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Kovalchuk on scoring goals: “I don’t really care about that, I care about the win”

2012 NHL Stanley Cup Final – Game Four

LOS ANGELES, CA - JUNE 06: Ilya Kovalchuk #17 of the New Jersey Devils shoots the puck against the Los Angeles Kings in Game Four of the 2012 Stanley Cup Final at Staples Center on June 6, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

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Ilya Kovalchuk has been mostly a missing man in the Stanley Cup finals. He finally found his way to the score sheet in Game 4 thanks to his empty-net goal to give the Devils a 3-1 victory.

After the team’s practice this morning, Kovalchuk was asked about whether his goal would be something to spark his line into getting things going in the series. Kovalchuk took things in a different direction.

“I don’t really care about that, I care about the win,” Kovalchuk said. “It was a big win two nights ago. Our third line, er Henrique’s line they gave us a huge goal. You do what it takes. This time of year it doesn’t matter who scores the goal you just want to score more than the other team.”

Kovalchuk is saying the right things as far as the team is concerned, but he should be worried about goals as he’s the centerpiece of the Devils’ terrible power play. Kovalchuk had 10 power play goals in the regular season and has five more in the playoffs.

In the finals, however, he’s been dominated by the Kings’ penalty kill. If they Devils are going to pull off the impossible, Kovalchuk finding the net, with the man advantage or not, is how it’s going to happen.