NHL Series of the Decade: Kings Win 2014 Western Conference Final

The 2014 Western Conference Final between the Chicago Blackhawks and LA Kings was everything it was hyped to be.
The much-anticipated matchup between the two most recent Stanley Cup Champions saw one team take a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series and the other come back to force Game 7, which went to overtime.

The Blackhawks
won 3-1 in Game 1
at United Center, then took a 2-0 lead in Game 2 before the Kings scored six unanswered goals, three by forward Jeff Carter, to
win 6-2
. The Kings went home to STAPLES Center and defeated the Blackhawks
4-3 in Game 3
and
5-2 in Game 4
to take a 3-1 series lead.
But back at United Center, forward Michal Handzus scored 2:04 into the second overtime to give the Blackhawks a
5-4 win in Game 5
, and forward Patrick Kane scored at 16:15 of the third period to give the Blackhawks a
4-3 victory in Game 6
at STAPLES Center, sending the series back to Chicago.
Chicago led 2-0, 3-2 and 4-3, but Kings defenseman Alec Martinez wound up with the biggest moment when his wrist shot from the left point line deflected off Blackhawks defenseman Nick Leddy and went over goalie Corey Crawford's shoulder for a 5-4 victory that sent the Kings to the 2014 Cup Final.
"That was probably one of the biggest goals in LA Kings history," said then-associate coach John Stevens.

"Any kid that's picked up a hockey stick in his driveway has played out that scenario in his mind and has scored that goals," Martinez said. "It's definitely something I'll remember for a long time."
It was the Kings third Game 7 of the playoffs.

"Just the way the game was back and forth, and overtime, coming back from leads. It was a fun game to play in," said Dustin Brown, whose team went on to win its second championship in three seasons by defeating the New York Rangers in the Stanley Cup Final. "Game 7 was probably one of the more memorable games; it's definitely the most memorable game I've been a part of and probably one of the more memorable games of the decade."
The same can be said of the series.
In the runup to the unveiling of the NHL First and Second All-Decade Teams on Jan. 24 (3:30 p.m. on NBCSN), the NHL will be announcing its best plays, moments, events, coaches and team of the 2010s.