NHL Playoff Schedule 2012: Rangers, Kings Look For 2-0 Leads

NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 28: Brandon Prust #8, Henrik Lundqvist #30 and Brad Richards #19 of the New York Rangers celebrate their 3 to 1 win over the Washington Capitals in Game One of the Eastern Conference Semifinals during the 2012 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Madison Square Garden on April 28, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

The New York Rangers and Los Angeles Kings will angle for 2-0 leads in their respective conference semifinals series on Monday night.

On Monday's 2012 NHL Playoffs slate, the New York Rangers, top seed in the Eastern Conference, and the Los Angeles Kings, lowest seed in the Western Conference, will each look to go up 2-0.

The Rangers will try to do this at home, and could use a third period like the one they enjoyed in Saturday's Game 1 against the Washington Capitals. Entering the final period deadlocked at 1-1, New York got two goals in a 90-second span for a 3-1 victory. Chris Kreider scored one and assisted on the other.

In St. Louis, the Blues will try to prevent the Kings from taking their second straight 2-0 lead on the road in the Western Conference bracket. Los Angeles got a goal and an assist from Dustin Penner in its 3-1 win over St. Louis in Game 1 of the Western Conference Semifinals, and will be trying to repeat the hot start on the road that led to their upset of the No. 1-seeded Vancouver Canucks in the quarterfinals.

No. 7 Washington Capitals at No. 1 New York Rangers
7:30 p.m. ET -- Game 2, Eastern Conference Semifinals | Rangers lead, 1-0
National TV: NBC Sports Network, CBC, RDS

No. 8 Los Angeles Kings at No. 2 St. Louis Blues
9 p.m. ET -- Game 2, Western Conference Quarterfinals | Kings lead, 1-0
National TV: CNBC, TSN, RDSI

For complete coverage of the 2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs, stick with SB Nation's NHL hub. You can find team-by-team coverage from our network of hockey blogs.