Thanks to Alec Martinez’s double overtime goal, the Los Angeles Kings are Stanley Cup Champions for the second time in three years.
Kings vs. Rangers Game 5 final score, highlights and reaction
Los Angeles takes the Stanley Cup again
Noel Vasquez
3 - 2 (2 OT) Kings WIN, 4-1
5 things to know
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THE COMEBACK KINGS
The Los Angeles Kings never faced a deficit this postseason that they could not overcome. Whether it was a 3-0 series hole in the first round against the San Jose Sharks, needing to win consecutive games against the Anaheim Ducks in the second round, or a series of two-goal and third-period deficits in the Stanley Cup Final, the Kings always found a way to fight back and get the job done. Their 3-2 double overtime win on Friday night, which saw them erase yet another third-period deficit against the Rangers, clinched their second Stanley Cup in three years and cemented their status as the NHL's gold standard. -
ALEC MARTINEZ DOES IT AGAIN
The great thing about this Kings team is that there are no real weak links anywhere on the roster. Everybody is a contributor. That's why it was fitting that the Stanley Cup-clinching goal came with the fourth line on the ice and was scored by defenseman Alec Martinez. For Martinez, it was his fifth goal of the playoffs and two of them were among the biggest goals in franchise history. After sending the Kings to the Stanley Cup Final with his Game 7 overtime goal in the Western Conference Final, Martinez was in the right place on Friday when he drove to the net and banged in a rebound to become the 17th player to end a Stanley Cup final in overtime. -
JUST CALL HIM MR. CONN SMYTHE
Justin Williams keeps doing it. Whenever there is a big game, whether it's a Game 7 or a game with everything on the line, Williams always seems to find a way to come through. He did it again on Friday, scoring his ninth goal of the playoffs to give the Kings a 1-0 lead in the first period when he drove to the net and banged a loose puck under Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist. He finished the postseason with nine goals and 16 assists, including seven points in the Stanley Cup Final alone. That performance was not only enough to get his name on the Cup for a third time in his career, but also his first Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player in the playoffs. -
HENRIK LUNDQVIST DESERVED BETTER
Let's face it, the only reason this game didn't end in four games was because Henrik Lundqvist completely stole one at Madison Square Garden. The only reason the Rangers had even a fighting chance in Game 5 was, again, because of Lundqvist. He was absolutely sensational on Friday night and did pretty much everything he could have possibly done to single-handedly carry his team to a win outside of scoring a goal himself. Even when he was struggling through a nightmare stretch earlier in the series, a lot of that was due to pucks changing direction on deflections or random fluke plays around his crease. He's the biggest reason they made it as far as they did, and he's the reason they nearly pushed the Stanley Cup Final to a Game 6. -
ANZE KOPITAR: SUPERSTAR
Justin Williams will forever be known as the clutch guy. Marian Gaborik was the hired gun for the playoffs (and a huge one). Jonathan Quick will get all of the headlines. Drew Doughty is the human highlight reel. Dustin Brown is the captain. But when we look back on this Kings team we're going to remember that Anze Kopitar was the best player on it every single night. For the second time in three years Kopitar led the NHL in postseason scoring, and he did it while playing some of the best defensive hockey in the league. going up against every other team's top players and helping to shut them down every night.
Stanley Cup Final Schedule
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