10 worst Rangers playoffs moments of the past decade, part 2

1.  2014 Finals, Game 5: Alec Martinez’s double overtime goal

In this top 10 list, we have already seen the two overtime goals that gave the Los Angeles Kings Game One and Two. This was easily the most heartbreaking and still gives Ranger fans chills to this day.

After those two overtime goals, the series moved its way to the Garden. The Rangers were dominated in Game Three and all of a sudden they were staring at a 3-0 deficit. But, if the Rangers learned anything, it was to always believe. They already came back from a 3-1 deficit that year at the expense of the Pittsburgh Penguins. Why not do the same thing but with 3-0?

That mentality showed as the Rangers won Game 4. It was a scrappy game but the Rangers pulled it out 2-1. The series went back to Los Angeles.

In Game Five, the Kings came out of the gate flying. Then, they got rewarded, as Game One hero Justin Williams opened the scoring on a scramble that fell right to him. The score stayed like that for a while, but the Rangers just could not capitalize on their chances. At the end of the first, it was 1-0, but New York was knocking on the door.

It stayed like this going into the second. The Rangers, similar to that game in New Jersey in 2012, were playing for their lives. Jonathan Quick, who will go down as one of the best goalies in this era, was stopping everything. Then, with four minutes left, the Rangers finally got one. Chris Kreider finished a power play with a goal and then it was 1-1. With 30 seconds left in the second, Brian Boyle put one in the top right corner for a shorthanded goal, and all of a sudden the Rangers were going into the break up a goal.

Remember what I said earlier? Yeah, Los Angeles does not go away.

And guess who scored their tying goal with 12 minutes left? Marian Gaborik.

So many memorable moments for the Rangers, but one for the Kings that propelled them to silverware.

The Rangers knocked on the door the rest of the game but could not light up the lamp, and then overtime came. To be honest, overtime, at least the start of it, was dominated by the Kings. Lundqvist stopped everything thrown at him. The Rangers had their flurry of shots, but nothing seemed significant. Then, with 34 seconds left. Chris Kreider had another breakaway.

But Quick was quick. He covered up the net perfectly and there was nowhere for Kreider to place the puck.

Then it went to double overtime. Los Angeles hit the post in the opening minute but then it was all Rangers. Dan Girardi hit the outside of the net on a shot that looked like it was in to viewers, Rick Nash had a sure goal if it wasn’t for the stick of Slava Voynov and there were other chances too. Los Angeles had a few shots but no real threats.

Then the dagger came.

With 5:17 left, Alec Martinez finished a rebound on a 3 on 2 to give Los Angeles the 3-2 lead in the game and win them the Stanley Cup.

A game that the Rangers could have had, but they didn’t. All three games in Los Angeles could have gone the other way. But they didn’t.

This was the closest the Rangers got to the Stanley Cup in the 2010s and it was the closest Henrik Lundqvist has gotten to lifting Lord Stanley’s trophy.  Los Angeles just had to get in their way.