Kings one win away from glory

The Los Angeles Kings pounded the New Jersey Devils 4-0 on Monday to move to the brink of claiming the franchise’s first Stanley Cup and concluding their unlikely playoff run in true Hollywood fashion. The brilliant Jonathan Quick recorded his third shutout of the post-season while Anze Kopitar, Alec Martinez, Jeff Carter and Justin Williams all scored to hand the Kings a commanding 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven series. The Kings can now finish off the Devils and hoist the Stanley Cup on home ice if they can complete the unlikely sweep with a Game Four win at the Staples Center today. The victory was another step in a remarkable journey for the Kings, who scraped into the post-season as the eighth seeds after losing more games than they won but have reigned supreme in the playoffs, boasting a 15-2 record. Only one team, the 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs, have clawed back from 3-0 deficit to steal the Cup but the cautious Kings are not planning a victory parade just yet. “We’re going to keep pushing forward,” Los Angeles’ Justin Williams told reporters. “We’re a focused group right now, we’re not going to let anything get in our way. “We certainly don’t want to get back on that plane. “We’re tasting that we’re close and that should drive us even more.” Boasting a perfect 10-0 on the road this post-season, the Kings showed they could be just as dominant at home, with Quick stopping all 22 shots he faced to demonstrate why he is the leading candidate for the Conn Smythe trophy as the Stanley Cup’s most outstanding player. Quick has received plenty of support with defensemen throwing themselves in front of shots, while the rest have been swallowed up by the Kings netminder, who has surrendered just two goals in three games on more than 70 shots. “You need outstanding goaltending to win playoff games,” said Kings coach Darryl Sutter. “He’s (Quick) given us that.” With the Staples Center’s other tenants, the NBA Lakers and Clippers, out of the playoffs the Kings have had the sporting spotlight in Los Angeles to themselves. The game was the first Stanley Cup contest played in Los Angeles since Wayne Gretzky led the Kings to the finals 19 years ago and a record crowd of 18,764, including A-list celebrities like former England soccer captain David Beckham, arrived at the Staples Center ready to party.from gulf times.