Stanley Cup Playoffs 2012: What Kings Must Do to Wrap Up Series in 5

As the city of Los Angeles prepared to celebrate its first ever Stanley Cup championship, the Kings' finals sweep was derailed by a revitalized New Jersey Devils offense.

While the Kings had traipsed through the playoffs with a 15-2 record, the Devils exploded for three goals in 11:44 en route to a 3-1 win in Game 4. After dropping a game for the first time since May 20, the celebration in Los Angeles will be deferred as the series returns to New Jersey.

Perhaps the Kings are inclined to tinker with their strategy after Game 4. However, it is not easy to game plan a solution to the way New Jersey won, as the Devils simply capitalized across the board.

Martin Brodeur was on fire in net, showing no signs of his 40 years of age as he sprawled across the ice to stop 21 of the 22 shots he faced. At the offensive end, Patrik Elias knocked in a rebound off the pad of Kings goaltender Jonathan Quick, whose hesitation gave Adam Henrique just enough of a window to snap a wrister into the top corner and put the Devils up 2-1. When Ilya Kovalchuk put the puck in the empty net with 20 seconds remaining, it was simply the final nail in the coffin.

What the Kings have to keep in mind, though, is that there is nothing this New Jersey team showed in Game 4 that Los Angeles hasn't already proved to be capable of beating. 

Granted, the Devils had netted only two goals total in this series prior to Game 4, but it wasn't as if they hadn't been crashing the net for rebounds in the past. Quick has simply been the best goalie on the ice this postseason, but for one game, Brodeur reclaimed that mantle.



Even with the three-goal outburst in Game 4, Quick has a save percentage of .958 this series against the Devils, who have yet to score on a power play in 15 opportunities. This is not a cause for alarm to shake up the defense and get some more help in front of Quick. He had an off game by his own sterling stand...

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