L.A. Kings Earn Shot At Stanley Cup With Win Over Chicago Blackhawks

By Camila Domonoske / NPR

Published June 2, 2014 at 5:15 AM PDT

This story was published more than 10 years ago.

Jarret Stoll (No. 28) of the Los Angeles Kings celebrates his team's game-winning goal in Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals. Kings defenseman Alec Martinez scored in overtime with a shot that deflected off the Chicago Blackhawks' Nick Leddy (left).

The L.A. Kings beat the Chicago Blackhawks 5-4 on Sunday, advancing to the Stanley Cup Final in a dramatic Game 7 overtime win.

The Blackhawks, the defending Stanley Cup champions, scored the first two goals of the game and led through the first period. The Kings tied the score at 3-3 partway through the second period, but Chicago took the lead again a few minutes before the second intermission.

The Kings caught back up at 7:17 of the third period. Missed shots and frantic saves carried the game into overtime.

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Up until overtime, the Kings had never been in the lead. Then L.A. defenseman Alec Martinez scored at 5:47 into overtime, sealing the Western Conference finals.

Here's how The Associated Press described the moment:

"Martinez's shot went off Blackhawks defenseman Nick Leddy and fluttered over goalie Corey Crawford, stunning the sellout crowd at the United Center and leading to a wild on-ice celebration for Los Angeles." 'I didn't really see it go in,' Martinez said. 'I know it went off a couple bodies.' "

It's been 20 years since an NHL conference final ended in Game 7 overtime — the last game this close was in 1994, between the New York Rangers and the New Jersey Devils.

The Rangers won that nail-biter. And speaking of the Rangers, they'll be traveling to Los Angeles for Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final this Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET.

That game will mark the first championship face-off between New York and L.A., in any major sport, since the 1981 World Series.

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