Stanley Cup Final: Kings lead Devils, 2-0, after two periods

Determination has the Kings leading the New Jersey Devils, 2-0, through two periods in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final at Staples Centeron Monday.

Goaltender Jonathan Quick has a toll booth in front of the net, and the Devils lack a token.

Alec Martinez and Dwight King were persistent at the crease, getting whacks at the puck. King finally knocked it in for a 1-0 lead 5 minutes 40 seconds into the period.

Anze Kopitar never quit, skating up ice, where he was in position to chip in a shot for a goal 15:07 into the period.

Kopitar connected with a pass to Dustin Brown, who chipped on to Justin Williams. Brown got the puck back and found Kopitar streaking down the ice. Kopitar chipped the puck past goaltender Martin Brodeur.

King got three chances in front of the net, two with the puck either loose in the crease or under Brodeur’s pad. Martinez poked at the puck last, putting it in the net.

Brodeur complained to referees that the whistle should have been blown.

Seconds before the goal, Quick made one of several quality saves to keep the game scoreless. David Clarkson got free and crashed the net. But Quick reached out with his stick hand and got his pad on the puck.

The Devils started the period with a flurry, but Quick turned away Jacob Josefson, Stephen Gionta and Ryan Carter in the opening minutes. Carter’s try was a chip at right of the net. Quick made the stick save even though he was looking to his left.

New Jersey was left 20 minutes away from trailing the Kings 3-0 in the series. Only three NHL teams have ever rallied from a 3-0 deficit to win a Stanley Cup playoff series, the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1942, the New York Islanders in 1975 and the Philadelphia Flyers in 2010.

The Devils have 16 shots and the Kings 15.

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