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Kings Blank Devils 4-0 in Game 3; One Win from First Stanley Cup | NHL Hockey

Kings Blank Devils 4-0 in Game 3; One Win from First Stanley Cup
2012 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs

Los Angeles, CA

The Los Angeles Kings are one win away from their first Stanley Cup.

Alec Martinez, Anze Kopitar, Jeff Carter and Justin Williams scored and goalkeeper Jonathan Quick tallied 22 saves as the Los Angeles Kings blanked the New Jersey Devils, 4-0, to move within one game of a sweep at the Staples Center.

The Kings have the chance to end their 45-year Stanley Cup title drought when they face the Devils at home in Game 4 Wednesday. Los Angeles took the first two games via overtime with similar scores of 2-1 at Prudential Center.

The Kings made it to the 1993 Stanley Cup finals only to lose to the Montreal Canadiens, 4-1, in the best-of-seven series.

Martinez put the Kings ahead at the 5:14-mark of the second quarter. Dwight King's attempt was blocked by New Jersey goaltender Martin Brodeur but he kept on swiping at the puck and Martinez finally tucked it inside the near post.

Brodeur argued after the play that he had the puck covered, but referee Dan O'Halloran didn't blow the whistle.

Kopitar then scored at the 15:07 mark of the second to give the Kings a 2-0 lead. Justin Williams left a drop pass off the boards near the right wall to Dustin Brown, and the Kings captain found Kopitar on the far side of the ice cutting to the net.

It was Kopitar's second goal of this series and his eighth of the postseason, which ties him for the most in the league along with Philadelphia's Claude Giroux and Danny Briere.

Carter gave the Kings a 3-0 lead after a power play goal three minutes into the final period from assists by Mike Richards and Willie Mitchell before Williams scored the final goal assisted by Drew Doughty and Kopitar

The Devils will try to become only the fourth team in NHL history to bounce back from a 0-3 deficit.

The Toronto Maple Leafs first accomplished the feat when they recovered from a three-game deficit to beat the Detroit Red Wings in the 1942 Stanley Cup final.

The New York Islanders, in only their third NHL season, came back against the Pittsburgh Penguins in the quarter-finals in 1975.

Two years ago, the Philadelphia Flyers came back from 3-0 deficit to beat the Boston Bruins in the Eastern Conference semifinal.