Devils dispute first goal
LOS ANGELES — On the Los Angeles Kings’ first goal Monday, Dwight King was stopped by New Jersey Devils goalie Martin Brodeur but the Kings kept jabbing at the puck until Alec Martinez pushed it across the goal line at 5:40 of the second period.
The Devils thought the play should have been whistled dead because Brodeur had it covered.
“That’s a momentum-changing call at the time,” Devils coach Peter DeBoer said. “I hope he’s right. That’s an awful big call if you’re wrong.”
DeBoer said he was waiting for an explanation on why the play wasn’t blown dead.
“As soon as you lose sight of the puck, the whistle’s supposed to go,” DeBoer said. “Even if you don’t get it to your mouth, your intent is to blow it when you lose sight. Should be a dead puck.”
Gagne back in action
Left wing Simon Gagne, who has played 12 NHL seasons without winning a Stanley Cup, returned to the Kings lineup Monday after being sidelined with a concussion since Dec. 26.
Gagne took the place of fourth-liner Brad Richardson. Usually, Gagne, a one-time 47goal scorer, would play in a team’s top six, but the Kings’ top six forwards have been settled.
Gagne, 31, had 17 points in 34 games before he was hurt.
He had three shots in 6 minutes, 39 seconds Monday.
By playing in the Final, he is eligible to have his name engraved on the Stanley Cup if the Kings win the NHL championship. The general rule for inclusion is at least 40 regularseason games or one appearance in the Stanley Cup Final.
The Devils, meanwhile, kept the same lineup as they had for Game 2. Defenseman Henrik Tallinder, out since January because of a blood clot in his leg, didn’t suit up.
Vokoun dealt to Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins acquired goalie Tomas Vokoun from the Washington Capitals on Monday for a seventh-round draft pick and signed him to a two-year, $4 million contract.
Vokoun went 25-17-2 with four shutouts last season for Washington. But he suffered a severe groin injury and missed the playoffs.
In Pittsburgh, he’ll give the Penguins the option to spell Marc-Andre Fleury more often. Fleury has averaged 65 appearances the last four seasons.