LOS ANGELES: The Los Angeles Kings unleashed an early onslaught to blow away the Chicago Blackhawks in a 5-2 win yesterday that moved them to within one victory of the Stanley Cup Finals.
The Kings stormed ahead with three first-period goals that whipped the home Staples Center crowd into a frenzy, and held on to grab a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven Western Conference Finals series.
In a match-up between the past two Stanley Cup champions, the Kings have looked the sharper of the teams in the last three contests and can eliminate the Blackhawks with a Game Five victory when the series shifts back to Chicago tomorrow.
A series victory would serve as sweet revenge for Kings after they were defeated by the Blackhawks in five games at the same stage a year ago. REUTERS
