Vancouver Canucks closer to elimination as Los Angeles Kings get shutout win 1-0 -NHL Playoffs Update
Playing physical is continuing to benefit the Los Angeles team as the Kings took a dominating three game lead in the 2012 National Hockey League (NHL) Western Conference playoff quarterfinals against Vancouver Canucks.
Jonathan Quick, the Los Angeles goalie, had another spectacular by blocking 41 shots by Vancouver and completely shut the Canucks out despite their desperate runs throughout the contest, winning 1-0, Sunday night, April 15, 2012, at the sold-out STAPLES
Center in Los Angeles, California.
It was his second career shutout in a playoff series.
Kings are now leading the series 3-0 and have put Vancouver on the edge of elimination, which would definitely be a disappointing end for a team that ended atop, not only of the Western Conference, but the league as well.
There was a little tussle going on between the Vancouver players and Kings’ right winger, Dustin Brown, as the player bashed Canucks captain, Henrik Sedin, with a should hit that sent him out, only to return later on.
Brown was levelled later on in the third period by Vancouver into the side boards and got right back up to pot the game-winning shot on a rebound off of Cory Schneider’s pads, making it the only one in an intense scoreless contest.
Surprisingly, Vancouver gave eight power play opportunities to Los Angeles throughout the match but Kings failed to capitalise on any single one. Canucks also had four chances with an extra skater on board but could not get a single goal in.
As unreal as it might sound, there is a very real chance of Vancouver being eliminated in the fourth matchup of the quarterfinal series between Kings and Canucks. Changing Roberto Luongo with Cory Schneider made some difference but it was not the one Vancouver
was hoping for.
Despite the depressing situation, Vancouver is determined to get back and going.
“We have no lifelines left,” Canucks winger, Jannik Hansen, said. “We wasted them the first three games. We've gone on winning streaks before this season and we're more than capable of stringing [wins] together.”
Game-four of the series will take place in Los Angeles on Wednesday, April 18.
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