Kevin Allen

USA TODAY Sports

LOS ANGELES – It figured that a team that needed three Game 7 road wins to reach the Stanley Cup Final would need a double-overtime thriller to win the Stanley Cup.

The Los Angeles Kings, who proved its resiliency throughout the postseason, showed it one last time Friday night when defenseman Alec Martinez scored at 14:43 of double overtime to give the Kings a 3-2 win against the New York Rangers and their Stanley Cup title in three seasons.

"Tonight's not a night to reminisce, but there will be a time this summer when you look back at what an amazing run it was," Kings center Mike Richards said.

The Kings needed a third-period goal by Marian Gaborik just to send the game to overtime. General manager Dean Lombardi had acquired him at the trade deadline to score big goals.

"We showed all year we can come back and we came back in this one," Kings forward Kyle Clifford said.

Three times in the series, the Kings came from behind to win against the Rangers

"I think it was a little easier last time (in 2012)," said Clifford. "We had a little more adversity this time."

The Kings had to come back from a 3-0 series deficit in their first round series against the San Jose Sharks, and then took a 3-1 series against the Chicago Blackhawks, only to have the Blackhawks force them to a Game 7.

"At the the end of the day, that's what it's all about, going to battle with 20 guys that would do anything for you," said Kings captain Dustin Brown. "That's what makes us special. We're a team."

The Kings join the Blackhawks as the only teams with two championships since the salary cap was introduced in 2005.

"No one would have ever said our 2012 win was a fluke," Kings defenseman Drew Doughty said. "But now that we've won a second one ... it shows how well our team is put together.

While it is too early to call the Kings a dynasty, they certainly have been the top NHL team over the past 36 months. They have played 64 playoff games in that span, and won 42. In between their two championships, they reached the Western Conference Final.

When the salary cap was introduced, the prediction was that it would be difficult to keep good teams together. But Lombardi has effectively managed his salary cap and somehow has managed to make this Kings team even stronger than the Kings squad that captured the Stanley Cup two years ago. Lombardi has cemented his place among the NHL's top general managers.

The 2012 team won on the strength of defense and goaltending, and the 2014 team had the goaltending, defense and a dangerous offense. The Kings scored three or more goals in nine of their last 10 playoff games.

"We gave our best shot, best effort," Rangers coach Alain Vigneault said. "Three games went to OT, what can I say?"

With only Gaborik and Willie Mitchell eligible for unrestricted free agency, the Kings have the potential to make another strong run next season. They might be able to re-sign Gaborik, who played the best hockey of his career in the postseason. His 14 goals were only one shy of Wayne Gretzky's team playoff record.

He seems to be the perfect fit for center Anze Kopitar. It's the best situation Gaborik has had for his ability.

The Kings played 26 games in the postseason, only two short the maximum.

"I'm emotionally spent like I've never been before," Brown said. "It's an accumulation of everything."

Doughty and Jeff Carter played six extra games than their teammates because they helped Canada win the Olympic gold medal in Sochi.

"It's been a long year, a lot of games, I'm pretty tired right now," Doughty said. "I never thought it would be possible to win both in the same year."

PHOTOS: Stanley Cup Final