Calgary goalie Jeff Reese makes a save on a shot by Kings left wing Warren Rychel during the Kings’ 9-4 victory in Game 5 of the Smythe Division semifinals. The Kings, which finished third behind Vancouver and Calgary in the division during the regular season, defeated the Flames in six games. (Mike Ridewood / Associated Press)
Looking back at the Kings’ first Stanley Cup playoff run during the 1992-93 season.
Kings goalie Kelly Hrudey, left, makes a save on Vancouver forward Dixon Ward, right, as Kings forward Tony Granato defends during the Kings’ 7-2 loss in Game 4 of the second-round playoff series. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
Kings rookie defenseman Alexei Zhitnik, left, knocks down Vancouver center Trevor Linden during Game 6 of their second-round playoff series at The Forum. The Kings, who were considered the underdogs against the Smythe Division leading Canucks, defeated Vancouver in six games. (Steve Dykes / Los Angeles Times)
Kings captain Wayne Gretzky battles for the puck with Toronto forward Peter Zezel during Game 1 of the Campbell Conference finals. Down three games to two in their first-ever conference final appearance, the Kings pulled off an overtime victory at The Forum in Game 6 before spoiling an all-Canadian Stanley Cup Final with a 5-4 victory at Maple Leaf Gardens in Game 7. (Hans Deryk / Associated Press)
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Kings Coach Barry Melrose gestures during Game 5 of the Campbell Conference finals against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Known for his laid-back demeanor behind the bench, Melrose guided the Kings to the Stanley Cup Final in his first year as an NHL coach. He was fired near the end of the lockout-shortened 1994-95 season before becoming a hockey analyst for ESPN. (Vince Compagnone / Los Angeles Times)
Glenn Anderson, a former teammate of Wayne Gretzky‘s with the Edmonton Oilers, celebrates his overtime goal at the end of a 3-2 victory over the Kings in Game 5 of the Campbell Conference final. The goal put Toronto up 3-2 in the series. (Hans Deryk / Associated Press)
Kings left wing Luc Robitaille, center, celebrates with captain Wayne Gretzky after scoring on Canadiens goalie Patrick Roy during the first period of the Kings’ 4-1 victory in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final in Montreal. Robitaille finished the game with two goals on the power play and Gretzky also scored. (Paul Chiasson / Associated Press)
Kings forward Tony Granato, left, is checked to the ice by Montreal defenseman J.J. Daigneault during Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final. Granato, considered a fan favorite during his seven seasons with the Kings, played an important role in the team’s playoff run. Granato currently works as assistant under Pittsburgh Penguins Coach Dan Bylsma, who is also a former King. (Paul Chiasson / Associated Press)
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Kings left wing Luc Robitaille, right, controls the puck in front of teammate Tomas Sandstrom following a save by Patrick Roy during Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final. Roy played a leading role in the Canadiens’ Stanley Cup run, capturing the Conn Smythe trophy as the most valuable player of the playoffs. (Jayne Kamin-Oncea / Los Angeles Times)
Kings defenseman Marty McSorley warms up before Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final. McSorley’s unsportsmanlike penalty for having an illegally curved stick in Game 2 helped Montreal rally to a 3-2 overtime win and is considered by many to be the turning point of the series. The Canadiens outscored the Kings, 11-6, following the penalty to win four consecutive games en route to the franchise’s 24 Stanley Cup. (Vince Compagnone / Los Angeles Times)
Referee Kerry Frasier, right, issues Kings defenseman Marty McSorley (not pictured) an unsportsmanlike penalty for having an illegally curved stick late in the third period of Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final. Montreal Coach Jacques Demers asked Frasier for the stick to be measured, resulting in a power play that became a 6-on-4 advantage when Montreal opted to pull Roy for an extra attacker. Montreal defenseman Eric Desjardins scored during the power play to force overtime before scoring his third goal of the game 51 seconds into overtime to lift Montreal to a 3-2 victory. (Frank Gunn / Associated Press)
Montreal defenseman Eric Desjardins, center, celebrates with teammates Mathieu Schneider, left, and Vincent Damphousse after scoring a power-play goal with 1:13 left in regulation during Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final. Desjardins would score his third goal of the game in overtime to lift the Canadiens to a 3-2 victory. (Jacques Boissinot / Associated Press)
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Kings goalie Kelly Hrudey stops a shot by Montreal’s John LeClair, right, as teammate Brian Bellows looks on during the first period of Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final. LeClair scored the winning goal in overtime to lift Montreal to a 3-2 win in the first-ever Stanley Cup final game to be played in Los Angeles. (Reed Saxon / Associated Press)
Kings captain Wayne Gretzky, left, is congratulated by teammates Mark Hardy, center, and Tony Granato, right, after scoring a goal during Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Montreal Canadiens. (Jim Mendenhall / Los Angeles Times)