Playoffs - Tue, 05 Jun - Results

Chicago v Los Angeles 1-3 - Game 3 - The defending champions continue to be unbeatable on home ice during the 2013 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Justin Williams and Jeff Carter helped the Los Angeles Kings generate enough offense despite missing center Mike Richards for a second straight contest and goaltender Jonathan Quick bounced back from being pulled in Game 2 to make 19 saves as the Los Angeles Kings defeated the Chicago Blackhawks 3-1 on Tuesday night in Game 3 of this Western Conference Final. After dropping the first two games in Chicago, the Kings cut the Blackhawks' lead in the best-of-7 series to 2-1, and improved to 8-0 in the postseason at Staples Center. Dating back into the regular season, Los Angeles has won 15 games in a row in its own building. Game 4 will be at Staples Center on Thursday (9 p.m. ET, NBCSN, CBC, RDS). The team that played Game 3 looked much more like the one that rolled through four opponents to win the Cup last spring. Williams (game's first goal) and Carter (two assists) were Los Angeles' best players in a game that didn't look much like the first two in the series. The Kings controlled play for long stretches, something they couldn't do at United Center in back-to-back weekend losses. Quick stepped up late in the third period by making a highlight-reel stop on Bryan Bickell to preserve a 2-1 lead. Bickell, one of the biggest surprises of the postseason, had the puck on his stick and a glorious opportunity to send Game 3 into overtime. But the ever-so-poised Quick moved to his right across the crease and got his blocker on what would have been the tying goal. The Blackhawks were sluggish at the start, mustering only 10 shots in the first 40 minutes, including three in the second period. Williams gave the Kings the lead for the second time in the three games of this series with the lone goal of the opening period. He took the puck from Chicago defenseman Nick Leddy in the Blackhawks' zone and then fended off three defenders to get it to Rob Scuderi. Kings defenseman Slava Voynov shot the puck from the right point but missed wide. The puck reached Scuderi at the left point and he sent it back to Voynov. He wound up to shoot again, but instead sent a pass to Williams in the left circle, and Williams beat Chicago goaltender Corey Crawford (25 saves) at 3:21 of the first period for his team-leading sixth goal of the playoffs.

The Kings nearly took a two-goal lead late in the first period, but defenseman Drew Doughty blasted a shot off the left post in the final minute. Los Angeles did go ahead 2-0 early in the second period. Dustin Penner just missed on a pass to Tyler Toffoli, who was breaking in alone on net. The puck went into the left corner and Toffoli came out of it and went right to the net. He lost the puck en route while Voynov pinched down from the right point. His stick broke on the shot, but his changeup fooled Crawford at 6:37. It was Voynov's fifth goal of this postseason, tying him with Boston's Johnny Boychuk for the most among defensemen. He is also now tied with Bruins captain Zdeno Chara for second in points among defensemen with 11. They trail only Pittsburgh's Kris Letang, who has 16. Voynov is the first defenseman in franchise history to score five goals in a single postseason. Los Angeles missed a great chance to extend its lead in the middle of the second period. Chicago defenseman Duncan Keith went to the penalty box for four minutes at 7:58 after he took a one-handed swing at Carter with his stick and hit him in the neck/face area. The Blackhawks' penalty-killers, who have dominated foes during these playoffs, were sensational again, limiting the Kings to one shot on goal in the four minutes. Chicago was able to get on the board late in the second period. Bickell scored his seventh goal of the postseason with 33.6 seconds left. The puck went into the left corner after a faceoff and two Kings players got tangled up with Chicago's Marian Hossa. All three players fell to the ice and Bickell swooped in to collect the puck unmarked. He went behind the net and beat Quick on a wraparound. Bickell, who can become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, now trails only teammate Patrick Sharp and Boston's David Krejci for the most goals in this postseason. Chicago came to Los Angeles with a 2-0 series lead after controlling both games at United Center. The Blackhawks scored twice in the second period to claim a 2-1 victory in Game 1 and then were on the front foot in Game 2 from start to finish in a 4-2 triumph. This is not the first time thus year that Los Angeles has returned home for Game 3 of a playoff series in a 2-0 hole. The St. Louis Blues took the first two games in their opening round against the Kings, but Los Angeles won four straight to advance. After losing only four times to claim the Stanley Cup for the first time in franchise history, the Kings have already lost seven times in this postseason. But they're also a win in Game 4 from being all even in this series and two victories away from a chance to repeat.