The Los Angeles Kings have won the Stanley Cup after a marathon Game 5, beating the New York Rangers 3-2 deep into a second overtime.
The Kings got the game-winning goal from Alec Martinez with 5:17 remaining in the second overtime, collecting a rebound and burying it behind Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist to win the series.
Though Martinez only scored 11 goals during the regular season, he played the part of hero well in the postseason, getting the series clinching goal against the Chicago Blackhawks and the Stanley Cup winner against the Rangers.
After the game, an exuberant Martinez said his team was focused on closing out the series.
“We knew that this was going to be a tough series, and there were a lot of guys who were around a couple of years ago who knew the fourth one was the toughest to get,” he said.
Both overtimes were a hectic affair, with both teams notching several strong scoring chances including a breakaway for New York Rangers forward Mike Richards that was stopped by Kings goalie Jonathan Quick. The Rangers also hit the crossbar in the first overtime in what would have been a crushing goal, allowing the series to move back to New York for Game 6.
In winning the game, the Los Angeles Kings pulled off one of the unlikeliest postseason runs ever. The team started the 2014 NHL playoffs by dropping three games to the San Jose Sharks, but then followed it up by becoming just the fourth team in league history to climb out of a 3-0 hole to win a series.
Afterward, they moved through the top-seeded Anaheim Ducks before dispatching the Chicago Blackhawks in a thrilling seven-game series that also ended in overtime. Martinez was again the hero, though against the Blackawks it took him just 5:47 into the first overtime to score the series winner.
The Conn Smyth Trophy was given to Justin Williams, the Kings forward and leading scorer in the Stanley Cup Finals.