| 2014 Stanley Cup Final | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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| * – Denotes overtime period(s) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Location(s) | New York City:Madison Square Garden (3, 4) Los Angeles:Staples Center (1, 2, 5) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Coaches | NY Rangers:Alain Vigneault Los Angeles:Darryl Sutter | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Captains | NY Rangers: Vacant Los Angeles:Dustin Brown | |||||||||||||||||||||
| National anthems | NY Rangers:John Amirante Los Angeles:The Tenors (1) Los Angeles::Pia Toscano (2, 5) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Referees | Steve Kozari (1, 3, 5) Brad Watson (1, 3, 5) Wes McCauley (2, 4) Dan O'Halloran (2, 4) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Dates | June 4–13, 2014 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| MVP | Justin Williams (Kings) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Series-winning goal | Alec Martinez (14:43, 2OT, G5) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Hall of Famers | Rangers: Henrik Lundqvist (2023) Martin St. Louis (2018) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Networks | Canada: (English):CBC (French):RDS United States: (English):NBC (1–2, 5),NBCSN (3–4) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Announcers | (CBC)Jim Hughson,Craig Simpson, andGlenn Healy (RDS)Pierre Houde andMarc Denis (NBC/NBCSN)Kenny Albert (1),Mike Emrick (2–5),Eddie Olczyk, andPierre McGuire (NHL International)Dave Strader andJoe Micheletti | |||||||||||||||||||||
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The2014 Stanley Cup Final was thechampionship series of theNational Hockey League's (NHL)2013–14 season, and the culmination of the2014 Stanley Cup playoffs. The League realigned its divisions prior to the season, and changed the structure of the playoffs, but the championship series remained the same. TheWestern Conference championLos Angeles Kings defeated theEastern Conference championNew York Rangers four games to one to win their second championship in franchise history, marking the first time since2007 that the championship series was determined in fewer than six games. Their Stanley Cup–winning run of 26 playoff games was later tied by the2019 St. Louis Blues for the longest of any Stanley Cup–winning team in history.[1]
Los Angeles had home ice advantage in the series, as the Kings finished with a better regular season record than the Rangers. The series started on June 4 and ended on June 13 with the Kings winning their second Stanley Cup inthree seasons. It was the first meeting between teams fromNew York City andLos Angeles for amajor professional sports championship since theYankees and theDodgers played in the1981 World Series.[2][3] Coincidentally, 1981 was also the last time the Rangers and the Kings had met in the postseason; that was the last season where the league did not use a geographical based playoff format and as a result any two teams could meet in any round of the postseason regardless of geography. In 1981 the Rangers eliminated the Kings during the first round of theplayoffs.[2]
This was the eighth meeting between teams fromLos Angeles andNew York City for amajor professional sports championship. This previously occurred in fourWorld Series (1963,1977,1978,1981), and threeNBA Finals (1970,1972,1973).[4]
This was New York's 11th appearance in the Stanley Cup Final, and they were seeking their fifth Cup championship overall and their first one since1994, 20 years earlier. Since their win in 1994, their only other post-season highlights were reaching the Conference Finals in 1997 and 2012.
The Rangers entered the season after essentially swapping head coaches with theVancouver Canucks: the Rangers and the Canucks firedJohn Tortorella andAlain Vigneault, respectively, and then coincidentally hired the other's former coach.[5] While Vancouver, under Tortorella's first year, failed to make the playoffs, Vigneault guided New York to 96 regular season points and second place in the newMetropolitan Division.[6] En route, the Rangers made a major trade with theTampa Bay Lightning on March 5, acquiring Tampa Bay's captainMartin St. Louis in exchange for their own captainRyan Callahan. The transaction happened as Callahan and the Rangers were not close to terms on a new contract, while St. Louis was unhappy at his initial omission from the Olympics bySteve Yzerman (general manager of both the Lightning andTeam Canada).[7]
In the first round of the playoffs, the Rangers eliminated thePhiladelphia Flyers in seven games.[8] Then, in the second round against thePittsburgh Penguins, New York overcame a 3–1 game deficit to win the series.[9] In the Eastern Conference Finals, the Rangers defeated theMontreal Canadiens in six games to capture their first Eastern Conference championship in20 years.[10] In the process, the Rangers became the first team ever to play two full seven-game series in the first two rounds of the playoffs and reach the Stanley Cup Final, a feat later matched and exceeded in the same postseason by the Kings.
Due to trading away captain Ryan Callahan and not naming a successor for the remainder of the season, Rangers were the first team since the1972–73 Chicago Black Hawks to advance to the Stanley Cup Final without a captain.[11]
By reaching the Finals with the Rangers,Mats Zuccarello made history when he became the firstNorwegian to play in the Stanley Cup Final.[12]
Los Angeles made their third appearance in the Stanley Cup Final and sought to capture their second Cup championship after winning it in2012.
Much of the core from the Kings' 2012 championship remained on the team. Los Angeles made a late regular season trade on March 5, acquiring former RangerMarian Gaborik from theColumbus Blue Jackets in exchange forMatt Frattin and two draft picks.[13] The Kings then finished the regular season in third place in thePacific Division with 100 points.
The Finals were the only series in the 2014 playoffs in which the Kings had home ice advantage. Los Angeles needed three consecutive game sevens to advance to the Cup Finals (breaking the aforementioned Rangers' game sevens record just a couple of days later), winning all of them on the road.[1] The team became the fourth team in NHL playoff history to win a seven-game series after losing the first three games, defeating theSan Jose Sharks in the first round.[14] The Kings eliminated theirlocal rivalAnaheim Ducks next, despite squandering a 2–0 series lead and then facing a 3–2 series deficit.[15] In a rematch of the 2013 Western Conference Final, the Kings defeated the defending Stanley Cup championChicago Blackhawks in the Western Conference Final who had forced a seventh game after trailing the series 3–1.[16]
Like their 2012 championship series, the Kings' 2014 Cup Finals was marked by a 3–0 series start of winning the first two games in overtime and the third as a shutout.[1] With their 2014 Stanley Cup win, the Kings have the distinction of winning the first championship after the League's realignment as well as becoming the first team in the salary-cap era to win two championships in the span of three years or less.[1] Their 2012 championship made them also the final team to win the Cup in the League's last full season before the realignment, as the 2012–13 season was shortened by a lockout.[1] The Kings played a record 26 playoff games to win the Stanley Cup, the most ever for a champion (theSt. Louis Blues matched this feat in2019).
| June 4 | New York Rangers | 2–3 | OT | Los Angeles Kings | Staples Center | Recap |

The Kings overcame a two-goal deficit to defeat the Rangers 3–2 in the first game. New York built their 2–0 lead in the first period by scoring 1:42 apart.Benoit Pouliot scored first on a breakaway after stealing the puck fromDrew Doughty, then shooting pastJonathan Quick.Carl Hagelin then recorded a short-handed goal, as his shot was initially blocked by Quick but then rebounded off ofSlava Voynov's skate into the net. The Kings' comeback began withKyle Clifford's goal late in the first period. Clifford shot it in from near the left post after receiving a pass fromJeff Carter. Doughty tied the game in the second period, beatingHenrik Lundqvist from the left circle. In the third period, the Kings outshot the Rangers, 20–3, but neither Lundqvist nor Quick allowed any goals. In the final minute of regulation, Quick stopped Hagelin's shot on a breakaway, and seconds later Lundqvist barely kept Carter's wrap-around shot from crossing the goal line. In overtime,Daniel Girardi turned over the puck in the New York zone, leadingMike Richards to pass the puck toJustin Williams, who then put the puck over Lundqvist to win the game.
| Scoring summary | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Period | Team | Goal | Assist(s) | Time | Score |
| 1st | NYR | Benoit Pouliot (4) | Unassisted | 13:21 | 1–0 NYR |
| NYR | Carl Hagelin (7) –sh | Brian Boyle (5) andRyan McDonagh (11) | 15:03 | 2–0 NYR | |
| LAK | Kyle Clifford (1) | Jeff Carter (14) | 17:33 | 2–1 NYR | |
| 2nd | LAK | Drew Doughty (5) | Justin Williams (12) andKyle Clifford (4) | 06:36 | 2–2 TIE |
| 3rd | None | ||||
| OT | LAK | Justin Williams (8) | Mike Richards (7) | 04:36 | 3–2 LAK |
| Penalty summary | |||||
| Period | Team | Player | Penalty | Time | PIM |
| 1st | LAK | Alec Martinez | Hooking | 09:12 | 2:00 |
| NYR | Mats Zuccarello | Holding | 14:34 | 2:00 | |
| 2nd | LAK | Jake Muzzin | Interference | 03:54 | 2:00 |
| NYR | Derick Brassard | Boarding | 06:45 | 2:00 | |
| LAK | Mike Richards | Slashing | 18:41 | 2:00 | |
| 3rd | NYR | Daniel Girardi | Hooking | 02:37 | 2:00 |
| NYR | Rick Nash | Holding | 07:54 | 2:00 | |
| LAK | Drew Doughty | Diving | 07:54 | 2:00 | |
| NYR | Brian Boyle | Slashing | 18:24 | 2:00 | |
| OT | None | ||||
| Shots by period | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | OT | Total |
| NY Rangers | 13 | 9 | 3 | 2 | 27 |
| Los Angeles | 14 | 7 | 20 | 2 | 43 |
| June 7 | New York Rangers | 4–5 | 2OT | Los Angeles Kings | Staples Center | Recap |

The Kings overcame three two-goal deficits to defeat the Rangers 5–4 in double overtime. Including their game seven victory in the Western Conference Final against theChicago Blackhawks, Los Angeles became the first team in Stanley Cup playoffs history to overcome three consecutive two-goal deficits. With the first game also going to overtime, it marked the third consecutive year that the first two games of the Stanley Cup Final went to overtime. Ryan McDonagh and Mats Zuccarello scored in the first period to give the Rangers a 2–0 lead.Jarret Stoll then cut New York's lead in half at 1:46 of the second period. The teams then traded power play goals withMartin St. Louis scoring for the Rangers andWillie Mitchell for the Kings. Eleven seconds after Mitchell's goal,Derick Brassard gave New York a 4–2 lead after miscommunication between Mitchell and Jonathan Quick behind the Kings net lead to a turnover.Dwight King's goal to cut the Rangers' lead to 4–3 early in the third period was controversial. King and McDonagh were fighting for position in front of Henrik Lundqvist whenMatt Greene shot the puck from the right point. King made contact with Lundqvist in the crease as he touched the puck before it went into the net but no goaltender interference was called: the referee ruled that the contact occurred after the puck already sailed past Lundqvist.[17] Marian Gaborik then tied the game with an unassisted goal at 7:36 of the third during a scramble in front of the New York net. At 10:26 of double overtime,Dustin Brown deflected Mitchell's shot from the left point into the net to give the Kings the 5–4 win. This gave the Kings a 2–0 series lead as the series shifted to New York City, despite never leading in either game during regulation time in Los Angeles.
| Scoring summary | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Period | Team | Goal | Assist(s) | Time | Score |
| 1st | NYR | Ryan McDonagh (4) | Dominic Moore (5) | 10:48 | 1–0 NYR |
| NYR | Mats Zuccarello (5) | Ryan McDonagh (12) andDerick Brassard (5) | 18:46 | 2–0 NYR | |
| 2nd | LAK | Jarret Stoll (3) | Justin Williams (13) andDwight King (7) | 01:46 | 2–1 NYR |
| NYR | Martin St. Louis (7) –pp | Derek Stepan (9) andChris Kreider (7) | 11:24 | 3–1 NYR | |
| LAK | Willie Mitchell (1) –pp | Slava Voynov (6) andJustin Williams (14) | 14:39 | 3–2 NYR | |
| NYR | Derick Brassard (6) | Mats Zuccarello (8) | 14:50 | 4–2 NYR | |
| 3rd | LAK | Dwight King (3) | Matt Greene (4) andJustin Williams (15) | 01:58 | 4–3 NYR |
| LAK | Marian Gaborik (13) | Unassisted | 07:36 | 4–4 TIE | |
| OT | None | ||||
| 2OT | LAK | Dustin Brown (5) | Willie Mitchell (3) andAnze Kopitar (20) | 10:26 | 5–4 LAK |
| Penalty summary | |||||
| Period | Team | Player | Penalty | Time | PIM |
| 1st | LAK | Marian Gaborik | Tripping | 07:58 | 2:00 |
| NYR | Ryan McDonagh | Cross-checking | 15:06 | 2:00 | |
| 2nd | LAK | Matt Greene | Tripping | 02:26 | 2:00 |
| NYR | Benoit Pouliot | Goaltender interference | 07:07 | 2:00 | |
| LAK | Bench (served byKyle Clifford) | Too many men on the ice | 10:44 | 2:00 | |
| NYR | Mats Zuccarello | Tripping | 12:43 | 2:00 | |
| 3rd | None | ||||
| OT | NYR | Dominic Moore | High-sticking | 10:01 | 2:00 |
| LAK | Justin Williams | Interference | 11:24 | 2:00 | |
| LAK | Jeff Carter | Goaltender interference | 14:27 | 2:00 | |
| 2OT | None | ||||
| Shots by period | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | OT | 2OT | Total |
| NY Rangers | 10 | 12 | 7 | 8 | 1 | 38 |
| Los Angeles | 9 | 11 | 12 | 6 | 6 | 44 |
| June 9 | Los Angeles Kings | 3–0 | New York Rangers | Madison Square Garden | Recap |

This was the first Stanley Cup Final game played in the state ofNew York since Game 6 of the1999 Finals inBuffalo. The Kings won 3–0, led by the goaltending of Jonathan Quick, who shut out the Rangers on 32 shots. The first period was marked by tight checking, and only nine shots were recorded by the two teams. Mats Zuccarello nearly scored for the Rangers at 12:37 of the first, but his shot went off the post and Quick's stick to stay out. With one second to play, Jeff Carter's shot from the slot deflected off a Rangers defenceman past Henrik Lundqvist to put the Kings ahead by one. In the second period,Jake Muzzin scored from the point on another deflection off a Rangers player. Mike Richards scored later in the period, on a two-on-one, his attempted pass deflecting off a Rangers player back to him, leaving Lundqvist out of position to make the stop. Meanwhile, Quick stopped all 17 shots the Rangers put on the net in the second, including a stick save on Derick Brassard when he appeared to be well out of position to make the save. There was no scoring in the third and the Kings took a three games to none series lead, putting the Rangers on the brink of elimination.
| Scoring summary | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Period | Team | Goal | Assist(s) | Time | Score |
| 1st | LAK | Jeff Carter (10) | Justin Williams (16) andSlava Voynov (7) | 19:59 | 1–0 LAK |
| 2nd | LAK | Jake Muzzin (6) –pp | Anze Kopitar (21) andMarian Gaborik (8) | 04:17 | 2–0 LAK |
| LAK | Mike Richards (3) | Kyle Clifford (5) | 17:14 | 3–0 LAK | |
| 3rd | None | ||||
| Penalty summary | |||||
| Period | Team | Player | Penalty | Time | PIM |
| 1st | LAK | Willie Mitchell | High-sticking | 17:42 | 2:00 |
| 2nd | NYR | Ryan McDonagh | High-sticking | 00:59 | 2:00 |
| NYR | Marc Staal | High-sticking | 03:18 | 2:00 | |
| LAK | Willie Mitchell | Elbowing | 08:13 | 2:00 | |
| LAK | Drew Doughty | Hooking | 11:53 | 2:00 | |
| NYR | Carl Hagelin | Slashing | 13:51 | 2:00 | |
| LAK | Jake Muzzin | Interference | 17:44 | 2:00 | |
| 3rd | LAK | Matt Greene | Tripping | 01:02 | 2:00 |
| NYR | Chris Kreider | Interference | 05:58 | 2:00 | |
| LAK | Dustin Brown | Slashing | 09:53 | 2:00 | |
| Shots by period | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | Total |
| Los Angeles | 5 | 8 | 2 | 15 |
| NY Rangers | 4 | 17 | 11 | 32 |
| June 11 | Los Angeles Kings | 1–2 | New York Rangers | Madison Square Garden | Recap |

The Rangers avoided becoming the first team since1998 to get swept in the Finals by defeating the Kings 2–1. In a turn-around from game three, the Kings outshot the Rangers and lost as Rangers netminder Henrik Lundqvist saved 40 out of 41 shots. Like games one and two, the Rangers scored the first two goals, on goals by Benoit Pouliot and Martin St. Louis. Dustin Brown scored for the Kings in the second period to cut the margin to 2–1. In the third period, the Kings put pressure on the Rangers and nearly tied the score when the puck slid past Lundqvist to rest on the goal line before being cleared away. Earlier, in the first period, another shot by the Kings also rested on the goal line and did not go in. In all, the Kings outshot the Rangers 15–1 in the third, but did not score.
| Scoring summary | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Period | Team | Goal | Assist(s) | Time | Score |
| 1st | NYR | Benoit Pouliot (5) | John Moore (2) andDerick Brassard (6) | 07:25 | 1–0 NYR |
| 2nd | NYR | Martin St. Louis (8) | Chris Kreider (8) andDerek Stepan (10) | 06:27 | 2–0 NYR |
| LAK | Dustin Brown (6) | Unassisted | 08:46 | 2–1 NYR | |
| 3rd | None | ||||
| Penalty summary | |||||
| Period | Team | Player | Penalty | Time | PIM |
| 1st | LAK | Willie Mitchell | High-sticking | 05:23 | 2:00 |
| NYR | Mats Zuccarello | Delay of game (puck over glass) | 11:39 | 2:00 | |
| 2nd | LAK | Willie Mitchell | Hooking | 02:14 | 2:00 |
| LAK | Drew Doughty | Roughing | 04:07 | 2:00 | |
| NYR | Benoit Pouliot | Roughing | 04:07 | 2:00 | |
| LAK | Tyler Toffoli | Slashing | 06:44 | 2:00 | |
| NYR | Dominic Moore | Cross-checking | 15:32 | 2:00 | |
| 3rd | None | ||||
| Shots by period | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | Total |
| Los Angeles | 11 | 15 | 15 | 41 |
| NY Rangers | 7 | 11 | 1 | 19 |
| June 13 | New York Rangers | 2–3 | 2OT | Los Angeles Kings | Staples Center | Recap |
| External videos | |
|---|---|

The Kings clinched their second Stanley Cup in franchise history, their first since2012, by defeating the Rangers 3–2 on home ice. This was the first Stanley Cup–clinching game since2010 to be determined in overtime, and the first time that the home team had the overtime Stanley Cup winner since1980. The Kings played 26 playoff games on their road to the trophy, more than any previous Stanley Cup–winning team.[1]
The Kings grabbed the lead in the first period with an even-strength goal by Justin Williams. In the second,Chris Kreider converted on a Rangers power play beforeBrian Boyle scored a short-handed goal to put the road team up by one with 30 seconds left. In the third, Marian Gaborik tied the game at two on a Kings power play. No more goals were scored in regulation and the game went to overtime. The first overtime period featured one penalty for the Kings, but the Rangers were unable to score on the ensuing power play. With five minutes to go in the second overtime period and the Kings on a 3-on-2 breakaway, Tyler Toffoli fired a shot that Henrik Lundqvist kicked out directly toAlec Martinez, who fired it into the open net to win both the game and the series for the Kings. At that time, the Kings had outshot the Rangers 51–30. It was the longest game in Kings history until 2018.[1][18]
| Scoring summary | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Period | Team | Goal | Assist(s) | Time | Score |
| 1st | LAK | Justin Williams (9) | Dwight King (8) andJarret Stoll (3) | 06:04 | 1–0 LAK |
| 2nd | NYR | Chris Kreider (5) –pp | Ryan McDonagh (13) andBrad Richards (7) | 15:37 | 1–1 TIE |
| NYR | Brian Boyle (3) –sh | Carl Hagelin (5) | 19:30 | 2–1 NYR | |
| 3rd | LAK | Marian Gaborik (14) –pp | Drew Doughty (13) andJeff Carter (15) | 07:56 | 2–2 TIE |
| OT | None | ||||
| 2OT | LAK | Alec Martinez (5) | Tyler Toffoli (7) andKyle Clifford (6) | 14:43 | 3–2 LAK |
| Penalty summary | |||||
| Period | Team | Player | Penalty | Time | PIM |
| 1st | NYR | Rick Nash | Hooking | 01:44 | 2:00 |
| LAK | Dustin Brown | Holding | 07:49 | 2:00 | |
| NYR | Benoit Pouliot | Goaltender interference | 17:34 | 2:00 | |
| LAK | Drew Doughty | Cross-checking | 18:48 | 2:00 | |
| 2nd | LAK | Dwight King | High-sticking | 14:07 | 2:00 |
| NYR | Dominic Moore | Hooking | 17:37 | 2:00 | |
| 3rd | NYR | Mats Zuccarello | Tripping | 07:39 | 2:00 |
| OT | LAK | Slava Voynov | Hooking | 03:54 | 2:00 |
| 2OT | LAK | Kyle Clifford | Boarding | 05:43 | 2:00 |
| Shots by period | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | OT | 2OT | Total |
| NY Rangers | 6 | 6 | 3 | 10 | 5 | 30 |
| Los Angeles | 7 | 10 | 12 | 13 | 9 | 51 |
Years indicated inboldface under the "Finals appearance" column signify that the player won the Stanley Cup in the given year.

Note:Brad Richards served as the Rangers unofficial team captain during the2014 Stanley Cup playoffs. Richards was the alternate captain with the longest tenure in the league on the roster at the time of the playoffs.
The 2014 Stanley Cup was presented to Kings captain Dustin Brown byNHL CommissionerGary Bettman following the Kings 3–2 overtime win over the Rangers in game five.
2013–14 Los Angeles Kings
This was the last year under the League's current Canadian TV contracts withCBC (English broadcasts of the Finals) and the cable networkTSN (English broadcasts), andRDS (French broadcasts). The NHL's twelve-year contract withRogers Communications would then take effect beginning next season, with English-language national coverage of the Finals being sub-licensed to CBC, and French-language telecasts being sub-licensed toTVA Sports. TSN will only be showing regional games for Toronto, Ottawa, and Winnipeg starting the fall of 2014.[20]
In the United States,NBCSN broadcast games three and four, whileNBC televised the remaining games. NBC Sports originally planned to repeat its coverage pattern from the last few seasons: NBCSN would televise game two and three, while NBC would broadcast game one, and then games four to seven.[21] After the League scheduled game two on the day of the2014 Belmont Stakes, coverage of games two and four were switched so NBC's telecast of the horse race would serve as lead-in programming to game two. Due to the death of a family member, NBC lead play-by-play announcerMike Emrick missed game one.Kenny Albert, who was also the Rangers radio announcer forWEPN and announced several national games (including the Western Conference Finals) for NBC/NBCSN, filled in for Emrick in the first game.[22]
Starting back up with it now it’s Martinez in a three on two, Clifford gave it across. It’s held in a shot, save, rebound, SCORE! THE STANLEY CUP! MARTINEZ!
— NBC'sMike Emrick callingAlec Martinez’s game winning goal in the second overtime period of Game 5
Hockey rarely gets much attention in Norway, a skiing-obsessed nation that turns to soccer when the snow melts. Mats Zuccarello is changing that. Zuccarello is only the seventh player from Norway to make it to the NHL, and he's the first to make it to the Stanley Cup Final.
Lundqvist said that referee Dan O'Halloran explained to him that the puck was already past him when King made contact with him
NBC will broadcast Game 1, Game 4, and Games 5–7 (if necessary), with NBCSN televising Games 2–3
| Preceded by | Los Angeles Kings Stanley Cup champions 2014 | Succeeded by |