Kings run out of comebacks and lose to Rangers in shootout, 4-3

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The Kings lost in a shootout for only the second time in nine chances this season, falling to the New York Rangers by a final of 4-3 before a lively crowd at Madison Square Garden.

The shootout loss extended the Kings’ point streak to 11 games (8-0-3), tying a club record set in the 1973-74 season.

Eric Christensen and Mats Zuccarello -- the latter on an amazing slow-down decoy move -- scored on Jonathan Bernier in the shootout. Jarret Stoll scored the Kings’ only goal, as he did in a shootout victory at Columbus on Wednesday. Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist stopped Anze Kopitar to clinch the victory for the Rangers.

The Kings are 5-0-3 in their stretch of 10 straight road games and next play Saturday on Long Island.

Playing for the second consecutive night, the Kings scored first Thursday, converting a power play at 5:25 of the second period for their first man-advantage goal in five games.

With Brandon Dubinsky in the penalty box, the Kings broke up ice after Jack Johnson got the puck to Justin Williams. He did most of the work, lugging the puck up the left side before cutting toward the middle of the ice and passing to Dustin Brown. The Kings captain didn’t seem to be expecting the pass and almost lost it in his feet, but he managed to do a pirouette that enabled him to control the puck and fire a wrist shot past Lundqvist for only his second goal in 17 games. The Rangers matched that in the second period. Stoll lost a faceoff to Artem Anisimov in the Kings’ end and the puck came to Derek Stepan, who threw it in front. It bounced around before Ryan Callahan swatted it past Bernier at 14:01.

Each team had some good scoring chances and both were playing a physical game. The official sheet credited the Rangers with 39 hits and the Kings with 23 through 40 minutes.

The Rangers took the lead at 6:10 of the third, but the Kings, showing remarkable resilience late in the second game of a back-to-back sequence, responded at 7:50 to make it 2-2.

A Kings turnover gave the Rangers possession for their second goal, scored by Marian Gaborik. His shot appeared to flutter and might have been deflected by Drew Doughty’s stick; in any case, it eluded Bernier and delighted the crowd.

The Kings didn’t trail for long. Kopitar and Brad Richardson did some heavy-duty work along the boards — Richardson got his helmet knocked off for his trouble — and Richardson got the puck to Matt Greene on the right side. The light-scoring defenseman took a slap shot from about 45 feet that appeared to deflect off a Ranger and bounce before it got past Lundqvist for Greene’s first goal this season.

The drama continued in the final minutes. The Rangers took a 3-2 lead when Steve Dubinsky’s wraparound glanced in off Bernier’s left skate at 16:52, but Brown tied it with 2:21 to go from behind the goal line afer Rob Scuderi’s first shot was blocked and Scuderi managed to get a second effort through.

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-- Helene Elliott in New York