Los Angeles Kings edge New Jersey Devils in Stanley Cup Finals opener 2-1 -NHL Playoffs Update
Los Angeles Kings came out strong and showed that their rest did not turn into rust as they edged New Jersey Devils in overtime, 2-1, in the opening game of the 2012 National Hockey League (NHL) Stanley Cup Finals on Wednesday, May 30, 2012, at the sold-out
Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.
Anze Kopitar took the centre stage and wowed his teammates by taking charge in the post-regular contest which got extremely intense with both teams fighting to end it right then and there.
The top-level forward took advantage of the situation as his teammates were battling the Devils defensemen, creating an open opportunity for him to fire it past veteran New Jersey goalie, Martin Brodeur.
"I wanted to make sure I went to the middle," Kopitar said. "I don't know if he heard me or not, but I yelled for the puck and he chipped it. It was perfect, right on my tape. It happened pretty quick and I was able to finish it off."
Kings are now 3-0 in overtime this postseason and continue to use their statistical advantage at each platform.
For New Jersey, losing the opening game was nothing new since it became the third time they have done so, but still, it was not anything that made them proud but instead frustrated them even further.
"I think it was probably the worst game in the playoffs for us," Devils leading scorer, Ilya Kovalchuk, who had just one shot on net. "Maybe we were a little too nervous before the game started, but it's all excuses. We've got to make sure we know what we
didn't do right and be a different team next game."
Kings defensemen played another terrific game by limiting the shots on Jonathan Quick to just 17 while Martin Brodeur had 25 shots to block, out of which he fell short on two.
Colin Fraser kicked the scoring off with his first of the postseason midway through the first while Anton Volchenkov levelled it with less than two minutes remaining in the second.
New Jersey Devils will definitely be looking to make a comeback as Game 2 is at the Prudential Center on Saturday, June 2.
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