Martinez OT Goal Claims Cup for Kings

Alec Martinez (Miami) made it Los Angeles’ night one more time—and this time, it won the Kings the Stanley Cup.

Martinez put home a rebound at 14:43 of the second overtime period at the Staples Center to lift Los Angeles to a 3-2 win over the New York Rangers in Game 5 of the 2014 Stanley Cup Final. The goal also captured the Kings’ second NHL crown in three years, after they won their previous three series this spring in seven games apiece.

Martinez also got the game-winner in sudden death in the Western Conference final against the Chicago Blackhawks last month.  Friday’s victory marked the first time that an NHL team had clinched the Cup in overtime on its home ice since the New York Islanders did so back in 1980.

The Rangers, who trailed 1-0 after one period on Friday night after a score by eventual Conn Smythe Trophy winner Justin Williams, got goals from a pair of former Boston College forwards to take a 2-1 lead after 40 minutes. Chris Kreider tied the game on a power play off a cross-ice pass by Ryan McDonagh (Wisconsin), before Brian Boyle scored shorthanded in the final minute of the period after taking a center-ice feed from Carl Hagelin (Michigan) and racing in to wrist a shot past Kings goaltender Jonathan Quick (UMass).

Former Rangers forward Marian Gaborik tied the game in the third period on a power play, knocking in a rebound for his league-leading 14^th goal of the 2014 playoffs. The Kings ultimately outshot New York by a 51-30 margin on the evening, as the home side won for the fourth time in five games in the Final.

Both teams had chances in the extra sessions. McDonagh hit a post in the first overtime, while Kreider was stopped on a breakaway. Tyler Toffoli and Jeff Carter both hit posts for LA, before Martinez finished off a 3-on-2 rush in the second OT.  Other college players who will get a ring from the Kings this year besides Martinez and Quick are defensemen Matt Greene (North Dakota) and Willie Mitchell (Clarkson).

Henrik Lundqvist finished with 48 saves for the Rangers, who lost three games in overtime in this series, the first time they had made the Final since winning their last Cup in 1994. Quick finished with 28 stops in recording his 16^th win of the postseason, and his second career Cup with the Kings.