California dreaming turns real as Kings hoist Cup

By Steve Keating

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The Los Angeles Kings were finally crowned National Hockey League (NHL) champions on Monday, punishing the New Jersey Devils 6-1 to hoist their maiden Stanley Cup on a perfect night for California dreaming.

After failing to clinch their maiden championship in the previous two games of the series, the Kings settled any nerves with three first period goals while Steve Bernier was serving a game-changing penalty for a hit that left Rob Scuderi with blood pouring from his mouth.

The Kings wasted no time making the Devils pay for their sins with captain Dustin Brown, Jeff Carter and Trevor Lewis all scoring in a span of less than four minutes to leave New Jersey in a 3-0 hole.

"This is something everyone's dreamed of for their whole lives and this city' dreamed of for 45 years," said Brown. "I can't really explain it. We had an opportunity to do something special on home ice and we did, and we're champions."

With the Stanley Cup and its white-gloved entourage in the Staples Center, champagne on ice and long-suffering fans eager to celebrate, the sellout crowd was chanting "We want the Cup. We want the Cup" with 40 minutes still to play in regulation.

Two periods later they would own the treasured trophy as the eighth-seeded Kings completed one of the most remarkable playoff runs the league has ever seen.

"It's just everything you pretty much dream and dreams just came true," said Slovenian-born Kings sniper Anze Kopitar. "To do it in front of the home crowd, to have my family here, my girlfriend ... to do it in front of them and share it with them is unbelievable."

CORONATION DELAYED