On what’s sure to be an emotional night for Quick, keep an eye on the former King as he looks to hand his former team a stinging loss.

Enjoy the game!