First off the hardwatching staff wants to nominate hockey as the real beautiful game (sorry, fútbol), especially during the Stanley Cup Finals.

There’s almost never a bad finals game, and last night’s double-overtime tilt between the Los Angeles Kings and the New York Rangers was no exception.

Random ramblings:

• Could Mike Emrick please call every hockey game? Everywhere? (Nice NPR interview here.)

• Thankfully, this series never got ugly, just a little firm-jawed now and then.

• Pick up the action in the third period, where Marian Gaborik tied the score 2-2 on a power play the Kings never should have had.

• Rangers once again weak on the puck in last six minutes, lucky to even make it to overtime.

• Frantic action in first overtime.

• Rangers power play.

• McDonough hits the post!

• Fabulous hockey – any way both these teams can win?

• Toffoli hits the crossbar!

• Frantic action in the second overtime.

• LAK penalty, good NYR power play – nothing.

• Someone hits the post! 

• Nash wide-open net, deflected by Voynov.

• Kings 3-on-2 – score!

• Handshake line.

• The always eloquent Doc Emrick, as rival goaltenders Jonathan Quick and Hendrik Lundqvist meet: “How shattered one must be, how elated the other. And there they are.”

And there you are. Another Stanley Cup inscription to come.

P.S. A week ago our friend and splendid reader Mick sent us this:

Right again, Mick. As you invariably are on all matters hockey.