(Image source: Los Angeles Times )

 

BY BRIAN BONDUS

ANCHOR LOGAN TITTLE

 

The Los Angeles Kings are on top of the Hockey world, winning the Stanley Cup for the first time in the franchise’s 45-year history.

 

The Kings beat the New Jersey Devils in game six with a 6-1 victory Monday night.

 

A analyst for Fox Sports says this game was over in the first period after a New Jersey boarding penalty resulted in a five minute power play for the Kings.

 

“They go on to score three power-play goals within that five minutes and for all intents and purposes the game was over. Just a critical bad play.”

 

The Devils were never able to overcome the three-goal power play. A writer for The New York Times cites some of the Kings’ accomplishments this postseason.

 

“The Kings became the first N.H.L. club to take a 3-0 lead in games in all four series.”

They also

“Tied the league mark for most road wins in a postseason.”

And oh ya—The Kings

“Become the first No. 8 seed since the conference-based playoff format was introduced in 1993-1994 to capture the Stanley Cup.”

 

Back in the middle of the season, it didn’t look like the playoffs were in the cards for the Kings. But they traded for Jeff Carter, who scored two goals in the final, and hired new head coach Darryl Sutter. A columnist for the Bleacher Report says this coaching change was a big part of the championship.

 

“Sutter's demanding style and zero tolerance for anything less than 100 percent effort has transformed the Kings into one of the hardest-working teams in hockey. ... Hiring Sutter was a key moment in the Kings' turnaround, and his ability to get the most out of his stars proved to be the difference for a team that had underachieved the past few seasons.”

 

The Kings outscored opponents 57-30 in the playoffs. This kind of domination makes ESPN’s Barry Melrose say the Kings are the team to watch out for next season.

 

“It’s hard to get back, but if a team can, it should be the LA Kings. All their star players are young, all their star players are competitive, all their star players are two-way players and they have a great, young goaltender.”

 

Quick is the goaltender for the Kings and was the team’s playoffs MVP — setting the records for fewest average goals allowed and highest save percentage ever by a goalie in a postseason.