The
Los Angeles Kings look to keep their record-setting road winning streak in this
year’s playoffs intact when they face off against the New Jersey Devils in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Finals this
Saturday night at the Prudential Center.
Quick thinking paces the Kings
Anyone following the Stanley Cup Playoffs over the past two months has probably
realized that the team that would eventually hoist the Cup this season would
need someone rock-solid between the pipes. If the rest of the games in this
best-of-seven series mirror Game 1, you might as well as start engraving
Jonathan Quick’s name on the Conn Smythe Trophy right now. The Kings’ netminder
was not spectacular on Wednesday night but frustrated New Jersey just enough to
help his team secure a 2-1 overtime win as 107 road favorites.
Colin Frazer
put Los Angeles on the board with a first period tally and Anze Kopitar did
what he does best with a game-winning goal a little over eight minutes into
overtime, but this contest was more about a suffocating defense and a stout
goalie that led the Kings win their ninth-straight victory on the road this
postseason.
A night to forget for New Jersey
Defense
dominated this game for the first two periods with a total of only 22 combined
shots-on-goal and even when New Jersey was able to set itself up in the Kings’
zone, it blew what few opportunities it had to take control of this game. Anton
Volchenkov tied this contest 1-1 late in the second period, but that was it for the Devils on the night.
New Jersey
was outshot by the Kings 17-25 in Game 1, which reads more like a single-period
total for both of these teams. The Devils thought they had taken the lead on a
Zach Parise goal early in the third, but replay revealed that he had actually
hit the puck into the net with hand. You cannot pin this loss on New Jersey
goalie Martin Brodeur. Frazer’s first-period goal could be considered soft, but
the 40-year old veteran also came up with a few vintage saves to keep things
tied in regulation. He ended-up getting hung out to dry on Kopitar’s one-on-one
breakaway goal in OT.
Betting trends
The Kings
are now a perfect 9-0 in nine playoff games on the road and 13-3 in their last
16 road games overall. They are 16-5 in their last 21 games following a win.
The total has stayed UNDER in four of their last five games.
The Devils
are 6-1 in their last seven games after scoring two goals or fewer in their
previous outing and still a healthy 10-3 in their last 13 home games. The total
has not gone OVER the total in their last four home games.
The road
team is 5-2 in the last seven meetings, and the total has stayed UNDER in five
of the last six games between the two.
Prediction
The total remains a solid play in this game as
it should be another defensive battle with each goalie standing on their heads
when they have to. Reverse the score as New Jersey ties this series at one game
apiece setting up the perfect parlay opportunity with the Devils and the UNDER.
New Jersey 2 Los Angeles 1