1989 Stanley Cup playoffs


The 1989 Stanley Cup playoffs, the playoff tournament of the National Hockey League began on April 5, after the conclusion of the 1988–89 NHL season. This was the final year that all of the Division Semifinals began with teams playing the first four games in a span of five days. The playoffs concluded on May 25 with the champion Calgary Flames defeating the Montreal Canadiens 4–2 to win the Stanley Cup Final series four games to two.
It remains the last time that the Cup Finals was contested between two Canadian hockey teams. Montreal finished the regular season with 115 points, only two behind the league leader Calgary. They had last faced each other in 1986, with Montreal winning in five games. Calgary was only the second opposing team in NHL history to win a Stanley Cup at the Montreal Forum and the first and only to do so against the Canadiens. Flames defenceman Al MacInnis won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP, while Lanny McDonald, who ended the regular season with exactly 500 goals, got his name on the Cup in his last NHL game. Flames co-owner Sonia Scurfield became the first Canadian woman to have her name inscribed on the Stanley Cup.
Wayne Gretzky and the Los Angeles Kings met the defending champion Oilers in the first round. Gretzky and the Kings defeated the defending Stanley Cup champions after falling behind 3–1. In the second round the Kings were swept by the eventual champion Calgary Flames in four games.
Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Ron Hextall became the first goaltender 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. One round later Mario Lemieux equaled four NHL-records by scoring five goals and eight points in a 10–7 Pittsburgh win in game five of the Patrick Division Finals. Hextall then made headlines in the Wales Conference Finals, attacking Montreal's Chris Chelios in the late stages of Game 6 as retribution for Chelios' unpenalized hit on Flyers forward Brian Propp in game one. Hextall received a 12-game suspension at the start of the 1989–90 season for his actions.
Former Flyers head coach Mike Keenan led Chicago to the Campbell Conference finals in his first year behind the bench. The Blackhawks had 66 points, the fewest points of any playoff team this season yet they upset first place Detroit and then St. Louis before losing to Calgary.

Playoff seeds

The following teams qualified for the playoffs:

Prince of Wales Conference

Adams Division

  1. Montreal Canadiens, Adams Division champions, Prince of Wales Conference regular season champions – 115 points
  2. Boston Bruins – 88 points
  3. Buffalo Sabres – 83 points
  4. Hartford Whalers – 79 points

    Patrick Division

  5. Washington Capitals, Patrick Division champions – 92 points
  6. Pittsburgh Penguins – 87 points
  7. New York Rangers – 82 points
  8. Philadelphia Flyers – 80 points

    Clarence Campbell Conference

Norris Division

  1. Detroit Red Wings, Norris Division champions – 80 points
  2. St. Louis Blues – 78 points
  3. Minnesota North Stars – 70 points
  4. Chicago Blackhawks – 66 points

    Smythe Division

  5. Calgary Flames, Smythe Division champions, Clarence Campbell Conference regular season champions, Presidents' Trophy winners – 117 points
  6. Los Angeles Kings – 91 points
  7. Edmonton Oilers – 84 points
  8. Vancouver Canucks – 74 points

    Playoff bracket

Division Semifinals

Prince of Wales Conference

(A1) Montreal Canadiens vs. (A4) Hartford Whalers

(A2) Boston Bruins vs. (A3) Buffalo Sabres

(P1) Washington Capitals vs. (P4) Philadelphia Flyers

(P2) Pittsburgh Penguins vs. (P3) New York Rangers

Clarence Campbell Conference

(N1) Detroit Red Wings vs. (N4) Chicago Blackhawks

(N2) St. Louis Blues vs. (N3) Minnesota North Stars

(S1) Calgary Flames vs. (S4) Vancouver Canucks

Calgary defeated Vancouver in seven games. This was the first of three consecutive series between these two teams that ended in overtime of game seven. The seventh game went into overtime with both teams having great chances to win the game. The best of these chances was a breakaway for Canucks' captain Stan Smyl who was stopped by Calgary goaltender Mike Vernon. Joel Otto scored the series winner at 19:21 of the first overtime after Jim Peplinski banked it in off Otto's skate to send the Flames into the Smythe Division Final.

(S2) Los Angeles Kings vs. (S3) Edmonton Oilers

Division Finals

Prince of Wales Conference

(A1) Montreal Canadiens vs. (A2) Boston Bruins

(P2) Pittsburgh Penguins vs. (P4) Philadelphia Flyers

In Game 5, Mario Lemieux, listed as questionable before the game due to his neck, tied four NHL playoff records for goals in one period, goals in a game, points in a game and points in a period.

Clarence Campbell Conference

(N2) St. Louis Blues vs. (N4) Chicago Blackhawks

(S1) Calgary Flames vs. (S2) Los Angeles Kings

Conference Finals

Prince of Wales Conference Final

(A1) Montreal Canadiens vs. (P4) Philadelphia Flyers

Clarence Campbell Conference Final

(S1) Calgary Flames vs. (N4) Chicago Blackhawks

Stanley Cup Finals

This was the second playoff series between these two teams, with the only previous meeting being the 1986 Stanley Cup Finals where Montreal defeated Calgary in five games. This was the Flames second appearance in the Finals, while Montreal was making their thirty-third appearance in the Finals. Calgary was trying to win their first Stanley Cup in franchise history, while Montreal last won the Stanley Cup in 1986.
The Stanley Cup Finals was decided between the two teams with the best records of the 1988–89 NHL regular season. Co-captain Lanny McDonald scored the second Flames goal in game six. This turned out to be the last goal in his Hockey Hall of Fame career, as 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 their first title for the Flames.
To date this remains the last all-Canadian Cup Finals.

Player statistics

Skaters

These are the top ten skaters based on points.
PlayerTeam
Al MacInnisCalgary Flames2272431+646
Tim KerrPhiladelphia Flyers19141125+127
Joe MullenCalgary Flames2116824+84
Brian ProppPhiladelphia Flyers1814923+814
Doug GilmourCalgary Flames22111122+1220
Wayne GretzkyLos Angeles Kings1151722-40
Mario LemieuxPittsburgh Penguins1112719-116
Bobby SmithMontreal Canadiens2111819+146
Denis SavardChicago Blackhawks1681119+810
Joel OttoCalgary Flames2261319+246

Goaltenders

This is a combined table of the top five goaltenders based on goals against average and the top five goaltenders based on save percentage, with at least 420 minutes played. The table is sorted by GAA, and the criteria for inclusion are bolded.
PlayerTeam
Montreal Canadiens19136526422.09.9202 1206:10
Calgary Flames22165549522.26.9053 1380:55
Chicago Blackhawks1697483442.61.9090 1013:00
St. Louis Blues1055308343.14.8900 649:22
Philadelphia Flyers1587445493.32.8900 886:22