1989 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 on April 5, after the conclusion of the 1988–89 NHL season. The playoffs concluded on May 25 with the champion Calgary Flames
Calgary Flames
The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is the third major-professional ice hockey team to represent the city of Calgary, following the...
defeating 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 ...
4–2 to win the Stanley Cup Final series four games to two.
Series
The 1989 Stanley CupStanley 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...
playoffs featured two Canadian hockey teams, 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 ...
and the Calgary Flames
Calgary Flames
The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is the third major-professional ice hockey team to represent the city of Calgary, following the...
. Montreal finished the regular season with 115 points, only two behind the league leader Calgary. They had last faced each other only three years earlier, with Montreal winning a five-game series in 1986. Calgary was only the second opposing team in NHL history to win a Stanley Cup at the Montreal Forum
Montreal Forum
The Montreal Forum was an indoor arena located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Called "the most storied building in hockey history" by Sporting News, it was home of the National Hockey League's Montreal Maroons from 1924 to 1938 and the Montreal Canadiens from 1926 to 1996...
(the 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...
defeated the Montreal Maroons
Montreal Maroons
The Montreal Maroons was a professional men's ice hockey team in the National Hockey League . They played in the NHL from 1924 to 1938, winning the Stanley Cup in 1926 and 1935...
in 1928) and the first to do so against the Canadiens.
Flames defenceman Al MacInnis
Al MacInnis
Allan MacInnis is a Canadian former ice hockey defenceman who played 23 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Calgary Flames and St. Louis Blues. A first round selection of the Flames in the 1981 NHL Entry Draft, he went on to become a 13-time All-Star...
won the 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...
as playoff MVP, while Lanny McDonald
Lanny McDonald
Lanny King McDonald is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Colorado Rockies and Calgary Flames of the National Hockey League . He played over 1,100 games during a 16-year NHL career in which he scored 500 goals and over 1,000 points...
, who ended the regular season with exactly 500 goals, got his name on the Cup in his last ever NHL game. Flames co-owner Sonia Scurfield
Sonia Scurfield
Sonia Scurfield, B.A was a co-owner of the Calgary Flames hockey team from 1985 to 1994. She became only the second woman, and the only Canadian woman, to have her name engraved on the Stanley Cup when the Calgary Flames won the National Hockey League championship in 1989.- Biography :Sonia...
became the first Canadian woman to have her name inscribed on the Stanley Cup.
On their way to the Finals, Montreal lost only three games while eliminating the Hartford Whalers
Hartford Whalers
The Hartford Whalers were a professional ice hockey team based for most of its existence in Hartford, Connecticut, U.S.A.. The club played in the World Hockey Association from 1972–79 and in the National Hockey League from 1979–97...
, Boston Bruins
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the...
, and Philadelphia Flyers
Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
. Calgary survived a seven-game series with the Vancouver Canucks
Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,...
before sweeping 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...
and eliminating the surprising Chicago Blackhawks
Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They have won four Stanley Cup championships since their founding in 1926, most recently coming in 2009-10...
in five to reach the Cup Finals.
One of the interesting stories of these playoffs, though, was Gretzky and 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...
meeting the defending champion Oilers in the first round. The previous season saw the mighty 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 ....
sweep the Boston Bruins
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the...
in the Stanley Cup finals as Gretzky earned the 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...
setting playoff records for playoff assists, assists in a finals series and points in a finals series.
On August 9, 1988, the Oilers traded Gretzky to the Kings. The Gretzky-led Kings and Oilers (with many veteran super-stars) met in the first round of the Smythe Division
Smythe 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....
playoffs, which made for an exciting "return" of Gretzky to Edmonton. In a tough seven game series, Gretzky and the Kings took down the defending Stanley Cup champions after falling behind 3 games to 1. In the second round Gretzky and the Kings were no match for the eventual champion Calgary Flames, who swept them in 4 games.
Events of note in the postseason, were that Philadelphia Flyers
Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
goaltender Ron Hextall
Ron Hextall
Ronald Jeffrey Hextall is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender who played 13 National Hockey League seasons for the Philadelphia Flyers, Quebec Nordiques, and New York Islanders...
became the first netminder to shoot and score a goal in the playoffs, a shorthanded, empty-net score in Game 5 of the Patrick Division Semifinal against the Washington Capitals
Washington Capitals
The Washington Capitals are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Since their founding in 1974, "The Caps" have won one conference championship to reach the 1998 Stanley Cup...
. One round later, 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...
torched the Flyers for an NHL-record five goals and eight points in a 10–7 Pittsburgh win in Game 5 of the Patrick Division Finals. Hextall then made headlines in the Wales Conference Finals, attacking Montreal's Chris Chelios
Chris Chelios
Christos Kostas Tselios is a retired American professional ice hockey defenseman. He is currently the Executive Advisor to Ken Holland, the general manager of the Detroit Red Wings, a role that Steve Yzerman held before leaving to become general manager of the Tampa Bay Lightning.Chelios played...
in the late stages of Game 6 as retribution for Chelios' brutal and unpenalized hit on Flyers forward Brian Propp
Brian Propp
Brian Phillip Propp is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey left winger who played 15 seasons in the NHL from 1979 until 1994...
in Game 1. Hextall received a 12-game suspension at the start of the 1989–90 NHL season for his actions.
Also, former Flyers head coach Mike Keenan
Mike Keenan
Michael Edward Keenan is a former head coach in the National Hockey League , most recently with the Calgary Flames, and former General Manager of the Florida Panthers. He is currently working as an analyst for the New York Rangers on MSG Network.Keenan was a player for the St...
led Chicago to the Campbell Conference Finals in his first year behind the bench. The Hawks, with 66 points, had the fewest points of any playoff team that season (and tied in the overall standings with New Jersey, a fifth-place team in the Patrick Division), yet played a fiercely energetic and defensive game which saw them upset first-place Detroit and then St. Louis before bowing to Calgary.
Playoff bracket
Division semi-finals
Hartford Whalers vs. Montreal Canadiens| Date | Away | Score | Home | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 5 | Hartford Whalers | 2 | Montreal Canadiens | 6 | |
| April 6 | Hartford Whalers | 2 | Montreal Canadiens | 3 | |
| April 8 | Montreal Canadiens | 5 | Hartford Whalers | 4 | (OT) |
| April 9 | Montreal Canadiens | 4 | Hartford Whalers | 3 | (OT) |
Montreal wins best-of-seven series 4 games to 0
Buffalo Sabres vs. Boston Bruins
| Date | Away | Score | Home | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 5 | Buffalo Sabres | 6 | Boston Bruins | 0 | |
| April 6 | Buffalo Sabres | 3 | Boston Bruins | 5 | |
| April 8 | Boston Bruins | 4 | Buffalo Sabres | 2 | |
| April 9 | Boston Bruins | 3 | Buffalo Sabres | 2 | |
| April 11 | Buffalo Sabres | 1 | Boston Bruins | 4 |
Boston wins best-of-seven series 4 games to 1
Washington Capitals vs. Philadelphia Flyers
| Date | Away | Score | Home | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 5 | Philadelphia Flyers | 2 | Washington Capitals | 3 | |
| April 6 | Philadelphia Flyers | 3 | Washington Capitals | 2 | |
| April 8 | Washington Capitals | 4 | Philadelphia Flyers | 3 | (OT) |
| April 9 | Washington Capitals | 2 | Philadelphia Flyers | 5 | |
| April 11 | Philadelphia Flyers | 8 | Washington Capitals | 5 | |
| April 13 | Washington Capitals | 3 | Philadelphia Flyers | 4 |
Philadelphia wins best-of-seven series 4 games to 2
New York Rangers vs. Pittsburgh Penguins
| Date | Away | Score | Home | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 5 | New York Rangers | 1 | Pittsburgh Penguins | 3 | |
| April 6 | New York Rangers | 4 | Pittsburgh Penguins | 7 | |
| April 8 | Pittsburgh Penguins | 5 | New York Rangers | 4 | (OT) |
| April 9 | Pittsburgh Penguins | 4 | New York Rangers | 3 |
Pittsburgh wins best-of-seven series 4 games to 0
Chicago Blackhawks vs. Detroit Red Wings
| Date | Away | Score | Home | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 5 | Chicago Blackhawks | 2 | Detroit Red Wings | 3 | |
| April 6 | Chicago Blackhawks | 5 | Detroit Red Wings | 4 | (OT) |
| April 8 | Detroit Red Wings | 2 | Chicago Blackhawks | 4 | |
| April 9 | Detroit Red Wings | 2 | Chicago Blackhawks | 3 | |
| April 11 | Chicago Blackhawks | 4 | Detroit Red Wings | 6 | |
| April 13 | Detroit Red Wings | 1 | Chicago Blackhawks | 7 |
Chicago wins best-of-seven series 4 games to 2
Minnesota North Stars vs. St. Louis Blues
| Date | Away | Score | Home | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 5 | Minnesota North Stars | 3 | St. Louis Blues | 4 | (OT) |
| April 6 | Minnesota North Stars | 3 | St. Louis Blues | 4 | (OT) |
| April 8 | St. Louis Blues | 5 | Minnesota North Stars | 3 | |
| April 9 | St. Louis Blues | 4 | Minnesota North Stars | 5 | |
| April 11 | Minnesota North Stars | 1 | St. Louis Blues | 6 |
St. Louis wins best-of-seven series 4 games to 1
Vancouver Canucks vs. Calgary Flames
Coming into this series, many people expected that the mighty Flames would defeat the Canucks in 4 or 5 games, due to Calgary having a 43 point edge in the regular season. Instead, Vancouver would take Calgary to a thrilling seven game classic. The seventh game would go into overtime, both teams having great chances, the best being a breakaway chance for Vancouver Canuck's captain Stan Smyl, only for Mike Vernon to make the unbelievable save. However, Vancouver couldn't pull off the upset, as Joel Otto scored the winner (via a deflection from his skate) with :39 seconds left in the first overtime to send the Calgary Flames into the Smythe Division Final.
| Date | Away | Score | Home | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 5 | Vancouver Canucks | 4 | Calgary Flames | 3 | (OT) |
| April 6 | Vancouver Canucks | 2 | Calgary Flames | 5 | |
| April 8 | Calgary Flames | 4 | Vancouver Canucks | 0 | |
| April 9 | Calgary Flames | 3 | Vancouver Canucks | 5 | |
| April 11 | Vancouver Canucks | 0 | Calgary Flames | 4 | |
| April 13 | Calgary Flames | 3 | Vancouver Canucks | 6 | |
| April 15 | Vancouver Canucks | 3 | Calgary Flames | 4 | (OT) |
Calgary wins best-of-seven series 4 games to 3
Edmonton Oilers vs. Los Angeles Kings
| Date | Away | Score | Home | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 5 | Edmonton Oilers | 4 | Los Angeles Kings | 3 | |
| April 6 | Edmonton Oilers | 2 | Los Angeles Kings | 5 | |
| April 8 | Los Angeles Kings | 0 | Edmonton Oilers | 4 | |
| April 9 | Los Angeles Kings | 3 | Edmonton Oilers | 4 | |
| April 11 | Edmonton Oilers | 2 | Los Angeles Kings | 4 | |
| April 13 | Los Angeles Kings | 4 | Edmonton Oilers | 1 | |
| April 15 | Edmonton Oilers | 3 | Los Angeles Kings | 6 |
Los Angeles wins best-of-seven series 4 games to 3
Division finals
Boston Bruins vs. Montreal Canadiens| Date | Away | Score | Home | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 17 | Boston Bruins | 2 | Montreal Canadiens | 3 | |
| April 19 | Boston Bruins | 2 | Montreal Canadiens | 3 | (OT) |
| April 21 | Montreal Canadiens | 5 | Boston Bruins | 4 | |
| April 23 | Montreal Canadiens | 2 | Boston Bruins | 3 | |
| April 25 | Boston Bruins | 2 | Montreal Canadiens | 3 |
Montreal wins best-of-seven series 4 games to 1
Philadelphia Flyers vs. Pittsburgh Penguins
| Date | Away | Score | Home | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 17 | Philadelphia Flyers | 3 | Pittsburgh Penguins | 4 | |
| April 19 | Philadelphia Flyers | 4 | Pittsburgh Penguins | 2 | |
| April 21 | Pittsburgh Penguins | 4 | Philadelphia Flyers | 3 | (OT) |
| April 23 | Pittsburgh Penguins | 1 | Philadelphia Flyers | 4 | |
| April 25 | Philadelphia Flyers | 7 | Pittsburgh Penguins | 10 | |
| April 27 | Pittsburgh Penguins | 2 | Philadelphia Flyers | 6 | |
| April 29 | Philadelphia Flyers | 4 | Pittsburgh Penguins | 1 |
Philadelphia wins best-of-seven series 4 games to 3
Chicago Blackhawks vs. St. Louis Blues
| Date | Away | Score | Home | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 18 | Chicago Blackhawks | 3 | St. Louis Blues | 1 | |
| April 20 | Chicago Blackhawks | 4 | St. Louis Blues | 5 | |
| April 22 | St. Louis Blues | 2 | Chicago Blackhawks | 5 | |
| April 24 | St. Louis Blues | 2 | Chicago Blackhawks | 3 | |
| April 26 | Chicago Blackhawks | 4 | St. Louis Blues | 2 |
Chicago wins best-of-seven series 4 games to 1
Los Angeles Kings vs. Calgary Flames
| Date | Away | Score | Home | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 18 | Los Angeles Kings | 3 | Calgary Flames | 4 | (OT) |
| April 20 | Los Angeles Kings | 3 | Calgary Flames | 8 | |
| April 22 | Calgary Flames | 5 | Los Angeles Kings | 2 | |
| April 24 | Calgary Flames | 5 | Los Angeles Kings | 3 |
Calgary wins best-of-seven series 4 games to 0
Conference finals
Philadelphia Flyers vs. Montreal Canadiens| Date | Away | Score | Home | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 1 | Philadelphia Flyers | 3 | Montreal Canadiens | 1 | |
| May 3 | Philadelphia Flyers | 0 | Montreal Canadiens | 3 | |
| May 5 | Montreal Canadiens | 5 | Philadelphia Flyers | 1 | |
| May 7 | Montreal Canadiens | 3 | Philadelphia Flyers | 0 | |
| May 9 | Philadelphia Flyers | 2 | Montreal Canadiens | 1 | (OT) |
| May 11 | Montreal Canadiens | 4 | Philadelphia Flyers | 2 |
Montreal wins best-of-seven series 4 games to 2
Chicago Blackhawks vs. Calgary Flames
| Date | Away | Score | Home | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 2 | Chicago Blackhawks | 0 | Calgary Flames | 3 | |
| May 4 | Chicago Blackhawks | 4 | Calgary Flames | 2 | |
| May 6 | Calgary Flames | 5 | Chicago Blackhawks | 2 | |
| May 8 | Calgary Flames | 2 | Chicago Blackhawks | 1 | (OT) |
| May 10 | Chicago Blackhawks | 1 | Calgary Flames | 3 |
Calgary wins best-of-seven series 4 games to 1
Final
Montreal Canadiens vs. Calgary FlamesThe Stanley Cup Final was decided between the top two teams of the 1988–89 NHL regular season. Captain Lanny McDonald scored the second Flames goal in game six. This turned out to be the last goal in his NHL Hall of Fame career because he retired during the following off-season. Doug Gilmour scored two goals in the third period, including the eventual game and Cup winner to cement the victory for the Flames.
| Date | Away | Score | Home | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 14 | Montreal | 2 | Calgary | 3 | |
| May 17 | Montreal | 4 | Calgary | 2 | |
| May 19 | Calgary | 3 | Montreal | 4 | (2 OT) |
| May 21 | Calgary | 4 | Montreal | 2 | |
| May 23 | Montreal | 2 | Calgary | 3 | |
| May 25 | Calgary | 4 | Montreal | 2 |
Calgary wins best-of-seven series 4 games to 2
Playoff scoring leaders
Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty Minutes| Player | Team | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Al MacInnis Al MacInnis Allan MacInnis is a Canadian former ice hockey defenceman who played 23 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Calgary Flames and St. Louis Blues. A first round selection of the Flames in the 1981 NHL Entry Draft, he went on to become a 13-time All-Star... |
Calgary Flames Calgary Flames The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is the third major-professional ice hockey team to represent the city of Calgary, following the... |
22 | 7 | 24 | 31 | 46 |
| Tim Kerr Tim Kerr Timothy E. Kerr is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey right winger who played 13 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Philadelphia Flyers, New York Rangers and Hartford Whalers.-Playing career:... |
Philadelphia Flyers Philadelphia Flyers The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League... |
19 | 14 | 11 | 25 | 27 |
| Joe Mullen Joe Mullen Joseph Patrick Mullen is a retired American professional ice hockey player who played 17 seasons in the National Hockey League with the St. Louis Blues, Calgary Flames, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Boston Bruins from 1980–1997. He won three Stanley Cups in 1989 with Calgary, and in 1991 and 1992 with... |
Calgary Flames Calgary Flames The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is the third major-professional ice hockey team to represent the city of Calgary, following the... |
21 | 16 | 8 | 24 | 4 |
| Brian Propp Brian Propp Brian Phillip Propp is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey left winger who played 15 seasons in the NHL from 1979 until 1994... |
Philadelphia Flyers Philadelphia Flyers The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League... |
18 | 14 | 9 | 23 | 14 |
| 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,... |
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... |
11 | 5 | 17 | 22 | 0 |
| 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... |
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... |
11 | 12 | 7 | 19 | 16 |