The tables of the Western Conference Final have officially flipped. The Los Angeles Kings rode a wave of offensive momentum to a 4-3 win in Game 3, taking a 2-1 series lead over the Chicago Blackhawks.
Kings claim series lead with another offensive show against Blackhawks
Los Angeles continued their offensive onslaught in a 4-3 win in Game 3.
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The Blackhawks dropped their fifth road game of the playoffs, the worst of any remaining playoff team. Los Angeles has now outscored the Blackhawks 9-2 in the last four periods of hockey.
Oh, and let’s not forget this stat.
Kings are about to improve to 2-0 all-time when @Slash performs the national anthem.
— Rich Hammond (@Rich_Hammond) May 25, 2014 Chicago captain Jonathan Toews did his best to get his team an early advantage. Toews broke in and scored while the Blackhawks were shorthanded to open the scoring at 5:26 of the first period. But Kings defenseman Slava Voynov answered forty seconds later with a slap shot that beat Corey Crawford.
Toews eventually regained the lead for Chicago at 13:19 of the first with a wrist shot past Jonathan Quick. Toews finished the night tied for seventh in playoff scoring with 13 points.
The second period belonged to Jeff Carter’s line. The Kings center tied the game with a tap-in goal at 8:08 before assisting on Tyler Toffoli’s go-ahead goal minutes later.
Once the Kings gained the two-goal lead thanks to Drew Doughty's goal in the third period, they began suffocating the Blackhawks forwards with a strong forecheck. As they have all series, the Blackhawks were unable to create space and only managed seven shots on goal in the third. Patrick Sharp finally managed to break through with a deflection with three seconds left in the frame, but the Kings escaped with a 4-3 win all the same.
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