Pacific Puck Prevails

Quick Quiets Canucks on California Coast
The Los Angeles Kings wasted no time in pugnaciously punching out their first playoff win at home since 2002. The Staples Center played host to the Game 3 of the Western Conference series between sixth seeded L.A. and the Vancouver Canucks. The Kings cruised past the Canucks 5-3 to grab their first playoff lead in a series since 2001. Michal Handzus sparked the home team with two second period power play goals and an assist in L.A.’s victory. Kings’ goalie and draftee, Jonathan Quick, enjoyed 25 saves in sixty minutes on the ice and was not as shaky as he was in the series opener. His counterpart, Vancouver goaltender Roberto Luongo was chased from the game after 33 minutes and replaced by Andrew Roycroft. Monday was Luongo’s second straight poor performance in L.A. The 31 year old Canadian Olympian was lambasted and torched for eight goals earlier this month against the Kings. He made 12 saves in Monday’s road defeat. The clubs split games in Vancouver, setting up the crucial third game last night. L.A. proved the more disciplined club in battle number three, taking advantage of the Canucks’ costly penalties and greeting them with goals.
The Canucks collected the first goal at 2:09 in the first period. Vancouver had 11 shots on Quick during the opening period but managed one goal. Mason Reymond beat Quick to give the Northwest division champions a 1-0 lead early. Vancouver’s lead vanished for good by the end of the period. The Kings matched the Canucks eleven minutes into the contest on a power play goal by Drew Doughty. Doughty directed a pass from Handzus beneath Luongo’s left foot from fifty feet out to tie the game. L.A.’s defense shined through the first period with shot-blocking and penalty killing to prevent the Canucks from finding the net. The Kings registered another power play goal in the second period to take a 2-1 advantage at 4:06. Handzus hit a Jack Johnson rebound into the net with a nifty wrister for his first goal of the playoffs, and followed it up with a second score at 12:18 on another rebound. Luongo’s night was finished after Brad Richardson ripped a walk-in goal at 13:21 to put the Kings on top of the hill, 4-1. The Canucks failed to protect the puck in their own zone, resulting in a pair of giveaways that paved the way for Richardson’s goal.
Vancouver cut their deficit to 4-2 on a late second period snap shot goal by Mikael Samuelsson. The ten year Swedish right wing has four goals this post-season and had four shots on goal last night. The Kings held on despite another Vancouver goal four minutes into the final period. Daniel Sedin tallied his second playoff goal to trim L.A.’s lead to 4-3. Sedin appeared to score earlier in the period, but video review ruled the puck was kicked in, disallowing the goal. Sedin’s shot boosted Vancouver, but only temporarily. The Canucks’ comeback bid would stop there. L.A. continued to shred the Canucks and run the show. The Kings stopped one of the premier lines in the NHL for the second consecutive game, and the outcome was tremendous. Doughty earned his third assist of the game by flicking a pass to Ryan Smyth, who fooled Roycroft for the fifth and final goal. Johnson also added three assists as the Kings stepped up the effort on home ice. Game 4 is Wednesday at the Staples Center.

Parting Points: Happy Birthday to Donnie Baseball and the late Luther Vandross.