After strong efforts in Games One and Two, the New York Rangers are headed back home empty-handed, blowing two-goal leads in each game and watching the Los Angeles Kings win each in overtime. The Blueshirts need to get a win in the friendly confines of Madison Square Garden in Game Three or their historical run could be over.

We have seen in this series that the Rangers are indeed capable of being better than the Kings - as long as they can keep up the effort, which they have not been able to do thus far.

New York scored the first two goals of each game and held 2-0 leads in both first periods before letting the Kings get back and seize control. The key to winning Game Three will obviously be for the Rangers to hold a lead if they get it.

Goaltender Henrik Lundqvist has not been terrible, but we have definitely seen better of him this spring. He will need to be back to his old self in order for his team to get back in the series.

Game Three will be another tight game, but for the first time in the series, the Kings will strike first on a goal by Jeff Carter, and the first period will end with Los Angeles clinging to a 1-0 lead.

Lundqvist will step up in the second, holding off a storm of Los Angeles chances leading to the tying goal scored by Brian Boyle. Ryan McDonagh will score soon after to give the Rangers their first lead of the game and head into the third up 2-1.

The third period will be physical and intense, as it could be the difference between the Rangers getting themselves back in the series or the Kings taking a 3-0 stranglehold.

Rick Nash gives the Rangers the dreaded two-goal lead midway through the third and sets the Garden into a frenzy. With just a few minutes remaining, however, Tyler Toffoli gives the Ranger faithful heart attacks as he makes it a one-goal game again.

With Jonathan Quick pulled and the extra attacker on the ice, Lundqvist will have to tap into his heroic side again. Luckily for New York, he will fend off an onslaught of Los Angeles shots and get his team right back into the series.

Prediction: Los Angeles 2, New York 3