LA wins the CUP
Posted 11:52 AM ET | Comments 0
LOS ANGELES -- The Los Angeles Kings won the Stanley Cup the hard way, ending their marathon playoff run with a double overtime thriller.
A post-season that started with the Kings having to dig themselves out of a three-game hole against San Jose ended Friday night in a 3-2 double-overtime triumph over the New York Rangers to seal their second Cup in three seasons.
The final lasted five games, with three going to overtime -- including two double OT contests. It was the only playoff series that didn't go the distance for the Kings.
PHOTOS
Los Angeles Kings
Los Angeles Kings right wing Justin Williams, right, scores a goal against the New York Rangers during the first period in Game 5 of the NHL Stanley Cup Final series Friday, June 13, 2014, in Los Angeles. (AP / Mark J. Terrill)
Alec Martinez's winner at 14:43 of the second overtime was a fitting conclusion to a post-season slog that saw the Kings run a gauntlet of Western Conference heavyweights before dispatching the speedy Rangers in the final.
It was the 26th game of the Los Angles playoff run, matching the single-year league record set by Philadelphia in 1987 and Calgary in 2004, who both lost seven-game series in the final. L.A. did set a record for most playoff games by a Cup winner.
The Kings had to go through a murderer's row in the West just to get to the final after finishing 10th in the league with a 46-26-8 record and 100 points. Los Angles had to get by San Jose (111 points), Anaheim (116) and defending champion Chicago (107) in one of the most gruelling post-season routes on record.
They overcame a 3-2 series deficit in the second round against Anaheim and rallied from 2-0, 3-2 and 4-3 deficits in Game 7 of the Western Conference final in Chicago.
A post-season that started with the Kings having to dig themselves out of a three-game hole against San Jose ended Friday night in a 3-2 double-overtime triumph over the New York Rangers to seal their second Cup in three seasons.
The final lasted five games, with three going to overtime -- including two double OT contests. It was the only playoff series that didn't go the distance for the Kings.
PHOTOS
Los Angeles Kings
Los Angeles Kings right wing Justin Williams, right, scores a goal against the New York Rangers during the first period in Game 5 of the NHL Stanley Cup Final series Friday, June 13, 2014, in Los Angeles. (AP / Mark J. Terrill)
Alec Martinez's winner at 14:43 of the second overtime was a fitting conclusion to a post-season slog that saw the Kings run a gauntlet of Western Conference heavyweights before dispatching the speedy Rangers in the final.
It was the 26th game of the Los Angles playoff run, matching the single-year league record set by Philadelphia in 1987 and Calgary in 2004, who both lost seven-game series in the final. L.A. did set a record for most playoff games by a Cup winner.
The Kings had to go through a murderer's row in the West just to get to the final after finishing 10th in the league with a 46-26-8 record and 100 points. Los Angles had to get by San Jose (111 points), Anaheim (116) and defending champion Chicago (107) in one of the most gruelling post-season routes on record.
They overcame a 3-2 series deficit in the second round against Anaheim and rallied from 2-0, 3-2 and 4-3 deficits in Game 7 of the Western Conference final in Chicago.