Final
Kings visit Devils in clash between 2012 Cup Finalists
Nov 15, 2013 - 4:03 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - The last time the Los Angeles Kings faced the New Jersey Devils, goaltender Jonathan Quick helped lift them to their first Stanley Cup championship by outdueling veteran Martin Brodeur.Both teams will have a different look in net on Friday night when the Kings and Devils meet for the first time since the 2012 Finals.
The Devils won both of their meetings with the Kings during that regular season, but Los Angeles got the best of New Jersey in the championship round with a six-game victory. The clubs did not meet last season due to the lockout-influenced schedule.
Quick won't get a chance to play in this rematch as he is out indefinitely because of a grade-2 groin strain, while Brodeur is expected to sit out tonight and start Saturday's meeting with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Cory Schneider will get the call in net tonight for New Jersey.
The Kings lost Quick to his groin injury late in Tuesday's shootout loss in Buffalo to begin a four-game road trip, but used a three-goal third period to best the New York Islanders 3-2 last night.
Ben Scrivens got the start in net and made 23 saves, while Slava Voynov, Tanner Pearson and Tyler Toffoli all scored goals in the Kings' third victory in four games. They wrap their road trip on Sunday versus the New York Rangers.
"We struggled in those first two periods and knew we had to come out strong in the third," said Pearson, who made his NHL debut after being recalled on Wednesday. "We got that first one there and things kind of rolled from there."
Pearson and Toffoli, who has three goals and four assists in five games since being recalled from the minors, have helped overcome injuries to Jeff Carter, Jarret Stoll and Kyle Clifford. Defenseman Matt Greene is also out.
Scrivens has never before faced the Devils. He could get the start again tonight and is being backed up by 23-year-old Martin Jones, who has never played in an NHL game.
The Devils also have won three of their last four and got 33 saves from Brodeur in Tuesday's 3-2 win over the Rangers. Ryan Carter scored twice and Dainius Zubrus netted the game-winner with 2:55 left in regulation.
"Defensively we've been doing well," Brodeur said of the team's recent success. "We just have to keep that up and now we're adding a little offense to our game so that's always a pretty good recipe."
New Jersey overcame the loss of defenseman Anton Volchenkov to a lower-body injury in the first period. He is not expected to play tonight.
However, forward Patrik Elias could be back in action after having missed the previous six games with an upper-body issue, while Stephen Gionta is questionable to return from a foot/ankle injury that has kept him out the past two games.
Expected to supplant Brodeur as the top netminder in New Jersey, Schneider is just 1-4-3 in eight starts this season despite a solid 2.09 goals against average. He has made just two starts this month, but has won both of his previous career outings versus the Kings while allowing two goals on 50 shots with a shutout.
- LOS ANGELES: 2
NEW JERSEY: 0
Final
Nov 15 9:35 PM - Los Angeles Power-Play Goal - Anze Kopitar (5), from Drew Doughty and Willie Mitchell at 19:57.
Kings 2, Devils 0 3rd - 0:03Nov 15 9:33 PM - Los Angeles Goal - Dwight King (6), from Jake Muzzin at 13:08.
Kings 1, Devils 0 3rd - 6:52Nov 15 9:18 PM - LOS ANGELES: 0
NEW JERSEY: 0
End of 2nd
Nov 15 8:34 PM - LOS ANGELES: 0
NEW JERSEY: 0
End of 1st
Nov 15 7:41 PM - LOS ANGELES: 0
NEW JERSEY: 0
1st Period - 20:00
Nov 15 7:08 PM
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