Stanley Cup Finals 2012: 3 Stars from the New Jersey Devils Game 4 Victory

Never in its 38 years of existence as the Kansas City Scouts, Colorado Rockies and New Jersey Devils has this franchise been swept out of a best-of-seven Stanley Cup playoff series.

And as Wednesday night proved, the Devils were not about to let that happen as part of the first championship sweep since 1998 and a historic title for the eighth-seeded Los Angeles Kings.

After a pair of scoreless periods amounted to a 20-minute mini-game, the Devils drew first blood for the first time in the series at 7:56 of the third period. That lead quickly evaporated within precisely one minute as a power-play goal pulled the host Kings even, but they rebounded for another go-ahead strike, followed by an empty-netter en route to a 3-1 triumph.

Veteran goaltender Martin Brodeur, previously the victim of back-to-back 2-1 overtime falters at home and a bang-bang third-period meltdown in Game 3, was steady enough for a hard-earned win.

But for once in this matchup, if we are to limit the spotlight to three players, the story was not about Brodeur or presumptive Conn Smythe Trophy winner Jonathan Quick.

Rather, the top three performers behind New Jersey’s season-saving win are as follows.

3. Bryce Salvador

The eldest member of the Devils defense rode into the Stanley Cup Final with a new reputation as a two-way performer, concocted over the course of the previous two rounds.

Yet he entered Wednesday’s elimination tilt having gone pointless with a minus-one rating in each of three consecutive losses to the Kings.

Bryce Salvador pulled a sharp U-turn back in the right direction for himself and his team on an eventful shift in the eighth minute of the third period.

In direct succession and all within 27 seconds, he blocked a shot by L.A. blueliner Willie Mitchell, helped to clear the zone, threw a hit on Jeff Carter, then pelted Quick with a low-flying point blast.

That shot produced a rebound that would amount to a 1-0 New Jersey lead.

By night’s end, Salvador had tied captain Zach Parise for second on the team with five body-checks, trailing only Dainius Zubrus’ total of seven. And with an assist on Ilya Kovalchuk’s empty-netter, he garnered a multi-point outing coupled with a plus-two rating.

2. Patrik Elias

The eldest member of the Devils offense was the one who tracked, lassoed and stashed Bryce Salvador’s rebound at 7:56 of the third period.

The two-time champion and longest-tenured New Jersey skater all but second-naturedly flaunted a solid hockey sense on the play, stationing himself behind the Los Angeles goal line while Jonathan Quick ventured out of the blue paint.

In addition to the goal, Patrik Elias led all Devils forwards with 2:56 of ice time on the penalty kill.

Although they blinked on one of those segments to relinquish the 1-0 lead he himself produced, they just as critically killed their previous three penalties to keep things scoreless through 40 minutes.

1. Adam Henrique

Only 6:33 of playing time would pass after Drew Doughty’s equalizer before New Jersey renewed its one-goal advantage courtesy of an up-and-coming clutch artist.

Strolling into the zone and taking a lateral backhand feed from David Clarkson, Adam Henrique proceeded to tie Clarkson himself with his third game-winner of the playoffs.

Although that was his only shot on net, or attempted shot of any kind on the night, it goes without saying Henrique made it count. And just like Bryce Salvador, he ended a personal three-game scoring drought, his longest dry spell since the opening round.

And even before he inserted the decider with 4:31 to spare in regulation, the rookie pivot played a vital role in keeping an assertive tone for the Devils by winning 12 of his 18 faceoffs.

It was the first time Henrique won the majority of his draws in a single night since Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals.