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Patrik Elias... Stanley Cup puck thief?

2012 NHL Stanley Cup Final – Game Three

LOS ANGELES, CA - JUNE 04: Patrik Elias #26 of the New Jersey Devils moves the puck ahead of Simon Gagne #12 of the Los Angeles Kings in Game Three of the 2012 Stanley Cup Final at Staples Center on June 4, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

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Over the weekend we shared with you the story about how the Los Angeles Kings lost track of where their Stanley Cup-winning puck was. All we could see on video was Jordan Nolan skating in the same general area as the puck when the final horn sounded and then... Nothing.

Rich Hammond of L.A. Kings Insider has been dogged on the case and he’s got a puck stealing suspect in Devils forward Patrik Elias. Hammond explains the situation.

The following video of the last two minutes of the game, and the ensuing celebration, clearly shows New Jersey’s Patrik Elias flip the puck into his glove and then skate off the ice. After it goes into Elias’ glove, it’s not seen again. Elias goes to the Devils’ bench, then returns to the ice after a few moments for the handshake line.

Here’s the video in question Hammond speaks of. It’s a bit lengthy, so just skip to the closing seconds of the game to do your own Zapruder-film-like examination.

Hammond wonders if Elias would actually be so petty by keeping the puck. Taking the game puck was never a big deal to Chris Pronger back in 2010 so perhaps this is something the players just don’t give a crap about while fans go nuts over it. Besides, the Kings won the Stanley Cup, if Elias wants to keep the puck as some sort of moral victory, let ‘em have it.