Alec Martinez scored at 5 minutes, 47 seconds in overtime as the Los Angeles Kings beat the Chicago Blackhawks 5-4 in Game 7 of the NHL Western Conference Finals on Sunday to advance to the Stanley Cup Finals.
Martinez’s shot went off Blackhawks defenseman Nick Leddy and over goalie Corey Crawford, stunning the sellout crowd at the United Center and leading to wild on-ice celebration for Los Angeles. Leddy was disconsolate as the Kings gathered in a big huddle along the boards.
Los Angeles improved to 7-0 in elimination games with their third Game 7 win on the road this post-season. They host the New York Rangers in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals tomorrow.
Photo: USA Today
“We’ve battled back so many times this year and so many times in these playoffs, we said: ‘Why not again today?’” said Justin Williams, who had a goal and an assist.
“It was a total team effort, every single guy here giving everything they’ve got,” Williams added.
The Kings became the first team to play 21 games through the first three rounds of the playoffs and make it to the finals. The 2002 Avalanche and 1993 Maple Leafs also played the maximum amount of games through three series, but they lost in Game 7 of the conference championships.
Los Angeles are the only side to play all three of those Game 7s on the road.
“You need everybody when you get to Game 7. You’re not into the individual part of it,” Kings coach Darryl Sutter said. “There’s always guys that score big goals, make big plays, but you need everybody in your lineup.”
Tyler Toffoli had a goal and an assist for the Kings, who once held a 3-1 lead in the series, only to have defending champions the Blackhawks come back to force Game 7. Marian Gaborik had the tying score midway through the third period.
Patrick Sharp scored two goals for the Blackhawks, who blew a 2-0 lead. Brandon Saad had a goal and an assist, while Patrick Kane had two more assists.
Chicago’s loss means Detroit remain the last NHL team to win consecutive titles in 1997 and 1998.
“I’ve lost some tough games, but nothing like tonight,” Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville said.
The Kings also got 37 saves from Jonathan Quick in another resilient performance for Sutter’s team.
Los Angeles trailed San Jose 3-0 in their first-round series and were down 3-2 to top-seeded Anaheim in the second round, before rallying each time.
“It’s just a great group to be part of,” Quick said. “I feel very fortunate to be with the guys. Obviously, our journey’s not done yet and we’ve got a lot of work here coming up. New York’s an awesome team. They beat great teams, so they’re battle-tested as well, so we’ve got a lot to get ready for.”
Gaborik, Williams and Mike Richards each improved to 7-0 in Game 7s. Sutter moved to 7-3 in such games, breaking a tie with Blackhawks adviser Scotty Bowman and Pat Burns for the NHL record for most coaching wins in Game 7s.
Sharp sent a big power-play drive past Quick to give the Blackhawks a 4-3 lead at 18:25 of the second period, but Gaborik responded with his NHL-best 12th playoff goal at 7:17 of the third, setting the stage for a frantic finish to regulation.
Quick turned away prime opportunities for Sharp and Bryan Bickell, before he made a terrific save on Andrew Shaw in the final seconds. Dustin Brown had a great rush to the net for Los Angeles that he nearly completed for a breathtaking score.
Jonathan Toews also scored for the Blackhawks and Crawford finished with 27 saves.
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