GLENDALE, Ariz. — Dustin Penner scored 17:42 into overtime and the Los Angeles Kings are headed to the Stanley Cup final for the second time as a franchise after beating the Phoenix Coyotes with a 4-3 victory in Game 5 of the Western Conference final Tuesday night.
Penner gathered a bouncing puck and beat Mike Smith between the pads for the game-winner, extending the Kings’ road winning streak to an NHL-record eight consecutive games. Anze Kopitar scored a short-handed goal, Drew Doughty had a goal and an assist, and Mike Richards also scored for Los Angeles.
“I got a lucky bounce,” Penner said. “I just waited for it to settle down, and I got a chance to get it in the net.”
The first team to go undefeated on the road en route to the Stanley Cup final, the Kings will play Game 1 on May 30 at either New Jersey or New York.
Taylor Pyatt had a goal and an assist, Marc-Antoine Pouliot and Keith Yandle also scored Tuesday for the Coyotes in their first trip to the Western Conference final.
The Coyotes dominated early, controlling the puck, giving the Kings little room in the neutral zone or anywhere else. Phoenix had some good scoring chances early and Taylor Pyatt cashed in on a power play, redirecting Martin Hanzal’s one-timer in the slot 4:20 into the game.
“The first period was tough,” Penner said. “They threw everything at us. [Goaltender Jonathan] Quick hung in there for us, made some big saves, and we battled back. We couldn’t have done it without him.”
The Kings snatched a little momentum back with their fifth short-handed goal of the playoffs. Kopitar got it, redirecting a shot by Doughty past Smith off a faceoff after Phoenix’s goalie was called for icing.
Then it turned into a shootout in the second period.
Marc-Antoine Pouliot gave Phoenix the lead back by flipping a backhander past Quick on a loose puck in front midway through for his first career playoff goal. Doughty tied it a few minutes later, scoring from just inside the blue line on a shot Smith had trouble seeing through traffic.
Richards scored on rebound to put Los Angeles up 3-2. Keith Yandle tied it again after a pass by Pyatt caromed off his right leg past Quick.
Both teams had numerous scoring chances in a hectic third period, but both goalies made some standout saves.
They went back and forth in the overtime, too, until Penner finally ended it when a shot by Jeff Carter caromed out front to him in the slot.
At a glance
NHL CONFERENCE FINALS
TUESDAY’S GAME
Los Angeles 4, Phoenix 3, OT
Los Angeles wins series 4-1
TODAY’S GAME
All times Central
New Jersey at NY Rangers, 7 p.m.
Series tied 2-2
FRIDAY’S GAME
NY Rangers at New Jersey, 7 p.m.
Sports, Pages 29 on 05/23/2012