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Kings’ coach Sutter defends Quick, despite OT gaffe

Los Angeles Kings v St. Louis Blues

ST. LOUIS, MO - APRIL 30: Jonathan Quick #32 of the Los Angeles Kings reacts after allowing a goal by Alexander Steen #20 of the St. Louis Blues in Game One of the Western Conference Quarterfinals during the 2013 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Scottrade Center on April 30, 2013 in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images)

Dilip Vishwanat

Had it not been for the quality goaltending of Jonathan Quick, who knows how bad the L.A. Kings could’ve lost Tuesday in their first-round series opener against the St. Louis Blues.

But, after stopping 40 shots, many of them challenging, Quick made one mistake and it cost the Kings a win: he played the puck behind the net, ran out of time and options, then coughed it up to Alexander Steen, who scored to give St. Louis a 2-1 overtime win.

“It’s exactly what it looked like,” Quick told reporters in St. Louis. “I tried to make a pass. He blocked it and scored. I don’t have an option to the left; you try to make him make a decision. And he got the stick on it.”

In his post-game comments, Kings head coach Darryl Sutter didn’t place blame on Quick.

“I thought he played a great game,” Sutter told the L.A. Times. “It’s kind of ironic the two best players on the ice were in on the goal. And even there he tries to make a play. I think Steen’s stick tapped it.”

Perhaps there were greater forces at play in the result.

“The hockey gods took care of us today. They did,” Blues head coach Ken Hitchcock told NHL.com. “We played a great hockey game.”