LOS ANGELES (AP) The Clarence Campbell Bowl was in Staples Center for the first time, waiting to be presented by Commissioner Gary Bettman to the NHL's Western Conference champions. The Los Angeles Kings' long-suffering fans gathered downtown shortly after dawn, eager to witness a series sweep and a coronation.

And then Captain Coyote and his goalie crashed the party for a win that suggests this series is far from finished.

Shane Doan scored two goals, Mike Smith made 36 saves in his third playoff shutout, and the Phoenix Coyotes emphatically avoided playoff elimination with a 2-0 victory in Game 4 of the conference finals on Sunday.

Ray Whitney and Antoine Vermette had assists for the Coyotes, who avoided the sweep by snapping the eighth-seeded Kings' eight-game winning streak and canceling Los Angeles' plans to celebrate its first berth in the Stanley Cup finals since 1993. With their backs against the glass, the Coyotes soundly outplayed an opponent that had been on an 11-1 run through the postseason.

''We recognize we put ourselves in a tough position, (but) we also know it has been done,'' said Doan, Phoenix's captain since 2003 and the sole remaining member of the Winnipeg Jets team that moved to the desert in 1996.

''I guess that's what sports are all about, trying to do something that someone hasn't done for a while, try to do things (when) the odds are kind of stacked against you,'' Doan added. ''Nobody wants to be in the position we're in, but everybody wants to prove they can answer that call.''

Phoenix still must win three more games to become just the fourth team in NHL history to rally from an 0-3 series deficit, but the Coyotes finally regained the form they showed in knocking off Chicago and Nashville in the first two rounds.

Game 5 is Tuesday night in Phoenix. Los Angeles is 7-0 on the road in the playoffs, but the Coyotes can't wait to see another whiteout in their stands.

''Two ways to look at it: They're either due to lose, or we've got to find a way to stop them,'' Doan said. ''Law of averages says you're going to lose eventually on the road, so it happens. Next game wouldn't be a bad one to lose.''

Doan scored on a power play in the first period and on a deflected shot in the second, silencing the crowd at the Kings' first loss since April 18. Smith, who has all three of his shutouts on the road, made several impressive saves while outplaying Jonathan Quick for the first time in the series.

''We had nothing to lose,'' Smith said. ''We had to make sure we played our best game. That would give us a chance to win. We obviously had a huge game from Doaner, and it trickled down through our lineup. He was unbelievable. He was such a great leader tonight. Every guy knew that they were going to do their part to try to force this series to Game 5.''

Quick stopped 19 shots with little help from his Los Angeles teammates, who were shut out for the first time in the postseason while hitting a bump in what had been one of the most impressive playoff runs in NHL history.

The Kings have reached the Cup final just once in 44 seasons of existence, but their worst game of the postseason prevented them from claiming just the second conference title in franchise history - and becoming just the second No. 8 seed to win three playoff rounds.

''Phoenix played a really good game and came out hard,'' Kings defenseman Matt Greene said. ''They got a big power-play goal against us there, and they got a big faceoff goal. Smith was awesome tonight. They played well, and we can play better. We need to respond better than that.''

The resilient Coyotes are no strangers to adversity after making the playoffs in three straight seasons without an owner or impressive fan support. Asked by Doan and coach Dave Tippett to show their pride in Game 4, the Coyotes showed they're not done with the longest playoff run in franchise history.

''We're going to go home feeling like we can grab some momentum out of this game,'' Tippett said. ''There's some areas we can certainly embrace that we did better in this game than the other games in this series. You go home and try to push it along again. We're in the same situation.''

The scene was set for a Kings crowning at Staples Center, but they'll have to have to fly to Phoenix after practice Monday. Los Angeles probably should work on its power play, now in a 3-for-60 slump after going 0 for 6 in Game 4.

''Do I like going back on the road tomorrow? No, absolutely not,'' Kings coach Darryl Sutter said. ''But that's the way it works. That's why it's four out of seven. Did we think, as not a home-ice team, we weren't ever going to lose a game? No, it's that simple. You're supposed to play 28 games, not 12 or 13, four or five.''

With its fans standing and cheering from pregame warmup onward, Los Angeles showed only flashes of its usual aggressive forechecking and speed in Game 4. Phoenix managed just two shots in the first 14 minutes, but Doan still put the Coyotes ahead late in the period, skating out from behind the net and flicking a backhand past Quick.

Doan's first goal in five games snapped Phoenix's 0-for-22 power play drought and ended the Kings' streak of 30 straight penalties killed, dating to Game 5 of the first round against Vancouver on April 22. Los Angeles also fell behind in a game for just the second time since the second-round opener against St. Louis.

Doan scored again midway through the second period with a deflected shot after Vermette won a faceoff. Doan's shot ricocheted off the camera inside the net, and play briefly continued while the Coyotes raised their arms.

The Kings were awful in the second period, with a failing forecheck and poor passing. Smith nearly gifted a goal to the Kings with a turnover behind his net, but the 40-year-old Whitney dived to deflect Dustin Brown's shot on an open net.

''When you have nothing to lose, you just throw it all out there and see what happens,'' Whitney said. ''You could see we were a little less nervous with the puck.''

Although a confluence of big sporting events in downtown Los Angeles threatened to affect the day for Kings fans, they weren't deterred by the traffic nightmares threatened by the Tour of California cycling race outside and a Clippers evening playoff game.

Thousands of black-jerseyed faithful formed lines outside pubs and thronged the streets outside Staples. Most of the seats were already filled by the warm-up, which began at almost the exact moment Peter Sagan won the Tour's final stage on the street outside.

The NBA worried a multiple-overtime playoff game might force a delay of the Clippers' Game 4 against the San Antonio Spurs, or even force a postponement to Monday.

The Coyotes avoided all overtimes - and all celebrations.

NOTES: Martin Hanzal returned to the Coyotes' lineup after sitting out Game 3 under suspension for boarding Brown. Veteran D Adrian Aucoin also returned for Phoenix after missing the series' first three games with an injury. Aucoin went to the dressing room in the third period, but the Coyotes made no injury announcement. ... Several Kings greats watched the game together in a luxury suite, including Rogie Vachon, Butch Goring, Glen Murray and Ian Turnbull. ... Rainn Wilson, Matthew Perry and David Beckham attended the game.

NEW YORK (AP) John Tortorella stood out again at a playoff news conference. Only this time it was because of his feistiness toward the New Jersey Devils and not for his brevity and contentiousness with the media.

The New York Rangers coach defended forward Brandon Prust, who could be facing a suspension because of an elbow to the head of New Jersey defenseman Anton Volchenkov, and accused the Devils of embellishing to draw penalties against the Rangers in the Eastern Conference finals.

''We tell our players, 'Don't stay down on the ice. Get up,''' Tortorella said Sunday. ''I'll leave it at that. If we want to start discussing officials with the media, I have a long list here.''

He then began to air it.

Tortorella said the Devils set picks during power plays to set up shots for Ilya Kovalchuk and prevent the Rangers from getting into position to block them. He added that forward Dainius Zubrus elbowed New York defenseman Anton Stralman on Saturday, and said top New Jersey forward Zach Parise launched himself into another defenseman, Michael Del Zotto.

Neither of those players, nor Prust, was penalized for their hits during the Rangers' 3-0 win that gave New York a 2-1 lead in the East finals.

Kovalchuk scored a power-play goal in Game 2 that the Rangers say was made possible by a pick.

''We're trying not to get picked,'' Rangers forward Brad Richards said. ''Sometimes you get picked. We're trying to let the refs know and have them look at it.''

Prust had a chance to present his version of the hit during a telephone hearing with NHL disciplinarian Brendan Shanahan on Sunday morning.

''I was able to talk quite a bit and explain where I was coming from,'' Prust said. ''I was just trying to get into that check, I was at the end of a shift, just skating over for a routine check, I just wanted to rub him out and get off the ice.

''He bailed out of it and turned and kind of went low. It's just kind of a reaction. When you're off-balance, your arms go up, I didn't want to do a face plant into the boards. It was just kind of a reaction, I had no intent to hit him in the head there. There was nothing vicious about it.''

Prust's elbow connected with the back of Volchenkov's helmet near the boards at 2:38 of the second period. Volchenkov stayed down for a bit, but remained in the game and didn't miss a shift.

Game 4 is Monday night in New Jersey, and the Rangers might have to take the ice without Prust.

''I have no clue really,'' Prust said when asked if he thought he would be suspended. ''I know I've played a lot of professional hockey games and never been suspended before, I don't even think I had an elbowing penalty this year, so I'm sure they'll take that into account. I didn't even really feel that elbow. I went to the bench and thought maybe I caught him with my knee, maybe charley-horsed him.

''I didn't hit him that hard, I think I just kind of grazed his helmet a little bit, and it stood up. For sure he's trying to get a penalty when your helmet comes up. It's just natural to try to sell it for a power play.''

Not surprisingly, Devils coach Peter DeBoer saw it quite differently.

''Headhunting. Plain and simple,'' he said Saturday.

Prust wasn't fazed a bit by DeBoer's characterization.

''I'm not really too worried about what he has to say,'' Prust said. ''He's not my coach.''

This is just the latest banter between the Devils and Rangers and their respective head coaches.

Tensions erupted on March 19 in the final regular-season meeting between the Atlantic Division rivals, when DeBoer had enforcers Cam Janssen, Eric Boulton and Ryan Carter in the starting lineup, and Tortorella countered with a physical lineup of Prust, Mike Rupp and Stu Bickel.

The game began with those six players engaging in fights.

DeBoer said Tortorella's remarks on Sunday were, ''comical.''

''Calling Prust a head hunter is unnecessary,'' Rangers defenseman Marc Staal said. ''He has been a pretty honest player his whole career.''

Tortorella backed up Prust on Sunday, saying he didn't feel the hit warranted a suspension. He also noted that Prust has never faced disciplinary action in his five NHL seasons.

''Prust has played probably 300-plus games without any hearing, anything going on with him,'' he said. ''He's probably one of the most honest players.

''Maybe if our players stayed down on the ice, we'll get something.''

If Prust is unavailable, the Rangers could have Brandon Dubinsky back in the lineup for the first time since Game 7 of the first-round series against Ottawa, when he injured his right foot or ankle. Dubinsky skated with his teammates while wearing a contact jersey during Sunday's optional practice.

Another possibility is Mats Zuccarello, who has been sidelined since March 23 with a broken wrist.

''I don't know what I'm going to with the lineup,'' Tortorella said. ''I don't think he should be suspended, so I really haven't gone that far.''

Whether Tortorella's comments were fueled by anger or gamesmanship, the fiery coach wasn't about to sit back and have one of his players attacked at this critical juncture of the playoffs.

''We pride ourselves on playing hard between the whistles,'' Staal said. ''We don't have guys on our team that dive and try to embellish.''

New York is looking to grab its first two-game lead in the playoffs. The Rangers were forced to seven games in the first two rounds by Ottawa and Washington, and would like to bring a 3-1 edge home to Madison Square Garden for Game 5 on Wednesday night.

The Devils could have a few new looks on Monday night, too. New Jersey is on the verge of getting forward Jacob Josefson into the lineup for the first time in the playoffs. Josefson, who practiced on a line with Alexei Ponikarovsky and David Clarkson on Sunday, has been out since he broke his left wrist on April 3.

''Coach told me I'm playing, and I'm very ready to go,'' Josefson said. ''It feels great. My body feels great. It may be a little tough stepping in, but I'm a little more excited than anything. I've been getting better every day and I felt I could play in this series. It's just a matter of when. I just hope I do well.''

Josefson's return will likely force out struggling veteran Petr Sykora, who practiced with the extra players on Sunday.

''He finished the season very strong,'' DeBoer said of Josefson. ''The last three, four weeks of the season he was great. Fresh legs this time of year, you're 15 games into a playoff run, can never hurt. He's been an effective guy for us, and we missed him while he was out.''

DeBoer also tinkered with his lines and split up the high-powered duo of Kovalchuk and Parise.

''I was everywhere today,'' Kovalchuk said.

Zubrus took Kovalchuk's place at right wing alongside Parise and Travis Zajac. Kovalchuk, who has played right wing since Nov. 2 against Toronto, went back to left wing on a line with Adam Henrique and Patrik Elias.

''We got shut out and we're trying to generate some offense,'' DeBoer said. ''It's been a general procedure for us to move some people around. The easy thing would be to stick with what we had, but we decided to shuffle some things around and hopefully we'll get results from it. Zubrus with Parise and Kovalchuk, they've had some chemistry in the past, prior to me even getting here. I hope that can translate to some chances.''

HELSINKI (AP) Russia won the world championship Sunday by defeating Slovakia 6-2.

Alexander Semin of the Washington Capitals scored two goals and had an assist in the rout. Russia scored three times in the second period to take control.

Alexander Perezhogin, Alexei Tereshenko, Detroit's Pavel Datsyuk and tournament MVP Evgeni Malkin of the Pittsburgh Penguins scored the other goals, with Datsyuk and Alexander Ovechkin of the Capitals assisting on two.

Slovakia defender Zdeno Chara of the Boston Bruins scored both of his nation's goals, one on a blast from the blue line, the other from close range.

Russia, the champion in 2008 and 2009, returned to the title after finishing fourth last year. It did not lose in 10 games and finished the tournament with a plus-30 goal difference.

''We are the Big Red Machine just now,'' defenseman Nikolai Kulemin of the Toronto Maple Leafs said. ''But without Alex Ovechkin and Pavel Datsyuk it would be very hard to score all those goals. And Evgeni Malkin, what can you say? He's the best player in the world, for sure.''

Malkin led in goals with 11 and points with 19, and led the plus-minus ratings at plus-14, along with teammate Perezhogin.

Datsyuk was another top performer who glued together his colleagues to play cohesively. He talked positively about his prized teammate Malkin.

''He was unbelievable all the way, and deserves all the credit he got. I am happy to play with him again,'' Datsyuk said.

Topped with seasoned stars who seemed hungry and happy, Russia put on a tremendous final show of skating speed, passing technique and imagination. It was a performance oozing self-confidence.

''I had to remind the team that Slovakia is really good, and that they beat the Czechs and Canada. I'm grateful to my team as they played well, not only in this final but in the whole tournament,'' coach Zinetula Bilyaletdinov said.

Malkin, Datsyuk, Ovechkin and Semin did not disappoint anybody. But the play of Alexander Popov, 30, centering Malkin and dangerous winger Perezhogin was sensational, and on the third line Alexei Tereshenko's swiftness stood out.

In its own zone, Russia played a very tight five-man block, with players almost stuck to each other, but moving around as a unit. On offense the players spread to open up spaces, and then again came together to finish off the attack.

Russia did not rely on big names in goal, but Semyon Varlamov, of the Colorado Avalanche took individual honors with a 93.93 save percentage and 1.70 goals-against average. In the final he had 29 saves, while Slovakia's Jan Laco and Peter Hamerlik combined for 36.

The Russian team might be built with an eye on the Olympics in Sochi in 2014, and Datsyuk was asked about the NHL possibly deciding not to let its players compete.

''That is two years from now, and I cannot say anything about something so far away as I don't even know what happens tomorrow. It is hard to say something about Sochi now,'' Datsyuk said.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) All-Star forward Claude Giroux headlines a list of five Philadelphia Flyers who needed offseason surgery.

Giroux had surgery on his right wrist to repair torn cartilage and surgery on left wrist to remove bone spurs. He needs six weeks of recovery time.

Forward Wayne Simmonds had surgery to repair a broken left index finger. His recovery time is four to six weeks.

Defenseman Matt Carle had surgery to repair a torn stomach muscle. His recovery time is four to six weeks.

Defenseman Kimmo Timonen will have surgery next week to remove a disc fragment from his lower back. Full recovery is expected in eight to 10 weeks.

Forward James van Riemsdyk will have surgery next week to repair a torn labrum in his right hip. His recovery time is six weeks.

The Flyers had 103 points in the regular season and defeated Pittsburgh in Round 1, before losing to New Jersey in five games in Round 2.

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) Rangers forward Brandon Prust could be facing punishment for an elbow to the back of the head of New Jersey Devils defenseman Anton Volchenkov during the second period of New York's 3-0 victory on Saturday in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals.

The two players came together along the side wall in the New Jersey end, and Prust pulled his arm back and let his elbow fly into the back of Volchenkov's helmet. Volchenkov dropped to the ice and stayed down briefly before getting back to his skates and returning to the bench.

''It was pretty hard, but I finished the game,'' Volchenkov said. ''It's not bad.''

No penalty was called on the play, and Volchenkov was on the ice for his next shift.