EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — Over the past few years, the Stanley Cup has made several trips to Marian Gaborik’s hometown of Trencin, Slovakia.
Bruins defenseman Zdeno Chara, who led Boston to the title in 2011, and Blackhawks forward Marian Hossa, who helped Chicago win it in 2010 and 2013, brought it back to Trencin — where all three stars live during the offseason — to celebrate with their friends and family.
Each time, though Gaborik would celebrate with his friends, it made him yearn to lift the trophy himself one day even more.
“I went to all of those parties,” Gaborik said Thursday. “That maybe gives you that extra motivation to see those guys winning the Cup.
“No, I didn’t touch it, by the way,” he added with a smile. “I was very happy for them. … That gives you that extra motivation, seeing guys living on the same street, to have them win it, give you extra jolt, extra motivation to be right with that group.”
Now, after the Kings won Game 1 on Wednesday, 3-2 in overtime, Gaborik is just three wins away from being a part of that group, and the former Ranger has played a crucial role in getting the Kings to this point.
Gaborik has a playoff-high 12 goals during this postseason, including the game-tying goal in the third period of the Kings’ 5-4 overtime win over the Blackhawks in Game 7 of the Western Conference finals in Chicago on Sunday, just the latest contribution he has made since being acquired from Columbus in a deadline-day trade.
“I think [Gaborik] fit really well,” Kings forward Anze Kopitar said. “We have a room where there’s a lot of character, a lot of good leaders.
“For Gabby to come in our room, I think he felt comfortable pretty quick. That’s obviously a big thing and a big reason why he’s feeling comfortable on the ice, too.”
Gaborik, who hasn’t played at Madison Square Garden since the Rangers dealt him to Columbus in another deadline-day deal in April 2013, admitted it was strange to face his old team — and many of his former teammates — in Game 1.
“It was a little weird to start out with,” he said. “But as soon as the puck dropped, it was playing like any other team.
“Obviously it was a huge win for us. … [It] wasn’t a pretty one, but we’ll take it for sure.”
And with three more, he will be taking the Cup back to Trencin for his own party.