KINGS WIN GAME ONE 4-2

GOAL SCORERS

LA: Kopitar (03:53 - 1st) ,King (8:02 - 2nd) ,Brown (2:11- 3rd),King (EN-19:12 - 3rd)

PHX:   Morris (13:26 - 1st),Boedker (18:05 - 2nd)

GOALIES

LA: J.Quick (W)

 PHX: M.Smith  (L)

             Last night in Glendale, Phoenix, it was Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals between the Coyotes and the Los Angeles Kings. Through 2 rounds both of these teams were the biggest surprises of the 2012 Playoffs where 2 under dogs meet in the 3rd round. The last time 2 underdogs made it to the conference final was back in 2010 when the Montreal Canadiens (who were 8th in the East) took on the Philadelphia Flyers (who were 7th in the East). 4 minutes into last nights game, Kopitar recieved the puck in the slot and backhanded a shot past Smith to make it 1-0 LA. Late in the first, Derek Morris fired a shot from centre ice and it beat Quick and went in to tie the game.

            8 minutes into the second, the Kings came in on a 2 on 1 and Richards shot was stopped but King was there to put home the rebound to give the Kings the lead again. Late in the second, the Kings gave the puck away behind there own net. Then Doan centred the puck to Boedker and he scored to tie the game again. Lets jump to the third now. 2 minutes in, Brown came fast and furuis down the right wing and he ripped a shot into the back of the net to give the Kings another lead. King would score his second of the night on an empty net as the LA Kings win Game 1 by the score of 4-2.

             "It was really important we had a good start," Kings Head Coach Darryl Sutter said. "It wasn't so much scoring or any of that stuff. Just make sure we match their start. We were able to overcome a rare bad goal against us, have the resiliency to stay with it."In the win, Quick made 25 saves while allowing a centre ice goal back in the first."I think we just felt we have to get a couple for 'Quickie,'" Kopitar said. "He was bailing us out all season and a few times in the playoffs, too. I don't think anybody was concerned or worried about it; we just kind of looked at each other and said maybe we should win this one for him." In the loss, Smith made 45 saves.

Written By Andrew Di Pardo