Henrik Lundqvist of the New York Rangers passes the puck during game four of the NHL Stanley Cup Finals at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday (US time) in New York. Photo: AFP

New York goaltender Henrik Lundqvist stopped 40 shots Wednesday (US time) to help the Rangers­ stay alive in the Stanley Cup finals with a 2-1 triumph over the Los Angeles Kings.

With a 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven NHL championship series, the Kings were looking to complete a four-game sweep on the Rangers' home ice at  Madison Square Garden.­

But the goaltender and the Rangers were determined not to be the first club since 1998 to be swept out of the Stanley Cup finals.

"Whatever happens, we're winning this game," Sweden's Lundqvist said of the mindset among the Rangers going into the contest, and it was largely thanks to him that New York made good on the vow.

Martin St Louis gave the New York Rangers, who are seeking their first Stanley Cup crown since 1994, a 2-0 lead early in the second period and the goal proved decisive for the Rangers, who improved to 11-2 in their last 13 elimination games and 5-0 when facing elimination in this post-­season.

Benoit Pouliot put the Rangers ahead with a first-­period goal, and New York hung on despite getting only one shot off in the game's ­final 20 minutes.

Lundqvist stopped 15 shots in the third period to preserve the Rangers' lead.

"He had to make some huge saves in the second and the third," Rangers coach Alain Vigneault said of Lundqvist.­­­

"He got, and we got, a few bounces. You need those. Maybe the luck is changing a little bit.

"We've got to keep competing hard, keep working­­­­. We get another chance to play," Vigneault said. "We're going to be ready for it."

Dustin Brown scored and Jonathan Quick made 17 saves for the Kings, who still own a commanding three-games-to-one lead and can wrap up their second title in three seasons when they host game five on Friday.

"We had a lot of good opportunities," Kings coach Darryl Sutter said.

"But you've got to finish. You're only going to get a handful most nights against the New York Rangers - you've got to finish a couple of them."

The Rangers got three lucky bounces on Wednesday­­­, including one led to the game winner, while the Kings twice put the puck on the goal line but couldn't get it across for a score.

"Tonight, we had the bounces," Lundqvist said. "Especially against this team, you need that little extra puck luck."


Newspaper headline: Goaltender Lundqvist saves 40 shots