Sunday’s Three Stars: Thanks to Dustin Brown, down goes Phoenix in Game 1

No. 1 Star: Dustin Brown, Los Angeles Kings

The Kings captain scored the game-winning goal on a nasty shot that beat Mike Smith, and set up Anze Kopitar's first-period tally. He had seven shots and six hits to spark his team to a 4-2 win in Game 1 of the Western Conference Final.

No. 2 Star: Mike Smith, Phoenix Coyotes

Smith made 44 saves on 47 shots faced, keeping the Coyotes in the game as he faced wave after wave of Kings offense. It wasn't his best game, but it could be argued he outplayed Jonathan Quick.

No. 3 Star: Dwight King, Los Angeles Kings

King had five goals in the regular season. He now has three in 10 playoff games, scoring on a 2-on-1 with Mike Richards and then potting the empty netter in the LA victory.

Honorable mention: Derek Morris scored from the red line and Mikkel Boedker scored after great hit by Antoine Vermette and pass by Shane Doan for the Coyotes' goals. … Trevor Lewis had two assists. … Jonathan Quick strong in the third period in a 25-save effort. … Mike Richards showed some soccer skill vs. the Coyotes:

Conn Smythe Watch: 1. Jonathan Quick, Los Angeles Kings; 2. Brad Richards, New York Rangers; 3. Dustin Brown, Los Angeles Kings; 4. Ilya Kovalchuk, New Jersey Devils; 5. Mike Smith, Phoenix Coyotes; 6. Henrik Lundqvist, New York Rangers; 7. Mike Richards, Los Angeles Kings; 8. Travis Zajac, New Jersey Devils; 9. Anze Kopitar, Los Angeles Kings; 10. Mikkel Boedker, Phoenix Coyotes

Dishonorable mention: Oliver Ekman-Larsson was a minus-3 and took a penalty that negated a Coyotes' power play in the third. … Radim Vrbata, Martin Hanzal and Ray Whitney were scoreless for Phoenix. … The teams were a combined 0-for-9 on the power play. … Finally, this was a rather terrible goal from Quick: