Kings Destroy Devils, Collect First Stanley Cup
2012 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs

Los Angeles, CA

The Los Angeles Kings took the fight out of the New Jersey Devils early, scoring three first period goals in a span of five minutes to bag their first championship trophy in 45 years with a 6-1 victory in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup finals at Staples Center.

The Kings became the first No. 8 seed ever to win the Stanley Cup. En route to the title, the Kings went 16-4 in the playoffs -- one of the best records in decades for a Stanley Cup champion.

Los Angeles was poised for a sweep after taking a 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven series but the Devils bounced back with two straight wins to keep their hopes for a fourth title alive.

But there will be no denying the Kings this time as they pounded on the Devils early with goals from captain Dustin Brown, Jeff Carter and Trevor Lewis in the first period to win their first championship since joining the NHL in 1967.

Goalie Jonathan Quick, who had 17 saves in Game 6 and 125 overall in the finals, was handed the Conn Smythe Trophy as the playoff's Most Valuable Player.

The Devils fell short in their attempt to become the first time since 1942 to rally from a 0-3 deficit to win the Stanley Cup.

Brown opened the scoring at 11:03 with his eighth goal of the postseason, scoring on a tip-in when Drew Doughty sent the puck towards the slot.

Carter deflected Brown's shot from the slot at 12:45 to make it 2-0 for his seventh playoff goal before Lewis made it 3-0 when he put in the rebound of a Dwight King shot at the 15:01 mark.

The Kings made it 4-0 in 90 seconds into the second period with Carter's second goal before the Devils finally got on the board with a tip-in by Adam Henrique off a miss by Petr Sykora.

Los Angeles put two more on the board in the third period, with Lewis hitting his second goal of the game with an empty-net score before Adam Greene added an unassisted goal at the 16:30 mark.

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