Surging Kings Break Coyotes to Take 3-0 Series Lead
2012 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs

Los Angeles, CA

The Kings are on the brink of sweeping the Phoenix Coyotes thanks to Dwight King's game-winner in the third period in Los Angeles' 2-1 victory in Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals at Staples Center.

The eighth-seeded Kings can advance to the finals for the first time since 1993 with a win in Game 4.

The Coyotes, playing without suspended forward Martin Hanzal, brought their best effort of the series Thursday as they shattered a scoreless tie by taking the first lead of the series 63 seconds into the middle frame.

Coyotes center Daymond Langkow, who moved up the depth chart to play between Taylor Pyatt and Radim Vrbata as result of Hanzal's one-game ban, got behind the defense and snapped a Keith Yandle feed between the pads of Jonathan Quick for his first goal of the playoffs.

The Kings were unfazed by the sudden strong start by Phoenix and tied the game two minutes later courtesy of Anze Kopitar's breakaway goal with the help of Dustin Brown.

In these playoffs, the Kings have not stayed down too long. That quick response by Kopitar took away whatever momentum Phoenix was trying to build on.

Kopitar and Brown had been stellar in his postseason for the Kings, but Thursday night, Los Angeles' third line took the spotlight with King scoring the go-ahead goal 1:47 into the final frame.

King got the puck out of a scrum in the right corner and skated out to the circle before getting thru Mike Smith high to the glove side for the game-winner.

It was the fourth goal in this series for the 22-year-old rookie center King, who recorded two goals in Game 1.

Quick, who turned aside 11 in the scoreless opening frame, finished with 18 saves. The Kings netminder has surrendered more than two goals just once in the playoffs, a 3-1 loss to Vancouver in Game 4 of the first round, the only setback for Los Angeles in these playoffs.

Smith made 26 saves in the loss for the third-seeded Coyotes, who are appearing in their first conference finals in franchise history. Phoenix dropped to 4-2 on the road in the playoffs.

The Kings, who are 7-0 on the road in the playoffs, moved to 4-1 at home. They have now captured eight straight playoff games overall.