Sunday, May 6 9:30pm ET
Kings staging another playoff rally
RECAP
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BOX SCORE
LOS ANGELES – Not only won't Los Angeles allow Colorado to
win, the comeback Kings refuse to give up a goal.
|  | | Patrick Roy made 31 saves, but the one that got away in the second OT was his undoing Sunday. |
Los Angeles' Felix Potvin outlasted Colorado's Patrick Roy and
the Kings forced a seventh game with the Avalanche.
Glen Murray rifled a 50-foot slap shot past Roy 2:41 into the
second overtime Sunday night as the Kings beat the Avalanche 1-0,
Potvin's second consecutive shutout by the same score.
The Kings, who overcame an 0-2 deficit against Detroit to win
their first-round playoff series, can become the 17th team to
overcome a 3-1 deficit to win a series -- including two comebacks
from 3-0 -- with a win Wednesday night in Denver.
The St. Louis Blues, who swept Dallas, await the winner.
Murray's goal on the 65th shot of the game ended a grueling 82
minutes, 41 seconds of superb goaltending by Roy, the NHL's
all-time winningest goalie, and Potvin, a Vancouver castoff
acquired by Los Angeles in February.
Potvin, playing in his 34th consecutive game, stopped 33 shots
to earn his seventh career playoff shutout. He and Roy have two
apiece through the first six games of the series.
"This was just a great game to be a part of," Los Angeles
coach Andy Murray said. "There was tremendous goaltending on both
sides, a game 0-0 into the second overtime.
"There were scoring chances on both sides. Patrick was
outstanding, Felix was tremendous. I'm just glad we were the ones
that got the first goal."
The Kings coach predicted after Los Angeles fell behind 3-1 in
the series that they would win it if they could take Game 5 in
Denver, which they did, 1-0 on Friday.
"The bottom line is, we weren't supposed to be here," Murray
said. "We weren't supposed to be going back to Denver for Game 7,
but we are."
The Kings, Potvin and Glen Murray in particular, were thrilled
when Murray's shot bounced off Roy's right skate and into the net.
"Seeing it go over the line, it was like `Wow, we're going to
Game 7,"' Glen Murray said. "Now it's do-or-die for both teams."
Potvin, who ran his scoreless string to 164 minutes and 28
seconds, said when he saw the puck slip past Roy, "It was the
feeling of relief, good to get it over with."
Colorado coach Bob Hartley wasn't disappointed by his team's
effort, only the outcome.
"Whenever you go into overtime, you know that the last shot is
going to win it," he said. "They got the last shot. We had plenty
of chances to win. We played much better than Game 5, but they got
the last shot."
Los Angeles improved its overtime record to 4-0 in this year's
playoffs. The Kings have beaten the Red Wings and Avalanche twice
each in the extra session.
Colorado captain Joe Sakic was back from an injury and got off
five shots for Colorado, although he seemed to be favoring his
bruised right shoulder at times.
Sakic, the NHL's second-leading scorer during the regular season
with 118 points, was hurt early in Game 3 in Los Angeles.
Potvin stopped six shots, and Roy turned away four in the first
overtime. Ziggy Palffy fired a 12-footer at Roy 1:35 into the
period, but the Colorado goalie stabbed the puck with his glove.
Dan Hinote's slap shot from the right circle at 16:22 of the
first overtime was one of Colorado's best chances, but Potvin
blocked it.
A Kings' mistake -- too many men on the ice -- gave the Avalanche
a man advantage with 47 seconds left in regulation, but the
Colorado power play again seemed disorganized as the clock ticked
down.
The rest of the advantage was negated when Avalanche defenseman
Ray Bourque was penalized for tripping with six seconds left before
overtime.
The Avalanche outshot the Kings 8-7 in the third, but they also
misfired on several good chances. Sakic's backhander from near the
crease sailed wide of the goal. Moments later his 20-foot slap shot
also was wide on a play when Potvin appeared to be screened.
Eric Belanger had one of the Kings' best opportunities in the
third period, but Roy blocked his shot from just to the right of
the crease at 8:04.
Colorado, which seemed to be back on its heels in the first
period, finally put some pressure on Potvin in the second, although
Los Angeles outshot the Avalanche 12-10 in the period.
The first period was intense and relatively even, with the Kings
getting off seven shots and the Avalanche six.
Game notes
The Kings rallied from 3-1 in the 1989 division semifinals
to beat Edmonton. ... Roy stopped 88 of the last 92 shots he faced
heading into Sunday's game. ... Los Angeles also rallied from a
10-point deficit in the final month of the regular season to claim
the seventh playoff spot in the Western Conference.
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ALSO SEE
NHL Scoreboard
Colorado Clubhouse
Los Angeles Clubhouse
Kings-Avalanche Series Page
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Glen Murray fires the puck past Patrick Roy to send the series back to Colorado for Game 7.
avi: 1854 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN
Cable Modem
Felix Potvin stands up to an avalanche of shots to keep the game scoreless in the second period.
avi: 1291 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN
Cable Modem
Patrick Roy puts a pad on the Bryan Smolinski slap-shot for a save.
avi: 596 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN
Cable Modem
 Glen Murray describes his game-winning score.
wav: 739 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
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