Stanley Cup Final 2012: Keys to Victory in Kings vs. Devils

The Los Angeles Kings and New Jersey Devils are set to begin the Stanley Cup Final tonight. Both teams were widely overlooked when the playoffs began with higher seeds getting all the hype, but have survived the journey through their conference and are now four wins away from the biggest prize in hockey.

Let's take a look at the keys to victory to watch throughout the series that will decide which team gets to throw a parade when it is all said and done. 

Goaltending 

Even though Brodeur's play has steadily declined in recent years, the 40-year-old goalie still knows how to step up when it matters most. He's been playing like a man on a mission throughout the playoffs, knowing full well that his time is running out to capture another title.

Jonathan Quick is 14 years younger and will be facing the biggest series of his career. He has carried the Kings on his back at times throughout the season, proving that he can become the league's next great netminder. Getting a championship will help him reach that elite status.

As has so often become the case in the NHL postseason, it starts and ends with the play between the pipes. Whichever team can get more saves from their goalie will have a distinct advantage in what looks like a very close series on paper.

Offensive Depth 

Both sides have a couple of offensive stars who will be expected to lead the way. For the Devils, it's Ilya Kovalchuk and Zach Parise. For the Kings, Anze Kopitar and Dustin Brown are the lead dogs.

But if some of the role players can make their presence felt, they could be the difference in the series.

A couple of players to watch for New Jersey are Adam Henrique and David Clarkson. They are both solid two-way players who aren't afraid to do the dirty work that's necessary to win. Each of them have three goals so far in the playoffs.

Dustin Penner will be the most important secondary player for the Kings. He's enjoyed a bit of a resurgence after a rough regular season and must carry over that momentum into the finals. A strong showing from him would put Los Angeles in the driver's seat.

Special Teams Play

Capitalizing on the power play and penalty kill is always important, but this becomes magnified during the playoffs because every goal is so crucial. Both teams understand that, so you can expect a lot of desperation when killing penalties all series long.

This is one area the Devils should have an edge. During the regular season, they led the league in penalty-kill percentage and short-handed goals. They haven't been as efficient during their playoff run, but a return to form after a couple days off should be expected.

The Kings will have to offset that with a great power play. They have six goals with the man advantage during the playoffs. If they can net three or four in the finals, that should be enough to give their magical run a storybook ending.