It's the Los Angeles Kings against the New Jersey Devils for the 2012 Stanley Cup as history will be made when the 2012 NHL champion is crowned.
For the first time since the NHL adopted its current playoff format in 1994, both finalists are seeded number six or lower. The New Jersey Devils enter the Stanley Cup finals as the sixth seed, while the Los Angeles Kings are seeded eighth.
The 2012 Stanley Cup finals offer an intriguing clash between a veteran Devils squad who has been on this stage many times before and a youthful Kings team finally making good on a roster loaded with talent.
Almost a decade has passed since New Jersey won its last Stanley Cup, but the Devils have the pieces in place to party like its 2003 once again. It all starts in goal where Martin Brodeur is still going strong at age 40. Brodeur has already won three Stanley Cup trophies and is enjoying an MVP-type season that might finally help him take home that elusive Conn Smythe Trophy. He is likely the best goaltender to ever play in the NHL. It has taken some pressure off an average defensive unit.
The Devils are getting a strong offensive push from all four lines. When you have players like David Clarkson knocking in three game winners in the playoffs, you know everyone is on the right page offensively. Ilya Kovalchuk is still the go-to playmaker with seven goals and 11 assists in the playoffs.
For Los Angeles, this represents a chance for the franchise to turn the corner. The Kings have not won a Stanley Cup since joining the NHL in 1967. This is just their second ever appearance in the Stanley Cup finals.
The ingredients are in place for Los Angeles to experience a breakthrough. Jonathan Quick can match Brodeur's goaltending prowess. Quick is as productive as Brodeur and possesses a hunger and fire that comes with being in the prime of his career. The Kings have a strong defense to put in front of their world-class goalie. Willie Mitchell and Drew Doughty remain one of the best defensive pairings in the NHL.
The Kings have been dismantling opponents on the offensive end and it is a major reason they have taken a 3-0 series lead in each round before eventually closing things out. Scoring has been spread out -- with Anze Kopitar and Dustin Brown combining for 13 goals and 18 assists in the postseason.
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