NEWARK, NJ – In a playoff season where one third of the games have ended in overtime, it was fitting the fourth round began with drama and excitement as Anze Kopitar netted the game winner giving the Los Angeles Kings a victory over the New Jersey Devils 2-1 in Game One of the Stanley Cup Final.
The winning goal developed just over eight minutes into the extra session on a quick transition play out of the Kings zone. The play was helped by a defensive breakdown on the Devils back line when Devils defenseman Dainius Zubrus was drawn out of position.
Los Angeles right wing Justin Williams accepted a forward pass from defenseman Drew Doughty just inside the Kings zone along the far boards. Williams had drawn New Jersey defensemen Bryce Salvador and Zubrus toward him along the boards leaving Kopitar all alone.
That’s when Williams sent a backhand pass to Kopitar leaving nothing but sixty feet of ice and a future Hall of Fame goaltender between him and the Devils goal. The Slovenian sniper broke in alone on Martin Brodeur, waited for the veteran to drop and then sent a shot over the outstretched right pad and into the back of the net for the victory.
The two teams competed as advertised with intense, tight-checking hockey, solid hitting and sparse quality scoring chances as the game wore on. Despite each team registering five shots each, the Kings dominated the opening period with multiple scoring chances, too many of which missed the mark.
The Kings could have had a five-goal lead had it not been for their forwards failing to connect on goal or the timely saves by Brodeur. The Devils has their chances, but Kings goaltender Jonathan Quick was stellar in net.
Los Angeles eventually solved Brodeur by scoring midway through the first period. After applying intense pressure in the New Jersey zone, Jordan Nolan dug the puck out from behind the net and centered it to Colin Fraser. Fraser wasted no time by one-timing the pass by Brodeur before he had a chance to get set. It was Fraser’s first goal of the playoffs.
Although the Kings dominated the middle stanza 9-4 in shots, the Devils produced the only substantive action. New Jersey finally lit their side of the scoreboard with just over a minute to go in the second period.
That’s when relentless forechecking by New Jersey forwards David Clarkson and Patrick behind the net eventually brought the puck to the left point. Anton Volchenkov met the loose puck and blasted a shot toward the Los Angeles goal which seemed to deflect off Kings defenseman Slava Voynov.
Although it was originally credited to Patrick Elias, the goal was reviewed during intermission and was awarded to Volchenkov. It was his first goal in the playoffs since 2007 when he played with Ottawa.
The remainder of the game featured several scoring chances from both sides, but none solved the stellar netminding of Quick and Brodeur until Kopitar netted the game winner.
For the game, shots favored Los Angeles 25 to 18 while neither team capitalized on the power play, Los Angeles going 0 for 1 while New Jersey was 0 for 2.
Tonight’s game was the first overtime game to open the Stanley Cup Final since 2002 when the Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Detroit Red Wings 3-2. Detroit eventually won the Stanley Cup that year four games to one.
With the win, Los Angeles, which improved to 3-0 in overtime this postseason, is the first team in NHL history to win its first nine road games in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Game Two is set for Saturday night at the Prudential Center. If they win, they will tie an NHL record for most road wins in a single post season.
Contact: dennis.morrell@prohockeynews.com
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