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SIEGEL: SWELL OF EMOTION AS KINGS CAPTURE FIRST CUP

JONAS SIEGEL, TSN.ca, June 12 2012

LOS ANGELES – Tears welled up in the eyes of Anze Kopitar, emotions pouring through the soul of the 24-year-old moments after capturing the elusive Stanley Cup.

"Everything came up," he told TSN 1050 of those indescribable feelings following a 6-1 series-clinching victory on Monday night. "It's hard to put it into words.

"Coming from Slovenia, every kid's dream is just to play somewhere else than back home. You go to Sweden, you get drafted it's a big thing and then you come and play in the league it's another big thing. To be on top of the league right now, I can't describe it really."

Eleven championship banners proudly hang in the rafters of Staples Center – all belonging to the Lakers – soon to be joined by another, the first Stanley Cup championship in the history of the Los Angeles Kings franchise, following a 4-2 series victory over the New Jersey Devils.

A season with a touch of turbulence and drama, uplifted by the December hiring of Darryl Sutter, concluded in the ultimate prize for the city of Los Angeles.

"This is it," a jubilant Mike Richards told TSN 1050, his second Finals trip ending with a win. "This is what you play for. The stuff that you win before is nice, but this is something special, this is something that you've always dreamed about. I'll never forget this."

The first number eight seed in NHL history to win sport's most luxurious trophy, the Kings scorched through the postseason with a 16-4 record – second-best ever – only recently challenged with serious adversity. They made no mistake with their third opportunity to capture the Cup, trouncing the Devils in decisive fashion, an electric L.A. crowd on their feet with the game no longer in doubt.

"It wasn't easy," Drew Doughty said of the Kings playoff march this spring. "We maybe won some series which appeared to look easy, but it wasn't. All those teams gave us a great battle and it was just huge to win it."

"We knew we had the guys in the room to do it," Jarret Stoll said, his second trip to the Final concluding in long-awaited victory. "We knew we had the group, we just had to find a way to get in. There's a couple of us that know better than anybody you just got to get into the playoffs to make some noise and have a chance to win. That's all it was for us. We all came together at the right time, peaked at the right time; great goaltending, timely goals, here we are."

Five Points

1. It was a collision that shook the landscape of game six and ultimately the result of the 2012 Stanley Cup Final. Charging thunderously into Rob Scuderi behind the Kings goal, Steve Bernier dramatically altered the fortunes of the New Jersey Devils, drawing a five-minute major and game misconduct midway through the opening frame. The Kings proceeded to score three times on the lengthy man advantage, all but eviscerating any hope the Devils may have had in maintaining a gutsy comeback. Bernier chose not to watch the proceedings in the dressing room. "I stay here and try to listen to the crowd," he explained, "but it was very hard for sure. I wish I could take that play back, but I [can't]." "I was thinking about him actually on the ice when they were scoring," Martin Brodeur said after a disappointing defeat in his fifth Cup Final. "I'm like 'I'm sure he's hearing this and it's got to kill him'. It's one of the parts about hockey that's not fun."

2. Jonathan Quick became the fifth goaltender to win the Conn Smythe Trophy and second straight American-born player after Tim Thomas took home the hardware last season. "He's been the backbone of our team," Dustin Brown said prior to Monday's game. "He's been great all year." A Vezina Trophy finalist, Quick compiled a sterling 1.41 goals against average and .946 save percentage in the postseason, also posting three shutouts along the way.

3. Brown arose with a mountain of a performance in the Kings clincher, potting a goal, two assists, and the relentless grit and passion always expected of the L.A. captain. The Ithaca, New York native had just a point (no goals) in the opening five games of the series, elevating his play with the Cup in the building yet again. "I feel that tonight's the night for this team," he said confidently before the game. "It's not about me or any other individual on this team, it's about the team coming ready to play. I think if we throw our A-game [at them] I like our chances."

4. A champion with the Anaheim Ducks in 2007, Dustin Penner captured his second Cup with a California-based team. "It feels pretty good," he grinned. "I'm sure San Jose will be interested, but that's not something I'll worry about. It's great to be able to do it again."

5. Pete Deboer appeared furious on the visitors' bench following the Bernier penalty, no doubt frustrated that Jarret Stoll drew no call for his dubious hit on Stephen Gionta moments prior along the wall at centre-ice. "You know what, tonight is about L.A. and letting them celebrate," DeBoer said respectfully following the game. "If you want to ask me about that in about a week, I'll give you my honest opinion on it." Bernier claimed to have no idea that the Gionta hit occurred. "No, I didn't see that at all," he said. "Against this team you want to have a strong forecheck and as the first guy you need to finish your hit and that's exactly what I did and I got five minutes for it." DeBoer spoke proudly of the Devils discipline prior to Monday's game, a fact which shifted in rapid fashion with the Bernier hit. "It's one of the things that has separated us from some of the teams we've played at different points," DeBoer said, "the ability to turn the other cheek and walk away. That has to continue. We can't change the formula that has worked for us from the drop of the puck the first game of the playoffs. We almost didn't make it past the first round because of penalties. We fixed that since then, but that can't change."

Dean
M.Ed (Coaching)
Ch.P.C. (Chartered Professional Coach)
Game Intelligence Training
"Great education depends on great teaching."