Stanley Cup Finals 2012: Goaltenders Will Make or Break Series

The Stanley Cup playoffs have reached their final stage, and the goaltenders for the Los Angeles Kings and the New Jersey Devils will ultimately decide who hoists the trophy.

The two goalies are as different as the franchises they play for. 

Jonathan Quick is a 26-year-old American who is having a breakout performance this postseason with a .946 save percentage and a 1.54 goals against average.

His team, the Kings, have never won the Stanley Cup and have just one division title in franchise history.

Quick’s counterpart, Martin Brodeur, is a 40-year-old Canadian who has been one of the most respected goalies in hockey throughout his 18-year career.

The Devils have won the Stanley Cup three times with Brodeur in the net, as well as nine division titles.

Quick has been the hotter player this postseason, as Brodeur’s save percentage (.923) and goals against average (2.04) are slightly worse than the Kings goalie.

The Kings are very dependent on Quick, as their offense has ranged from inconsistent to downright awful this season. They finished the regular season as the 29th-ranked team in the NHL in terms of goals per game.

The team has elevated its play this postseason and has actually put away more goals on average than the Devils during the playoffs. However, the Kings had an eight-day break between the Western Conference Finals and the Stanley Cup, and if they do not keep their momentum going, Brodeur will be extremely tough to beat.

While Brodeur is not as young or as hot as Quick, he has a vast amount of playoff experience. No stage is too big for him at this point in his career, and the pressure will not faze him.

Both the Devils and the Kings are ranked in the top 10 in goals against average, and both rely heavily on their goaltenders to win games. If Quick can continue his incredible run, the Kings will win. If he cannot, and Brodeur shows all the qualities that have made him a future Hall of Famer, then the Devils will have their fourth Stanley Cup.