Kings vs Rangers

GREENBURGH, N.Y. -- The New York Rangers won't be looking to rekindle old friendships when they play the Los Angeles Kings in the Stanley Cup Final. But many of the Rangers players will notice a familiar face on the Kings roster when they play Game 1 on Wednesday at Staples Center (8 p.m. ET; NBC, CBC, RDS).

And for one former Rangers player, the Cup Final will be a vivid reminder of where he came from.

Kings forward Marian Gaborik was a crucial piece of the Rangers team that advanced to the 2012 Eastern Conference Final before losing in six games to the New Jersey Devils. In just two years, Gaborik has gone from being one of the Rangers' best teammates to one of their most dangerous adversaries.

GREENBURGH, N.Y. -- After waiting for three days, the New York Rangers finally learned Sunday who they will play in the 2014 Stanley Cup Final. The Los Angeles Kings advanced by defeating the Chicago Blackhawks 5-4 in overtime in Game 7 of the Western Conference Final.

Hours away from boarding a flight to Los Angeles for Game 1 Wednesday at Staples Center (8 p.m. ET; NBC, CBC, RDS), the Rangers took some time to assess their next opponent. And they were not taking them lightly.

"[They're] a team that knows how to win, is very resilient. It's going to take a lot to beat them," forward Brad Richards said. "They seem to always find a way to get back in a series and win a series. They just won a Cup a couple of years ago, so they're a major challenge."

Resiliency and emotion have carried the Los Angeles Kings and New York Rangers into the Stanley Cup Final. But neither would be getting prepared to play Game 1 on Wednesday at Staples Center (8 p.m. ET, NBC, CBC, RDS) without some phenomenal individual performances.

The Conn Smythe Trophy, awarded to the most valuable player in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, won't be officially handed out until a champion is crowned either on or before June 18. Here are the top five candidates after three rounds:

The New York Rangers and Los Angeles Kings may need a little time to feel each other out when they meet in the 2014 Stanley Cup Final.

Not only have the Rangers and Kings not played each other in more than six months, they haven't met in the Stanley Cup Playoffs since New York's 3-1 series victory in the best-of-5 first round in 1981. Their only other playoff meeting was in 1979, when the Rangers swept a best-of-3 preliminary-round series.

The Rangers and Kings concluded their two-game season series before Thanksgiving, with each team winning in the other's building. The Rangers came to Staples Center for their second game of the season and left with a 3-1 victory that featured a 160-foot shorthanded goal by New York defenseman Ryan McDonagh in the third period on a clearing attempt that bounced past the pad of Kings goaltender Jonathan Quick.

The Kings got a measure of revenge Nov. 17, winning 1-0 at Madison Square Garden. Since-traded backup goaltender Ben Scrivens outplayed New York's Henrik Lundqvist by stopping all 37 shots he faced, making rookie Tyler Toffoli's second-period goal stand up for the win.

NEW YORK -- The National Hockey League today announced further schedule information, including starting times and television information, for the 2014 Stanley Cup Final, which begins Wednesday, June 4.

Based on their superior regular-season point total, the Western Conference Champion Los Angeles Kings will host Games One and Two of the best-of-seven Final, as well as Games Five and Seven, if necessary.

Games Three and Four, as well as Game Six, if necessary, will be hosted by the Eastern Conference Champion New York Rangers.

Media Day in advance of the 2014 Stanley Cup Final will be Tuesday, June 3, at STAPLES Center. Interview opportunities will be available with the general manager, head coach and entire roster of each of the clubs participating in the Stanley Cup Final. A full schedule of events for Media Day will be released on Monday.

The New York Rangers and Los Angeles Kings may need a little time to feel each other out when they meet in the 2014 Stanley Cup Final.

Not only have the Rangers and Kings not played each other in more than six months, they haven't met in the Stanley Cup Playoffs since New York's 3-1 series victory in the best-of-5 first round in 1981. Their only other playoff meeting was in 1979, when the Rangers swept a best-of-3 preliminary-round series.

GREENBURGH, N.Y. -- To figure out how and why Alain Vigneault became the ideal coach for the New York Rangers this season, first you have to go back to the preseason schedule in late September.

"It might sound stupid, it probably is, but I always say for a 7 o'clock game, 6:30 warm-up, at 6 o'clock my teams always shut the music off in the dressing room," Vigneault said Sunday. "It sounds stupid, but I always shut it. I did the same thing here."

Until he didn't.

Vigneault on Sunday recounted the story of how his rule changed.

He said defenseman Dan Girardi approached him before an exhibition game to let him know the players, particularly goalie Henrik Lundqvist, would prefer to keep the music on rather than adhere to what at the time might have seemed like a rigid rule of 6 o'clock.

"I said, 'OK, we'll go [to] 6:15,'" Vigneault recalled.

That wasn't good enough.

GREENBURGH, N.Y. -- A group of New York Rangers players went to the Yankees game on Saturday as a way to unwind. Rick Nash said he walked around Manhattan to get some fresh air and relax. Others stayed home with their wife and kids, catching up on some lost family time.

"Definitely a mental break," said Rangers defenseman Ryan McDonagh, one of the few who went to Yankee Stadium.

To a man, the Rangers' players commented that staying away from the rink Friday and Saturday was exactly what they needed after playing 20 games in the Stanley Cup Playoffs and booking their ticket to the Stanley Cup Final with a 1-0 win against the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday night.

They were thrust back into reality Sunday, even though it still feels like a dream to be playing meaningful hockey in June.

The Rangers went through the first of three consecutive workouts in preparation of the Cup Final at their suburban training facility. It was a 45-minute high-paced practice. The only players missing were backup goalie Cam Talbot (undisclosed injury, day-to-day) and forward J.T. Miller (upper-body injury, day-to-day).

New York Rangers backup goaltender Cam Talbot did not practice Sunday due to an unspecified injury. Coach Alain Vigneault said Talbot is day-to-day but did not elaborate further.

David Leneveu, the Rangers' third-string goalie behind Talbot and Henrik Lundqvist, skated Sunday in New York's first practice since advancing to the Stanley Cup Final with a 1-0 win against the Montreal Canadiens in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Final this past Thursday.

The Rangers will play either the Chicago Blackhawks or the Los Angeles Kings in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final on Wednesday. The Kings and Blackhawks will compete in Game 7 of the Western Conference Final on Sunday night at United Center (8 p.m. ET; NBCSN, CBC, RDS).

NEW YORK -- This was Alain Vigneault letting his hair down for a few moments.

His tie was still done up and his shirt was still crisp, as if it had been recently pressed, but the New York Rangers coach was very much at ease and even somewhat giddy as he stood at the podium in the press conference room at Madison Square Garden late Thursday.

Vigneault was fielding questions following the Rangers' 1-0 series-clinching win against the Montreal Canadiens in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Final. He had already answered two questions before hearing the third.

Now Vigneault was laughing.