NHL Playoffs 2012: Los Angeles Kings 12 Best Individual Performances so Far

Anze Kopitar has a point in 11 of 14 games to date in the 2012 Stanley Cup playoffs. Dustin Brown has pitched in on 10 of 14 scoresheets and done exemplary grunt work in every zone. Goaltender Jonathan Quick has limited the opposition to two goals or less all but twice.

And the rest of the Los Angeles Kings have virtually rotated the torch by the night, filling the gaps and filling the nets enough to fuel a 12-2 romp to the Western Conference title.

With their next game still six-plus days away, Kings fans might as well plug the void by glancing back at the best individual efforts that gave them their first 12 wins of the playoffs. So here are the top 12 in chronological order.

Mike Richards: Game 1 versus Vancouver

The Kings gave up the first goal of their playoff run to the Canucks’ Alex Burrows, but recompensed the deficit when Richards converted their first power play.

He later added an assist on Dustin Penner’s game-winner and a second helper on Brown’s empty netter for a three-point night to go with his four hits, takeaway and two blocked shots.

Dustin Brown: Game 2 versus Vancouver

In a 4-2 final identical to Game 1 of the conference quarterfinals, Brown had his turn tallying three points. The first two were both shorthanded goals that spawned 1-0 and 2-1 leads, the third an assist on Jarret Stoll’s power-play conversion that stood as the game winner.

Brown's defensive side jutted admirably that night as well with three hits and three takeaways.

Jonathan Quick: Game 3 versus Vancouver

Following up on a 46-save, 4-2 victory in Game 2, Quick blanked the Canucks by repelling each of the 41 shots he faced to push the Kings to a 3-0 series lead over the two-time President’s Trophy winners and reigning conference finalist.

Anze Kopitar: Game 2 versus St. Louis

Kopitar’s two goals on two shots first period, including a shorthanded strike, boosted the Kings to a 4-0 outburst. By night’s end, he had a plus-three rating and his team had a 2-0 lead in the series with a 5-2 victory.

Dustin Brown: Game 2 versus St. Louis

Brown dished out just enough, but not too much physicality with six registered hits and devoted the rest of his energy to a playmaker hat trick that virtually made the difference in a 5-2 triumph at Scottrade Center.

Brown’s first helper was the direct result of a shorthanded takeaway, which set up Kopitar for L.A.’s second unanswered goal in the first period. He later collaborated with Justin Williams to set up Kopitar’s second goal and the team’s fourth of the period. Kopitar inserted that goal two seconds after Brown’s own bid was denied.

Early in the middle frame, Brown completed his contributions with an assist on Williams’ goal, which restored the four-goal advantage 68 seconds after the Blues hit the board.

Drew Doughty: Game 3 versus St. Louis

With an assist on Williams’ icebreaker in the first period, another helper on Richards’ eventual game winner in the second, his own insurance strike in the third, four hits, a blocked shot and a plus-two rating, Doughty delivered his quintessential kind of game in a 4-2 L.A. victory.

Dustin Brown: Game 4 versus St. Louis

The captain doled out four hits, the go-ahead goal and a breath-pumping empty netter for a 3-1 victory to complete a second-round sweep of the Blues.

Dwight King: Game 1 versus Phoenix

Playing just under 10 minutes, King made each shift and each shot count. His two shots on goal both went in the net, giving L.A. a 2-1 lead midway through the second period and a valuable morsel of insurance en route to a 4-2 victory.

Jonathan Quick: Game 2 versus Phoenix

The Kings confined the Coyotes to eight shots in each period, allowing Quick to avoid any threat of frostbite or fatigue.

But the most impressive aspect of this 4-0 shutout was the fact that six, or exactly one quarter of Phoenix’s 24 shots came while shorthanded. Although three of those four-on-five bids came when the game was already out of reach, any of the other three could have been an overwhelming morale booster for the home team.

Instead, Quick defiantly salvaged his goose-egg and improved the Kings to 7-0 on the road.

Jeff Carter: Game 2 versus Phoenix

Invisible for the better part of the Vancouver and St. Louis series as well as Game 1 of the conference finals, Carter perked up to tally three unanswered insurance strikes for the 4-0 win. It was the first postseason hat trick in Los Angeles franchise history since Wayne Gretzky in Game 7 of the 1993 Campbell Conference finals.

Jarret Stoll: Game 3 versus Phoenix

This was not a perfect game by any means. Stoll lost the majority of his faceoffs and missed on each of three shots on net and eight attempts overall.

But he rendered all of that moot by throwing two hits, blocking three Phoenix attempts, drawing three Phoenix penalties and assisting on King’s game-winner at 1:47 of the third period.

Jonathan Quick: Game 5 versus Phoenix

Statistically, Quick had a shaky start to his second bid to close out the Coyotes, allowing three goals for only the second time this postseason by the 16:23 mark of the second period.

But after Keith Yandle inserted an equalizer to draw a 3-3 knot, both Quick and Phoenix counterpart Mike Smith swiftly restored their season-long identities.

A staring contest ensued for the next 41 minutes and 19 seconds of action, in which time Quick stopped 25 consecutive shots, including 16 in the third period, six in overtime and six on Phoenix power plays.

Quick was eventually rewarded when Penner roofed the series clincher at 17:42 of sudden death.