Kings vs. Devils: 5 Players Who Cost New Jersey Game 1

There were several Devils that came up short Wednesday night as the Los Angeles Kings handed the New Jersey Devils a devastating loss in Game 1. Teams that win Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals have gone on to win the Cup 76.4 percent of the time (55 out of 72 times). Needless to say, the Devils are in quite a hole.

It is a hole that might be difficult for the Devils to dig themselves out of, as the Kings have not lost on the road in the entire 2012 post-season. The Kings have held the opposition to two goals or less in 13 out of 15 games in the playoffs to this point.  

The Kings are a stifling team that has shut down every team they have played, and Game 1 was no different. The Devils managed just 18 shots on goal.

That’s not to say that the Devils did not have chances, as they should have won the game in the third period. Zach Parise and Mark Fayne both missed wide open nets that would have given the Devils a lead late in the game.

If one of those players had scored, the game might not have gone to overtime. There are plenty of players to blame for the loss, and we will look at them here.

Here is a list of players that cost the Devils the most in Game 1.

Martin Brodeur

Devils goalie Martin Brodeur gave up a very soft goal in the first period in Game 1. He was not ready for the puck to come out front to Kings forward Colin Fraser, and he was not set for the shot. The puck went right through Brodeur, and it's a goal that Brodeur would love to have back.

The Devils could not afford to give the Kings a lead in Game 1, and this soft goal changed the tone of the game. The Kings have shown the ability to protect a lead throughout the entire playoffs, as they have been very difficult to score on.

The Devils are not an offensively gifted team, and they are going to struggle to generate good scoring chances against the style of play that the Kings favor.

Brodeur also gave up the game-winning goal on a breakaway by Kings forward Anze Kopitar. Yes, it's a breakaway, but Brodeur got caught being overly aggressive. He ended up on his stomach and out of the play. Kopitar simply tucked the puck under Brodeur as he waited him out.

This was not Brodeur’s best game. He has been great in the playoffs, but soft goals in the playoffs are killers. Brodeur needs to play better to give the Devils a chance in this series.

Ilya Kovalchuk

Devils forward Ilya Kovalchuk is an offensive force, and he came up very lacking in Game 1. Kovalchuk looked tentative as he tried to pass the puck instead of shooting it. The Devils would much rather that he shoots, as he has one of the best shots in the game.

Kovalchuk generated just one shot on goal for the entire game, and that is not enough for the Devils. Kovalchuk is one of the few offensive weapons that the Devils have, and if he can’t generate more shots on goal the Devils are in a heap of trouble.

The Devils have been riding Kovalchuk in getting to the Stanley Cup Finals. He has been great in the playoffs, as he has created a lot of opportunities to score by getting shots on goal. He was shut down in Game 1, and looked a little lost on the ice.

Kovalchuk needs to play much better if the Devils’ offense is going to get it going.

Andy Greene

Devils defenseman Andy Greene made a lazy, bad play early in the first period that directly led to the Kings scoring a goal and taking a huge lead in Game 1. The Kings threw the puck behind the net and went on the forecheck. Greene went to retrieve the puck behind the net, and as he did he got washed away by Kings forward Jordan Nolan.

Greene needed to bear down and get the puck out, and he did not. Nolan took the puck from him, and threw it out front to a wide open Colin Fraser, who put the puck between Brodeur’s pads to give the Kings a 1-0 lead.

Getting the lead is a huge deal in the playoffs, and Greene’s giveaway led directly to the goal. Greene has to get that puck moving, especially with the forecheck coming. The Devils can’t afford to give the Kings such easy goals if they want to have any chance to win the Stanley Cup.

Dainius Zubrus

Devils forward Dainius Zubrus made a really bad read in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals, and it gave the Kings the chance they needed to steal the game. Zubrus got caught in the middle of the ice as the puck got chipped up the boards and out of the Kings zone.

He was slow in reacting to where the puck was going, and he also lost sense of where Kings forward Anze Kopitar was. This caused Devils defenseman Bryce Salvador to get caught in a position where he was very exposed, having to cover two players over a wide area of the ice.

Zubrus has to decide to either play the puck and smother Williams or make sure that Kopitar is not wide open for a breakaway. Zubrus’ indecision gave the Kings the opportunity for the odd-man rush and the breakaway.

Kings forward Justin Williams just had to get the puck out into a wide open area for Kopitar, who ended up with a breakaway that decided the game.

Bryce Salvador

Devils defenseman Bryce Salvador put himself in a terrible position in overtime of Game 1, and this decision ended up being costly. Salvador tried to pinch Kings forward Justin Williams into the boards near center ice, but was slow getting there. He also lost Kings forward Anze Kopitar, who was coming up the right side of the ice.

Williams ended up passing the puck to a wide open Kopitar, who walked in from the blue-line and ended the game. Salvador has to keep himself in the play there, even if the Kings come down in a 2-on-1 odd-man rush.

Salvador was too aggressive in reacting to the puck coming to Williams. He stepped up into the play when he needed to play it safe, as he had no other help with him. By pinching Williams on the boards and being overly aggressive, Salvador gave the Kings the chance they needed to end the game.