The Kings opened their first Stanley Cup finals in 19 years with two tense overtime victories in New Jersey, surviving largely on the brilliance of Quick. Los Angeles then returned home and routed the Devils 4-0 in Game 3 on Monday night, setting the stage for a celebration.

But the Devils got into the details, and the Kings must regroup.

"We couldn't score," Kopitar said. "We had a couple of chances, and we didn't bear down. We didn't get a couple of bounces in, and you have to create your own bounces. They played with a little more desperation than we did, and we have to correct that in Game 5."

No surprise given the tremendous stakes, both teams were nervous and jumpy from the opening faceoff in Game 4. Quick got plenty of work early when the Devils got two power plays in the opening minutes, while Slava Voynov and Kopitar hit Brodeur's posts for the Kings in the scoreless first period.

Both teams appeared to be as tense as the crowd in the second, with Brodeur making a stellar pad save on Simon Gagne's breakaway chance late.

The NHL unpacked the Stanley Cup deep inside Staples Center before the third period, but it never saw the ice.

Gagne and Trevor Lewis got a breakaway chance early in the third, but Brodeur sprawled on his back to stop Lewis. Brodeur mishandled the puck moments later and nearly gave it right to Brown, but the deflection off Brown's right skate barely missed the net.

Elias finally slipped in on Quick and slapped home a rebound of Bryce Salvador's shot, putting a pall on the crowd and ending Quick's scoreless streak at 138 minutes, 39 seconds.

The gloom didn't last long: Doughty teed up the latest in his long line of booming shots, and Brodeur was at least partly screened by Anton Volchenkov in front.

Notes: The Kings set a franchise attendance record for the second straight game, packing 18,867 into Staples Center. ... The Devils changed their lineup for Game 4, inserting Sykora into his sixth Stanley Cup finals along with D Henrik Tallinder, who had been out since January with a blood clot. Sykora, a healthy scratch since Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals, replaced Jacob Josefson, while Tallinder took the spot of former Kings D Peter Harrold. Sykora played more than 12 minutes, and Tallinder logged nearly 20 minutes. ... Gagne played his second straight game after returning to the lineup for Game 3. He had been out since Dec. 26 with a concussion. ... Staples Center was occupied by an LMFAO show on Tuesday night, and Van Halen will play before the teams return for a potential Game 6, although Kings coach Darryl Sutter says the ice is holding up well. ... Will Ferrell, Matthew Perry and Alyssa Milano attended the game.

More news

Don Smith / NHLI via Getty Images

Biting back

PHT: After coming back home in an 0-2 hole, the Sharks are now even with the Kings after holding on to win Game 4 Tuesday night.

NBC Sports

Highlights: Sharks even series with Kings

  The San Jose Sharks capitalized on their scoring chances in the first period and the early part of the second period in Game 4 of their Western Conference semifinal series against the Los Angeles Kings. After falling behind by two goals, the Kings almost cut the lead in half in the second period, but the referee blew the play dead as the puck was about to cross the goal line. The series is now tied at two.

Headlines

• Label

PHT: Bruins rally, put Rangers in 3-0 hole  |  Highlights

PHT: Roy's brother backtracks, unsure about Avs job

PHT: Red Wings take 2-1 series lead  |  Highlights

PHT: Toews calls 2-1 deficit 'slap in the face'

PHT: Quenneville chides Hawks' disallowed goal

Red Wings score twice in 31 seconds

Blackhawks score on controversial play

'Hawks potential tying goal waved off