Sunday, Apr. 15 11:30pm ET
Potvin stands tall in goal for Kings
RECAP
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BOX SCORE
LOS ANGELES (AP) – Motivated by desperation, the Los Angeles
Kings found the energy and aggression that had been missing for two
years against the Detroit Red Wings.
|  | | The Kings' Bryan Smolinski, left, and the Wings' Tomas Holstrom joust for position. |
The result was a 2-1 victory by the Kings in their first-round
playoff series Sunday night.
"We played harder and with more energy and determination,"
Kings coach Andy Murray said. "It makes it easier to play when
you're not looking at a deficit."
The Kings took a lead for the first time in the best-of-seven
series, which they trail 2-1. Game 4 is Wednesday night at Staples
Center.
"We knew getting a lead was important, just like it's going to
be Wednesday," said Luc Robitaille, who scored the game's first
goal.
The Kings ended their 14-game losing streak in the playoffs,
which dated to the 1993 Stanley Cup finals and included a four-game
loss to Detroit in the first round last year.
"We don't really care about the losing streak. We needed a win
to get back in this series," said Robitaille, the only King
remaining from the '93 team. "We matched them tonight and that's
why we won."
Jozef Stumpel redirected a shot by Mathieu Schneider to snap a
third-period tie and give the Kings a 2-1 lead that held up.
The Red Wings had a couple streaks of their own ended. They had
won an NHL-record 13 consecutive first-round playoff games and 18
playoff games in a row against California teams.
"They came out strong and played a real consistent game," Red
Wings defenseman Larry Murphy said. "We didn't create the
opportunities that we needed to win. They shut us down pretty
good."
Felix Potvin made 22 saves and the Kings outshot the Red Wings
24-23.
The Kings were energetic and hit harder throughout the game,
even though both teams had traveled three time zones after playing
Game 2 Saturday night in Detroit.
"We're the team that travels all the time," Robitaille said,
referring to the Kings' position in the far-flung Western
Conference. "We were ready to go."
Los Angeles finally won a game, but didn't correct all its
problems. The Kings are 0-for-34 on the power play since the start
of last season's first-round sweep by Detroit. They were 0-for-5
Sunday, while the Red Wings failed to convert on seven man
advantages.
"We have to try to figure something out, make sure we get pucks
to the net," Stumpel said.
With the game tied at 1, Stumpel scored his first playoff goal
as a King when he redirected Schneider's shot in traffic at 13:33
of the third. Stumpel had been held without a shot in Game 2.
Robitaille scored at 8:21 of the second period. His slap shot
from outside the left circle sailed past Chris Osgood's
outstretched right leg.
"They just capitalized on a couple of their chances and we
didn't," Detroit left wing Kirk Maltby said. "I thought we were
going good, but we just kind of ran out of time at the end. We
couldn't get that one to tie it up, but that's the way it goes."
The first five minutes of the first two games had been critical,
with Detroit seizing the advantage both times.
The Kings had an excellent power-play scoring chance in the
game's first two minutes. But Robitaille's shot hit the right post
and slid across the crease between the goal line and a sprawled
Osgood.
Penalties to Darren McCarty and Maltby gave the Kings a 5-on-3
advantage for 1:40 of the second period. But they managed just one
shot before Robitaille's goal.
With the Red Wings trailing 1-0, Detroit's Pat Verbeek hit
Mattias Norstrom in the face with his stick. Verbeek received a
four-minute penalty, but the Kings had just two shots with the man
advantage.
After Ian Laperriere was called for charging, Nicklas Lidstrom
tied the game two seconds after Detroit's power play ended at 18:02
of the second.
Game notes
Detroit D Chris Chelios was fined $1,000 by the NHL on
Sunday for careless use of his stick against Robitaille in Game 2
Saturday. ... The overflow crowd of 18,478 was the largest to see a
hockey game in California. ... The Kings had lost six straight
playoff games at home. Another loss would have tied the NHL record.
... A busy calendar led to an NBA-NHL doubleheader Sunday at
Staples Center. The crew had just over three hours to change the
basketball court to an ice rink. During the Trail Blazers-Lakers
game, the building's temperature began dropping to 62 degrees to
provide the properly chilly atmosphere for ice.
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ALSO SEE
NHL Scoreboard
Detroit Clubhouse
Los Angeles Clubhouse
Kings-Red Wings Series Page
AUDIO/VIDEO
 The Kings' Jozef Stumpel redirects Mathieu Schneider's shot for the go-ahead goal.
avi: 1280 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Nicklas Lidstrom scores on a wrist shot just as the Detroit power play ends.
avi: 1660 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Luc Robitaille fires a slap shot past Chris Osgood to put L.A. on the board.
avi: 1010 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Goalie Felix Potvin makes a pair of crucial glove saves in the third period.
avi: 1690 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Chris Osgood gets some help from the post as Luc Robitaille fails to score in the first.
avi: 832 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
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