1993 Stanley Cup playoffs
Encyclopedia
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
(NHL), began at the conclusion of the 1992–93 NHL season on April 18, and ended with the Stanley Cup
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
win on June 9.
The Presidents' Trophy
Presidents' Trophy
The Presidents' Trophy is an award presented by the National Hockey League to the team that finishes with the most points in the league during the regular season. If two teams tie for the most points, then the trophy goes to the team with the most wins. The winning team is also awarded C$350,000...
-winning Pittsburgh Penguins
Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the first expansion teams during the league's original...
, who had won the Stanley Cup
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
the previous two years, were the favourite to "three-peat". However, both conferences saw numerous upsets, and the championship went instead to the Montreal Canadiens
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ...
, who won in a five-game series with the Los Angeles Kings
Los Angeles Kings
The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles, California. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
. The Canadiens had 11 consecutive wins in total (tying the record), and they also set an NHL playoff record by winning 10 overtime
Overtime
Overtime is the amount of time someone works beyond normal working hours. Normal hours may be determined in several ways:*by custom ,*by practices of a given trade or profession,*by legislation,...
games.
This was the first time since the 1979 NHL-WHA merger that the Edmonton Oilers
Edmonton Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division in the Western Conference of the National Hockey League ....
had missed the playoffs. It was also the first time that longtime Oiler and then-New York Rangers
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the...
captain Mark Messier
Mark Messier
Mark Douglas Messier is a former Canadian professional ice hockey centre of the National Hockey League and current special assistant to the president and general manager of the New York Rangers. He spent a quarter of a century in the NHL with the Edmonton Oilers, New York Rangers, and Vancouver...
had missed the playoffs in his career.
Playoff bracket
Boston vs. Buffalo
Buffalo's four-game upset sweep of the heavily-favored Bruins ended with a memorable overtime goal by Brad MayBrad May
Brad S. May is a Canadian former professional ice hockey left winger who played in the National Hockey League . He grew up in Stouffville, Ontario, but played his rep minor hockey in Markham, Ontario. A veteran of over 1,000 NHL games, May was known more for his enforcing skills than his scoring...
at Buffalo's Memorial Auditorium
Buffalo Memorial Auditorium
Buffalo Memorial Auditorium was an indoor arena in downtown Buffalo, New York. It hosted the Buffalo Bisons of the AHL, the Buffalo Sabres of the NHL, the Buffalo Braves of the NBA, the Buffalo Stallions of MSL, the Buffalo Bandits of MILL, the Buffalo Blizzard of the second NPSL and the Buffalo...
as they avenged their loss to Boston from the year before.
- April 18 - Buffalo 5 Boston 4 (OT)
- April 20 - Buffalo 4 Boston 0
- April 22 - Boston 3 Buffalo 4 (OT)
- April 24 - Boston 5 Buffalo 6 (OT)
Buffalo wins best-of-seven series 4–0
Quebec vs. Montreal
The Canadiens lost the first two games of this series against the rival Nordiques, due in part to a couple of weak goals let in by star Montreal goaltender (and Quebec CityQuebec City
Quebec , also Québec, Quebec City or Québec City is the capital of the Canadian province of Quebec and is located within the Capitale-Nationale region. It is the second most populous city in Quebec after Montreal, which is about to the southwest...
native) Patrick Roy
Patrick Roy
Patrick Edward Armand Roy is a former Canadian ice hockey goaltender. Nicknamed "Saint Patrick," Roy split his professional career between the Montreal Canadiens, whom he played with for 10 years, and the Colorado Avalanche, whom he played with for 8 years, both of the National Hockey League...
. Afterward, a newspaper in Roy's hometown district suggested that he be traded, while Nordiques goaltending coach Dan Bouchard also proclaimed that his team had solved Roy. However, Montreal coach Jacques Demers held himself to a promise he had made to Roy earlier in the season and kept him as the starting goalie.
With the Habs staring a potential 3–0 series deficit to the Nords in the face, overtime in Game 3 was marked by two disputed goals that were reviewed by the video goal judge
Official (ice hockey)
In ice hockey, an official is a person who has some responsibility in enforcing the rules and maintaining the order of the game. There are two categories of officials, on-ice officials, who are the referees and linesmen that enforce the rules during game play, and off-ice officials, who have an...
. The first review ruled that Stephan Lebeau
Stéphan Lebeau
Stéphan Lebeau is a former professional ice hockey centre who played seven seasons in the National Hockey League from 1988–89 to 1994–95. He won a Stanley Cup in 1993 with the Montreal Canadiens...
had knocked the puck in with a high stick, but the second upheld the Habs' winning goal, as it was directed in by the skate of Quebec defenceman Alexei Gusarov
Alexei Gusarov
Alexei Vasilievich Gusarov is a Russian ice hockey player . He played for the Quebec Nordiques, Colorado Avalanche, New York Rangers and St. Louis Blues.Gusarov won the Stanley Cup with the Colorado Avalanche in 1996...
and not that of a Montreal player.
As it turned out, this was the final playoff series between the provincial rivals before the Nordiques moved to Denver in 1995 and became the Colorado Avalanche
Colorado Avalanche
The Colorado Avalanche are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver, Colorado, United States. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Avalanche have won the Stanley Cup twice, in 1995–96 and 2000–01. The franchise...
.
- April 18 - Montreal 2 Quebec 3 (OT)
- April 20 - Montreal 1 Quebec 4
- April 22 - Quebec 1 Montreal 2 (OT)
- April 24 - Quebec 2 Montreal 3
- April 26 - Montreal 5 Quebec 4 (OT)
- April 28 - Quebec 2 Montreal 6
Montreal wins best-of-seven series 4–2
Pittsburgh vs. New Jersey
The Devils had been a struggling team prior to the 1992–93 season but qualified for the Patrick Division playoffs for the fourth consecutive year. Here they met the Presidents' Trophy winners and two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Penguins. With their win in Game 1 the Penguins recorded their twelfth consecutive playoff victory, beating the record the Chicago Blackhawks had set in the 1992 playoffs (and that Pittsburgh had tied in Game 4 of the 1992 Stanley Cup Finals against those same Blackhawks). The streak ended at 14 when the Devils won Game 4 to stave off elimination.- April 18 - New Jersey 3 Pittsburgh 6
- April 20 - New Jersey 0 Pittsburgh 7
- April 22 - Pittsburgh 4 New Jersey 3
- April 25 - Pittsburgh 1 New Jersey 4
- April 26 - New Jersey 2 Pittsburgh 5
Pittsburgh wins best-of-seven series 4–1
Washington vs. New York Islanders
Game 6 of this series was marred by a vicious hit by the Capitals' Dale HunterDale Hunter
Dale Robert Hunter is a former professional ice hockey player and current head coach of the Washington Capitals of the National Hockey League.-NHL career:...
on the Islanders' leading scorer, Pierre Turgeon
Pierre Turgeon
Pierre Turgeon is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League for the Buffalo Sabres, New York Islanders, Montreal Canadiens, St. Louis Blues, Dallas Stars and the Colorado Avalanche...
, moments after Turgeon scored a third-period goal to put the game and the series out of reach for Washington. Turgeon suffered a separated shoulder
Separated shoulder
A separated shoulder , is a common injury to the acromioclavicular joint. This is not the same as a shoulder dislocation as that involves a dislocation of the glenohumeral joint...
on the play and missed almost all of the next round. Hunter received a 21-game suspension for his actions, the longest in NHL history up to that time, which was served during the 1993–94 season.
- April 18 - New York Islanders 1 Washington 3
- April 20 - New York Islanders 5 Washington 4 (2OT)
- April 22 - Washington 3 New York Islanders 4 (OT)
- April 24 - Washington 3 New York Islanders 4 (2OT)
- April 26 - New York Islanders 4 Washington 6
- April 28 - Washington 3 New York Islanders 5
NYI win best-of-seven series 4–2
Chicago vs. St. Louis
The Blackhawks, on an overtime goal in Game 4, became the second division champion after the Bruins to be swept in the first round of the playoffs. Chicago goaltender Ed BelfourEd Belfour
Edward John Belfour is a former Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender.Belfour was born in Carman, Manitoba and grew up playing hockey. He played junior hockey for the Winkler Flyers before going to the University of North Dakota where he helped the school win the NCAA championship in the...
complained that St. Louis star Brett Hull
Brett Hull
Brett Andrew Hull is a former Canadian-American NHL player and the former Executive Vice President of the Dallas Stars. He is the son of Bobby Hull and nephew of Dennis Hull, both former NHL players. Hull is also known as "The Golden Brett," which is a play off of his father's nickname, "The...
had interfered with him on the play, but to no avail as the tally stood as the game- and series-winner. Belfour famously went on a rampage after the game, breaking a hot tub
Hot tub
A hot tub is a large tub or small pool full of heated water and used for soaking, relaxation, massage, or hydrotherapy. In most cases, they have jets for massage purposes. Hot tubs are usually located outdoors, and are often sheltered for protection from the elements, as well as for privacy....
, coffee maker
Coffeemaker
Coffeemakers or coffee machines are cooking appliances used to brew coffee without having to boil water in a separate container. While there are many different types of coffeemakers using a number of different brewing principles, in the most common devices, coffee grounds are placed in a paper or...
, and television in the visitors' locker room
Changeroom
A changing room, locker room, dressing room or changeroom is a room or area designated for changing one's clothes...
at the St. Louis Arena
St. Louis Arena
The St. Louis Arena was an indoor arena located in St. Louis, Missouri, that stood from 1929 to 1999...
. In 1999, Hawk fans would be left to contemplate the irony of the situation when Belfour and Hull were teammates on the Cup-winning Dallas Stars
Dallas Stars
The Dallas Stars are a professional ice hockey team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The team was founded during the 1967 NHL expansion as the Minnesota North Stars, based in Bloomington, Minnesota. The...
, who in 1993 were known as the Minnesota North Stars
Minnesota North Stars
The Minnesota North Stars were a professional ice hockey team in the National Hockey League for 26 seasons, from 1967 to 1993. The North Stars played their home games at the Met Center in Bloomington, and the team's colors for most of its history were green, yellow, gold and white...
. With the sweep at the hands of the Blues, Chicago saw their playoff losing streak extended to eight games, dating back to the Stanley Cup Finals of the previous year
1992 Stanley Cup Finals
The 1992 Stanley Cup Final NHL championship series was contested by the Prince of Wales Conference and defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins and the Clarence Campbell Conference champion Chicago Blackhawks. The Blackhawks were making their first appearance in the Final since...
against the Penguins.
- April 18 - St. Louis 4 Chicago 3
- April 21 - St. Louis 2 Chicago 0
- April 23 - Chicago 0 St. Louis 3
- April 25 - Chicago 3 St. Louis 4 (OT)
St. Louis wins best-of-seven series 4–0
Detroit vs. Toronto
In a revival of the heated Original SixOriginal Six
The Original Six is a term for the group of six teams that composed the National Hockey League for the 25 seasons between the 1942–43 season and the 1967 NHL Expansion. These six teams are the Boston Bruins, Chicago Black Hawks, Detroit Red Wings, Montreal Canadiens, New York Rangers, and the...
rivalry, Nikolai Borschevsky
Nikolai Borschevsky
Nikolai Konstantinovich Borschevsky is a retired professional ice hockey player from Russia, and the current head coach of the Atlant Moscow Oblast of the KHL. Nicknamed "Stick" due to his diminutive frame, he was a star in the Soviet Union and went on to play in the National Hockey League for the...
's Game 7 overtime goal gave Toronto the series and made them the sixth club to eliminate a team with a better regular season record in the first round of the playoffs. This was also Toronto's first playoff series win over Detroit since the Leafs beat the Wings in the seven-game 1964 Stanley Cup Finals
1964 Stanley Cup Finals
The 1964 Stanley Cup Final was contested by the defending champion Toronto Maple Leafs and the Detroit Red Wings for the second straight year. The Maple Leafs would win the best-of-seven series four games to three to win the Stanley Cup, their third-straight championship...
.
- April 19 - Toronto 3 Detroit 6
- April 21 - Toronto 2 Detroit 6
- April 23 - Detroit 2 Toronto 4
- April 25 - Detroit 2 Toronto 3
- April 27 - Toronto 5 Detroit 4 (OT)
- April 29 - Detroit 7 Toronto 3
- May 1 - Toronto 4 Detroit 3 (OT)
Toronto wins best-of-seven series 4–3
Vancouver vs. Winnipeg
The Smythe DivisionSmythe Division
The NHL's Smythe Division was formed in 1974 as part of the Clarence Campbell Conference. The division existed for 19 seasons until 1993. It was named in honor of Conn Smythe. It is the fore-runner of the NHL's Northwest Division and NHL's Pacific Division....
champions from Vancouver managed to shut down the Jets in six games.
- April 19 - Winnipeg 2 Vancouver 4
- April 21 - Winnipeg 2 Vancouver 3
- April 23 - Vancouver 4 Winnipeg 5
- April 25 - Vancouver 3 Winnipeg 1
- April 27 - Winnipeg 4 Vancouver 3 (OT)
- April 29 - Vancouver 4 Winnipeg 3 (OT)
Vancouver wins best-of-seven series 4–2
Calgary vs. Los Angeles
The Kings upset the Flames in a high-scoring six-game series.- April 18 - Los Angeles 6 Calgary 3
- April 21 - Los Angeles 4 Calgary 9
- April 23 - Calgary 5 Los Angeles 2
- April 25 - Calgary 1 Los Angeles 3
- April 27 - Los Angeles 9 Calgary 4
- April 29 - Calgary 6 Los Angeles 9
Los Angeles wins best-of-seven series 4–2
Adams Division Final: Montreal vs. Buffalo
The long-awaited series between two of the NHL's top goaltenders, Montreal's Patrick RoyPatrick Roy
Patrick Edward Armand Roy is a former Canadian ice hockey goaltender. Nicknamed "Saint Patrick," Roy split his professional career between the Montreal Canadiens, whom he played with for 10 years, and the Colorado Avalanche, whom he played with for 8 years, both of the National Hockey League...
and Buffalo's Grant Fuhr
Grant Fuhr
Grant Scott Fuhr is a Canadian former ice hockey goaltender in the National Hockey League and currently the goaltending coach for the Phoenix Coyotes. In 2003, he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame...
, had finally arrived. However, the Canadiens swept the series, winning every game by a score of 4–3 and claiming the Adams Division championship. As in their previous series, the Habs played three overtime games, this time winning all three.
- May 2 - Buffalo 3 Montreal 4
- May 4 - Buffalo 3 Montreal 4 (OT)
- May 6 - Montreal 4 Buffalo 3 (OT)
- May 8 - Montreal 4 Buffalo 3 (OT)
Montreal wins best-of-seven series 4–0
Patrick Division Final: Pittsburgh vs. New York Islanders
The Isles' improbable upset of the defending Stanley Cup champion Penguins, who had finished far ahead of New York in the regular season, was capped off by David VolekDavid Volek
David Volek is a Czech former professional ice hockey player.Volek was born in the former Czechoslovakia, where he played in 1983–84 for HC Slavia Prague. He later moved to HC Sparta Praha and became a member of the Czecholovakian national ice hockey team for the 1988 Winter Olympics...
's overtime goal in Game 7. Islanders defenceman Darius Kasparaitis
Darius Kasparaitis
Darius Kasparaitis is a retired professional ice hockey defenseman. Known by the nickname Kaspar, he has dual citizenship in both the United States and Russia, and he has played for the Russian national ice hockey team.- Playing career :Kasparaitis left Lithuania for Russia at age 14 after...
played a large role in his team's win, neutralizing Pittsburgh stars Mario Lemieux
Mario Lemieux
Mario Lemieux, OC, CQ is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He is acknowledged to be one of the best players of all time. He played 17 seasons as a forward for the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League between 1984 and 2006...
and Jaromir Jagr
Jaromir Jagr
Jaromír Jágr is a Czech professional ice hockey right winger who plays for the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League . Jágr formerly played with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Washington Capitals, and New York Rangers, serving as captain of the Penguins and the Rangers...
with big hits. With their upset of the Pens, the Isles reached the Wales Conference Finals for the first time since 1984. This upset also prevented any chance of a Lemieux-Gretzky Finals, and was the closest it ever came to happening.
- May 2 - New York Islanders 3 Pittsburgh 2
- May 4 - New York Islanders 0 Pittsburgh 3
- May 6 - Pittsburgh 3 New York Islanders 1
- May 8 - Pittsburgh 5 New York Islanders 6
- May 10 - New York Islanders 3 Pittsburgh 6
- May 12 - Pittsburgh 5 New York Islanders 7
- May 14 - New York Islanders 4 Pittsburgh 3 (OT)
New York Islanders win best-of-seven series 4–3
Norris Division Final: Toronto vs. St. Louis
The Maple Leafs defeated the Blues in seven games to win the Norris Division playoffs, despite Blues' goaltender Curtis JosephCurtis Joseph
Curtis Shayne Joseph is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender. He last played for the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League....
's best efforts. St. Louis was heavily outshot throughout the series, including more than 60 shots in Game 1 alone. Game 7 of the series was the first to be played at Maple Leaf Gardens
Maple Leaf Gardens
Maple Leaf Gardens is an indoor arena that was converted into a Loblawssupermarket and Ryerson University athletic centre in Toronto, on the northwest corner of Carlton Street and Church Street in Toronto's Garden District.One of the temples of hockey, it was home to the Toronto Maple Leafs of the...
since Game 7 of the 1964 Stanley Cup Finals, when Andy Bathgate
Andy Bathgate
Andrew James Bathgate is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey centre who played 17 seasons in the National Hockey League for the New York Rangers, Toronto Maple Leafs, Detroit Red Wings and Pittsburgh Penguins.-Playing career:...
scored the Cup-clinching goal for the Leafs over the Red Wings.
- May 3 - St. Louis 1 Toronto 2 (2OT)
- May 5 - St. Louis 2 Toronto 1 (2OT)
- May 7 - Toronto 3 St. Louis 4
- May 9 - Toronto 4 St. Louis 1
- May 11 - St. Louis 1 Toronto 5
- May 13 - Toronto 1 St. Louis 2
- May 15 - St. Louis 0 Toronto 6
Toronto wins best-of-seven series 4–3
Smythe Division Final: Vancouver vs. Los Angeles
Despite Vancouver's huge win in Game 4, Game 5 in Vancouver saw a stoppage of play as Kings forward Gary ShuchukGary Shuchuk
Gary Robert Shuchuk is a retired Canadian ice hockey forward.Shuchuk started his National Hockey League career with the Detroit Red Wings in 1990...
got hurt and was sent into the dressing room
Changing Rooms
Changing room may refer to:*changeroom, a room or enclosure in a clothing store where customers may try on clothes before purchasing them*Changing Rooms, a BBC television series*The Changing Room, a stage play by David Storey...
. Many thought he was out of the playoffs, but he later came back in the game and ended up winning Game 5 in double overtime for the Kings. The Canucks could not recover and thus the Kings advanced to the Campbell Conference finals as the winners of the Smythe Division playoffs.
It was the only one of the twelve Smythe Division Finals contested from 1982 through 1993 to be won by an American team.
- May 2 - Los Angeles 2 Vancouver 5
- May 5 - Los Angeles 6 Vancouver 3
- May 7 - Vancouver 4 Los Angeles 7
- May 9 - Vancouver 7 Los Angeles 2
- May 11 - Los Angeles 4 Vancouver 3 (2OT)
- May 13 - Vancouver 3 Los Angeles 5
Los Angeles wins best-of-seven series 4–2
Wales Conference Final: Montreal vs. New York Islanders
MontrealMontreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
's win in game three was their eleventh straight, tying the single-playoff record set a year earlier by Pittsburgh and Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
. They also added two more overtime victories, bringing their total to seven straight for the playoffs (they lost their first OT game in this year's playoffs), and won the final Wales Conference championship.
- May 16 - New York Islanders 1 Montreal 4
- May 18 - New York Islanders 3 Montreal 4 (2OT)
- May 20 - Montreal 2 New York Islanders 1 (OT)
- May 22 - Montreal 1 New York Islanders 4
- May 24 - New York Islanders 2 Montreal 5
Montreal wins best-of-seven series 4–1
Campbell Conference Final: Toronto vs. Los Angeles
This conference final was the first one since 1982 not to feature the Calgary Flames or the Edmonton OilersBattle of Alberta
The Battle of Alberta is a term applied to the intense rivalry between the Canadian cities of Edmonton, the capital of the province of Alberta, and Calgary, the province's largest city...
representing the Smythe Division. The Toronto Maple Leafs
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
iced a competitive team for the first time in many years and were hoping to reach the Stanley Cup finals for the first time since their championship in . The Los Angeles Kings
Los Angeles Kings
The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles, California. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
, led by captain Wayne Gretzky
Wayne Gretzky
Wayne Douglas Gretzky, CC is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and former head coach. Nicknamed "The Great One", he is generally regarded as the best player in the history of the National Hockey League , and has been called "the greatest hockey player ever" by many sportswriters,...
, also had high ambitions. Gretzky had never played a postseason game in Toronto prior to the series. During Game 1, Los Angeles blue-liner Marty McSorley
Marty McSorley
Martin James "Marty" McSorley is a retired Canadian professional hockey player, who played in the National Hockey League from 1983 to 2000. A versatile player, he was able to play both the forward and defense positions. He is also a former head coach of the Springfield Falcons of the American...
delivered a serious open-ice hit on Toronto's Doug Gilmour
Doug Gilmour
Douglas Robert Gilmour is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player who is the current general manager of the Kingston Frontenacs of the Ontario Hockey League . During his National Hockey League career, Gilmour played for 7 NHL clubs: the St...
. Leafs captain Wendel Clark
Wendel Clark
Wendel L. Clark is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player. He is perhaps best known for being a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League , captaining the team from 1991 to 1994...
took exception to the hit and went after McSorley for striking their star player, and Toronto coach Pat Burns
Pat Burns
Patrick Burns was a National Hockey League head coach. Over 14 seasons between 1988 and 2004, he coached in 1,019 games with the Montreal Canadiens, Toronto Maple Leafs, Boston Bruins, and New Jersey Devils...
tried scaling the bench to get at Los Angeles coach Barry Melrose
Barry Melrose
Barry James Melrose is a former player and head coach in the National Hockey League, as well as a current commentator and hockey analyst for ESPN.-Playing career:...
because he thought Melrose ordered the hit on Gilmour (McSorley later remarked in interviews that he received dozens of messages threatening death
Death threat
A death threat is a threat of death, often made anonymously, by one person or a group of people to kill another person or groups of people. These threats are usually designed to intimidate victims in order to manipulate their behavior, thus a death threat is a form of coercion...
on his hotel phone from angry fans).
Toronto took a 3–2 series lead heading into the controversial Game 6 in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. With the game tied at 4-4 in overtime, Gretzky high-sticked Gilmour in the face, cutting his chin open. Many thought that referee Kerry Fraser
Kerry Fraser
Kerry Fraser is a hockey analyst and former senior referee in the National Hockey League, having joined the National Hockey League Officials Association on September 1, 1973, and officiating his first game in the 1980–81 season. Fraser's father, Hilton "Hilt" Fraser, had him skating at 15 months...
should have called a five-minute major penalty and a game misconduct on the play (generally given for high sticking penalties that result in a cut at that time; linesmen can also call penalties for stick infractions, or at least advise the referee that an infraction occurred). However, Gretzky was not penalized and went on to score the winning goal moments later, evening the series at 3–3. In Game 7 at Toronto, Gretzky scored a hat trick
Hat Trick
Hat trick, hat-trick or hattrick may refer to:* hat-trick — in various sports, achieving three goals, wickets, etc. in a single match* Hattrick — online football management game** Hattrick Limited — producers of this game...
(three goals) and added an assist to give the Kings another 5-4 win and the first Stanley Cup Finals
Stanley Cup Finals
The Stanley Cup Finals is the championship series to determine the winner of the Stanley Cup, emblematic of the professional club championship of ice hockey. Although the Cup itself has existed since 1893, an annual championship series between professional teams was not established until 1913...
berth in team history. Gretzky later called Game 7 of the 1993 Campbell Conference Finals the greatest game he had ever played.
- May 17 - Los Angeles 1 Toronto 4
- May 19 - Los Angeles 3 Toronto 2
- May 21 - Toronto 2 Los Angeles 4
- May 23 - Toronto 4 Los Angeles 2
- May 25 - Los Angeles 2 Toronto 3 (OT)
- May 27 - Toronto 4 Los Angeles 5 (OT)
- May 29 - Los Angeles 5 Toronto 4
Los Angeles wins best-of-seven series 4–3
Final
This was Montreal's first trip to the Final since 1989. It was Los Angeles' first appearance ever in the Final, and Wayne GretzkyWayne Gretzky
Wayne Douglas Gretzky, CC is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and former head coach. Nicknamed "The Great One", he is generally regarded as the best player in the history of the National Hockey League , and has been called "the greatest hockey player ever" by many sportswriters,...
's first and only appearance in the Final with the Kings. Montreal would capture their 24th and most recent Stanley Cup championship.
Montreal vs. Los Angeles
| Date | Away | Score | Home | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 1 | Los Angeles | 4 | Montreal | 1 | |
| June 3 | Los Angeles | 2 | Montreal | 3 | (OT) |
| June 5 | Montreal | 4 | Los Angeles | 3 | (OT) |
| June 7 | Montreal | 3 | Los Angeles | 2 | (OT) |
| June 9 | Los Angeles | 1 | Montreal | 4 |
Montreal wins best-of-seven series 4–1. Patrick Roy
Patrick Roy
Patrick Edward Armand Roy is a former Canadian ice hockey goaltender. Nicknamed "Saint Patrick," Roy split his professional career between the Montreal Canadiens, whom he played with for 10 years, and the Colorado Avalanche, whom he played with for 8 years, both of the National Hockey League...
wins Conn Smythe Trophy
Conn Smythe Trophy
The Conn Smythe Trophy is awarded annually to the player judged most valuable to his team during the National Hockey League's Stanley Cup playoffs. The Conn Smythe Trophy has been awarded 46 times to 40 players since the 1964–65 NHL season...