Rangers to face Kings for the cup

Published 10:13 am Monday, June 2, 2014

GREENBURGH, N.Y. — Alain Vigneault sat comfortably inside a media tent outside the New York Rangers suburban practice facility after a good on-ice team workout.

He still didn’t know then who he would be coaching against in the Stanley Cup finals, but he didn’t seem overly concerned about the uncertainty, either, on Sunday.

Hours later the mystery ended when the Los Angeles Kings claimed the Western Conference title with a 5-4 road overtime victory against the defending Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks, who nearly erased a 3-1 series deficit to set up an Original Six finals matchup.

Email newsletter signup

The Kings are no stranger to Vigneault, who is in his first season behind the Rangers bench. Los Angeles eliminated Vigneault’s Vancouver Canucks in the first round in 2012 en route to winning the Stanley Cup for the only time in franchise history. The Kings are making their third trip to the finals.