Jeff Carter scored three third period goals as the Los Angeles Kings rallied to beat the Chicago Blackhawks 6-2 in game two of their NHL semi-final playoff series.
Carter scored three of five third period goals on Wednesday for the Kings, who trailed 2-0 halfway through the game before storming back to level the best-of-seven Western Conference series at one game each. Carter finished with four points, including an empty net goal.
Goaltender Jonathan Quick made 23 stops as Los Angeles posted their first road playoff win in Chicago in their last eight attempts.
“This is a huge game for our approach, our psyche,” said Kings forward Dustin Brown. “Kind of like slaying the mythical dragon.”
The winner of the Kings-Hawks series will face the Montreal Canadiens or the New York Rangers in the Stanley Cup finals. New York leads the other semi-final 2-0.
Los Angeles equalled a playoff club record Wednesday by scoring five goals in the final period.
Blackhawks netminder Corey Crawford allowed four goals on 11 shots in the third period before he was yanked. Crawford finished with 25 saves.
Reigning Stanley Cup champions Chicago suffered their first home loss in these playoffs Wednesday in front of a crowd of 22,019 at the United Center arena.
“It was a disaster,” said Chicago coach Joel Quenneville.
The Blackhawks have plenty of time to regroup before the series switches to Los Angeles’ Staples Center arena for game three.
Los Angeles knows what it is like to come from behind in the 2014 playoffs.
The Kings became the fourth team in league history to rally from a 3-0 deficit when it won the final four games against San Jose in the opening round and then came back from being down 3-2 to beat the Anaheim Ducks in the league quarter-finals.
The Kings, who played on Sunday just two days after posting a game seven win over Anaheim, looked the fresher of the two teams on Wednesday.
“We’ve been dominated by this team over the last couple of years,” Brown said. “To come in here and get a win in their building with the type of home record they have, I think gives us a boost in confidence.”