DEVILS 2
KINGS 1
LA leads 3-2
Now the heat is turned up on the Los Angeles Kings.
Needing a win to avoid elimination for the second straight game, the New Jersey Devils came out with a virtuoso performance against the Kings winning 2-1, and cutting deep into the Kings Stanley Cup Finals lead, 3-2, forcing a game six on Monday night.
Throughout the series the Devils struggled early in games offensively, but not on Saturday night.
The Devils were much more aggressive on the power play, and pushed the puck extremely well on the Kings defense and on Jonathan Quick, even though New Jersey took only 19 shots on the night.
More than half way through the first period, the Devils struck as Zach Parise tapped the puck into the net, as he swooped around the left end unbeknownst to Quick, who didn't see Parise until it was too late.
For the first time in this series, and in these playoffs, the Kings faced some adversity. LA lost only two games all postseason coming into these Finals, and thoroughly dominated the Western Conference in doing so. They almost never trailed in a game.
The Kings managed only seven shots on goal in the first period, as Martin Broduer dazzled once again at goal for New Jersey. Broduer made a series of terrific saves during the night, especially with the Kings trying one hard shot after another. Broduer recorded 25 saves in the game.
The Kings finally scored in the second period on a slap shot by Justin Williams, as the puck skated past Broduer's ear to tie it at one.
New Jersey wasted little time in answering. Six minutes later the Devils scored again, this time on a deflection off the body of Bryce Salvador to give New Jersey a 2-1 lead.
The Devils would never relinquish that lead, as Broduer saved the next nine shots in the final period. The Devils travel back to LA, still trailing 3-2 in the series, but the momentum is starting to creep over to their side.
Only the 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs were able to erase a 3-0 deficit and win a Stanley Cup Final. The Detroit Red Wings also erased a 3-0 deficit in the Cup Finals in 1945, but lost game seven to the Maple Leafs. No team has come close since until the Devils in 2012.
For the Kings, while they are still in the drivers seat in this series, the pressure is squarely on their shoulders. No team in modern NHL history has blown a 3-0 series lead in the Finals. Plus, this was a historic postseason for L.A. having won 10 straight road games, which ended on Saturday night, and having won 15 of their first 17 playoff games this season.
If LA were to blow this completely it would be the biggest disapointment in sports.
For the Devils, they are playing with house money. They know that they are on the doorstep of elimination, and when a team plays with nothing to lose they can be very difficult to beat.
Plus New Jersey has faced plenty of adversity in this postseason. They were trailing the Florida Panthers 3-2 in the first round of the playoffs and came back to win that series. After losing game one of round two to Philadelphia, the Devils went on to destroy the Flyers over the next four games to take that series. And, of course, the Devils came back from a 2-1 series deficit against the New York Rangers, winning the next three to get to these Finals. So the Devils are used to the dramatic -- I guess they perfer it. Can they pull off the greatest rabbit out of the hat trick, yet?
It should be interesting to see how to long cross country flight affects both of these teams. One thing is certain if the Los Angeles Kings have to make another flight to Jersey, things will be looking up for the Devils. Devils' fans can only hope that becomes the case.
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