Sunday, May 6, 2012

Western Conference Semifinal: 2) St. Louis Blues VS. 8) Los Angeles Kings

Welcome to the post for the semifinal series between the St. Louis Blues and the Los Angeles Kings. Please use this post as a reference for the entire series.

Game 1: Scottrade Center, St. Louis, Missouri. In goal: Brian Elliott for St. Louis; Jonathan Quick for Los Angeles. St. Louis began with a David Backes goal, his second of the postseason, coming off of David Perron and Alex Pietrangelo. Los Angeles tied it on a Slava Voynov goal, via Dustin Penner and Mike Richards. The Kings scored again in the second period on a Matt Greene shorthanded goal with a lone Dustin Brown assist. Los Angeles made it 3-1 in the third period as Penner scored an empty net goal, his second of the playoffs, helped along by Rob Scuderi. The three stars were awarded to Quick (28 for 29 in saves), Elliott (26 for 28 in saves), and Brown, with honorable mention for Penner. Los Angeles leads 1-0 in the series.

Game 2: Scottrade Center, St. Louis, Missouri. In goal: Brian Elliott for St. Louis; Jonathan Quick for Los Angeles. Mike Richards put Los Angeles up early with his second of the postseason, thanks to Dustin Penner. The Kings added on with an Anze Kopitar shorthanded goal, his second of the playoffs, passed from Dustin Brown. Los Angeles struck again with a Jeff Carter goal, assisted by Penner and Richards. Shortly after that, Kopitar scored again, his second of the game and third of the postseason for the Kings, helped along by Justin Williams and Brown. St. Louis got on the board in the second period, as Andy McDonald scored eighteen seconds in with his fifth of the playoffs, courtesy of David Backes and Kris Russell. Williams shot back for Los Angeles just over a minute later, with a goal guided in by Brown, who gets a sock trick, and Matt Greene. The Blues got one back in the third period as Matt D'Agostini scored, coming off of Backes. The final was 5-2 Kings, with the three stars named as Kopitar, Brown, and T.J. Oshie, while Richards, Williams, or Penner could take the third slot. Los Angeles has a 2-0 series lead.

Game 3: Staples Center, Los Angeles, California. In goal: Jonathan Quick for Los Angeles; Brian Elliott for St. Louis. The first action of this game was a fight, between Mike Richards and Jamie Langenbrunner. Justin Williams opened things for Los Angeles with his second of the postseason, made possible by Drew Doughty and Anze Kopitar. St. Louis tied it in the second period on a Chris Stewart goal, via Kris Russell. The Kings took the lead back with a Dwight King goal, with a lone assist from Matt Greene. Los Angeles extended the lead with a power play goal by Richards, his third of the playoffs, powered by Kopitar and Doughty. The Blues pulled back in the third period on Stewart's second of the game, via Alex Pietrangelo and David Perron. Doughty shot back for the Kings with a goal, set up by Richards, who completed the Gordie Howe Hat Trick, and Jeff Carter. This made it 4-2, a final, with the three stars going to Doughty, Richards, and Stewart, and Kopitar gets the honorable mention. Los Angeles pushes the Blues on the brink with a 3-0 series lead.

Game 4: Staples Center, Los Angeles, California. In goal: Jonathan Quick for Los Angeles; Brian Elliott for St. Louis. Los Angeles was first to score with a Jordan Nolan goal, set up by Dustin Penner. St. Louis tied it on a Kevin Shattenkirk goal, passed from Barret Jackman. The Kings got the lead later in the period as Dustin Brown scored his fifth of the postseason, thanks to Anze Kopitar and Drew Doughty. Los Angeles iced it at 3-1 in the third period with a Brown empty net goal, his second of the game and sixth of the playoffs, passed from Kopitar and Matt Greene. The three stars went to Quick (23 for 24 in saves), Brown, and Shattenkirk, while Kopitar gets an honorable mention. The Kings win the series 4-0 and await an opponent in the Western Conference Finals.

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