Vladislav Namestnikov, Tony DeAngelo and Ryan Spooner get first goal each
New York Rangers center Ryan Spooner celebrates his goal against the Los Angeles Kings with left wing Chris Kreider on Sunday, Oct. 28, 2018. Credit: AP/Alex Gallardo
LOS ANGELES — Three Rangers lit the lamp for the first time this season Sunday. Vladislav Namestnikov, Tony DeAngelo and Ryan Spooner scored in a 4-3 loss to the Kings.
Namestnikov scored at 11:11 of the first period, though the Rangers had to wait to get it confirmed. Driving in from the right wing, he chipped a shot over the shoulder of Kings goaltender Jack Campbell, then was bodychecked into Campbell by Trevor Lewis. Namestnikov and Campbell both crashed into the crossbar and tore the net off the supports as the puck crossed the goal line.
Initially, the referees allowed the goal. The Kings challenged the ruling that there was no goaltender interference, and after a review and another delay, the officials finally announced the goal would stand.
DeAngelo, taking the place of Adam McQuaid (lower-body injury) and playing for the first time since Oct. 11, gave the Rangers a 2-0 lead when he fired a shot from the right-wing corner as he was being checked.
Spooner tied the score at 3 with 4:44 left in the third. He took a diagonal pass from DeAngelo (one goal, one assist, plus-3) and beat Campbell over his right shoulder.
Busy day in L.A.
The streets around Staples Center were closed in the morning because of a half-marathon, which was the start of a busy sports day in L.A. The Rams hosted the Green Bay Packers. The L.A. Galaxy hosted the Houston Dynamo in an MLS game in nearby Carson, California. Game 5 of the World Series between the Dodgers and Red Sox was played at Dodger Stadium, and the Clippers hosted the Washington Wizards at Staples Center in the nightcap of a doubleheader after the Kings-Rangers game . . . Before the opening faceoff, a moment of silence was observed in honor of the victims of the synagogue shooting in Pittsburgh on Saturday that left 11 dead and six injured. The national anthem was sung by the Los Angeles Jewish Community Children’s Choir.
Colin Stephenson covers the Rangers for Newsday. He has spent more than two decades covering the NHL and just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.
