Los Angeles Kings’ Justin Williams wins Conn Smythe trophy
In what was one of the least surprising things about a Stanley Cup Playoff year that was full of surprises, Los Angeles Kings forward Justin Williams won the Conn Smythe trophy as the playoff MVP.
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Williams came up with clutch play after play during this year’s run to the Kings’ second Stanley Cup championship in three years, and was key for Los Angeles throughout the playoffs.
“I can’t believe I won that,” Williams said in an AP interview, via SI.com. “That will, I don’t think, ever, ever sink in. (I’m) the guy from Cobourg who played the game he loves and got to be surrounded with a lot of great teammates throughout my years.”
“It’s pretty sweet,” Williams continued. “To get that award and to get the ovation that I got from my teammates was pretty special and emotional for me.”
Williams was a solid player all season for the Kings, but became a man possessed during the playoffs, scoring nine goals and tallying 16 assists, including the Kings’ first goal early on Friday’s Game 5. He led all players in the finals with seven points, and scored dramatic overtime goal in Game 1.
The Game 7 heroics that Williams displayed during this year’s playoffs were remarkable. He had two goals and three assists in the Kings’ three separate Game 7 victories, and had a pair of two-goal games when the Kings faced elimination in the first round against the San Jose Sharks.
This is Williams third time winning the Stanley Cup, having been a part of the Carolina Hurricanes championship team in 2006, and then again with the Kings in 2012.