Loading AI tools
1984 ice hockey championship series From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The 1984 Stanley Cup Finals was the championship series of the National Hockey League's (NHL) 1983–84 season, and the culmination of the 1984 Stanley Cup playoffs. It was contested between the defending Campbell Conference champion Edmonton Oilers and the defending Wales Conference and four-time defending Stanley Cup champion New York Islanders. The upstart Oilers defeated the four-time defending champion Islanders to win their first Stanley Cup in franchise history, becoming the third post-1967 expansion team and first former World Hockey Association team to win the Cup, and also the first team based west of Chicago to win the Cup since the WCHL's Victoria Cougars became the last non-NHL team to win it in 1925.
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (December 2016) |
In the previous year's Stanley Cup Finals, the Islanders had swept the Oilers in four straight games. The teams met again in 1984, with the Islanders seeking their fifth consecutive Stanley Cup championship. While both teams had improved on their regular season records from the previous season, Edmonton had progressed more and finished with the best record in the NHL for the first time in their short history. However, it was New York who received home-ice advantage, as they had in 1982 since the rules in place since 1982 dictated that home-ice advantage went to the conference that won the coin toss and in 1984 because the Wales Conference had more points in head-to-head play against the Campbell Conference. It was also the first time that the Finals was played under a 2–3–2 format.[1] This was the third time during the era that the team with the worse record received a home-ice advantage, the other two being the 1968 and 1970. Home-ice advantage reverted to the team with the better record for the following Finals, and the Finals reverted to the former 2–2–1–1–1 format in the Finals after that.
This was the fifth straight Finals of teams that joined the NHL in 1967 or later. As of 2021[update], the Islanders' four consecutive Cup wins (1980, 1981, 1982, 1983) and their appearance in the 1984 Cup Finals is an NHL record of 19 consecutive playoff series wins that currently stands unbroken. The 1984 Finals was the third of nine consecutive Finals contested by a team from Western Canada, second of eight contested by a team from Alberta (the Oilers appeared in six, the Calgary Flames in two, the Vancouver Canucks in one), and the first of five consecutive Finals to end with the Cup presentation on Alberta ice (the Oilers won four times at home, the Montreal Canadiens once in Calgary).
The Oilers became the fastest Canadian-based expansion team to win a major sports title by winning a title in only their fifth NHL season. The feat was eclipsed in 2016 by the Ottawa Redblacks, who won the Grey Cup in their third CFL season.[2]
To date, this is the last time the Islanders have appeared in the Stanley Cup Finals, and they currently hold the second longest Finals appearance drought in the league at 40 years, the longest of any American-based team. The only team with a longer Finals appearance drought are the Toronto Maple Leafs, who last made the Finals in 1967.
Edmonton defeated the Winnipeg Jets 3–0, the Calgary Flames 4–3 and the Minnesota North Stars 4–0 to reach the Finals.
New York defeated the New York Rangers 3–2, the Washington Capitals 4–1, and the Montreal Canadiens 4–2 to reach the Finals.
NOTE: The 1984 Stanley Cup Finals were played in a 2–3–2 format, which the NBA Finals (1985–2013) and World Series (always) use, instead of the usual 2–2–1–1–1; however, the NHL would only use the format again the following season before going back to the 2–2–1–1–1 format for the 1986 Stanley Cup Finals.
Grant Fuhr shut out the Islanders in the first game, on Long Island, with Kevin McClelland scoring the game's only goal, but the Islanders won game two 6–1. The series then shifted to Edmonton for three games. In game three, the Islanders had a 2–1 lead in the second period, but Mark Messier scored on an individual effort to tie the game.[3] They proceeded to beat the Islanders 7–2. The Oilers, however, lost Fuhr for games four and five after the Islanders' Pat LaFontaine crashed into Fuhr on the forecheck during game three, and Fuhr was slow to get up. Andy Moog started games four and five. The Oilers won game four by the same score, with Wayne Gretzky scoring his first goal of the Finals. The Oilers then won game five by the score of 5–2 thanks to Gretzky's two first-period goals, and two Duane Sutter penalties. They became the first former WHA team, and the first team from Edmonton, to win the Stanley Cup. Mark Messier was awarded with the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP.
| May 10 | Edmonton Oilers | 1–0 | New York Islanders | Nassau Coliseum | Recap | |||
| No scoring | First period | No scoring | ||||||
| No scoring | Second period | No scoring | ||||||
| Kevin McClelland (3) - 01:55 | Third period | No scoring | ||||||
| Grant Fuhr 34 saves / 34 shots | Goalie stats | Billy Smith 37 saves / 38 shots, Roland Melanson 0 saves / 0 shots | ||||||
| May 12 | Edmonton Oilers | 1–6 | New York Islanders | Nassau Coliseum | Recap | |||
| Randy Gregg (3) - 15:06 | First period | 00:53 - Bryan Trottier (7) 05:48 - pp - Greg Gilbert (5) 18:31 - Clark Gillies (8) | ||||||
| No scoring | Second period | 04:52 - Bryan Trottier (8) 16:48 - pp - Clark Gillies (9) | ||||||
| No scoring | Third period | 17:04 - pp - Clark Gillies (10) | ||||||
| Grant Fuhr 20 saves / 26 shots | Goalie stats | Billy Smith 22 saves / 23 shots | ||||||
| May 15 | New York Islanders | 2–7 | Edmonton Oilers | Northlands Coliseum | Recap | |||
| Clark Gillies (11) - 01:32 | First period | 13:49 - Kevin Lowe (3) | ||||||
| Clark Gillies (12) - pp - 02:54 | Second period | 08:38 - Mark Messier (6) 19:12 - Glenn Anderson (6) 19:29 - Paul Coffey (7) | ||||||
| No scoring | Third period | 05:32 - Mark Messier (7) 05:52 - Kevin McClelland (4) 09:41 - Dave Semenko (5) | ||||||
| Billy Smith 25 saves / 31 shots, Roland Melanson 8 saves / 9 shots | Goalie stats | Grant Fuhr 22 saves / 24 shots, Andy Moog 1 save / 1 shot | ||||||
| May 17 | New York Islanders | 2–7 | Edmonton Oilers | Northlands Coliseum | Recap | |||
| Brent Sutter (4) - 14:03 | First period | 01:53 - Wayne Gretzky (10) 03:22 - Willy Lindstrom (4) 17:54 - Mark Messier (8) | ||||||
| Patrick Flatley (9) - 19:44 | Second period | 05:21 - pp - Willy Lindstrom (5) 06:58 - Pat Conacher (1) 10:52 - Paul Coffey (8) | ||||||
| No scoring | Third period | 14:01 - Wayne Gretzky (11) | ||||||
| Billy Smith 31 saves / 38 shots | Goalie stats | Andy Moog 19 saves / 21 shots | ||||||
| May 19 | New York Islanders | 2–5 | Edmonton Oilers | Northlands Coliseum | Recap | |||
| No scoring | First period | 12:08 - Wayne Gretzky (12) 17:26 - Wayne Gretzky (13) | ||||||
| No scoring | Second period | 00:38 - pp - Ken Linseman (10) 04:59 - pp - Jari Kurri (14) | ||||||
| Pat LaFontaine (2) - 00:13 Pat LaFontaine (3) - 00:35 |
Third period | 19:47 - Dave Lumley (2) | ||||||
| Roland Melanson 12 saves / 14 shots, Billy Smith 7 saves / 9 shots | Goalie stats | Andy Moog 23 saves / 25 shots | ||||||
| Edmonton won series 4–1 | |
The series aired on CBC in Canada and on the USA Network in the United States. CBC's broadcast team consisted of Bob Cole, Dick Irvin Jr., and Gary Dornhoefer. USA's national coverage was blacked out in the New York area due to the local rights to Islanders games in that TV market, with SportsChannel New York airing games one and two, and WOR televising the other three games.
| No. | Nat | Player | Pos | S/G | Age | Acquired | Birthplace |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 |  |
Lee Jr. Fogolin | D | R | 29 | 1979 | Chicago, Illinois |
| 4 |  |
Kevin Lowe | D | L | 25 | 1979 | Lachute, Quebec |
| 7 | |
Paul Coffey | D | L | 22 | 1980 | Weston, Ontario |
| 9 | |
Glenn Anderson | RW | L | 23 | 1979 | Vancouver, British Columbia |
| 10 |  |
Jaroslav Pouzar | LW | L | 32 | 1982 | Cakovec, Czechoslovakia |
| 11 | |
Mark Messier | C | L | 23 | 1979 | St. Albert, Alberta |
| 12 | |
Dave Hunter | LW | L | 26 | 1979 | Petrolia, Ontario |
| 13 | |
Ken Linseman | C | L | 25 | 1983 | Kingston, Ontario |
| 15 | |
Pat Conacher | C | L | 25 | 1983 | Edmonton, Alberta |
| 16 | |
Pat Hughes | RW | R | 29 | 1981 | Calgary, Alberta |
| 17 |  |
Jari Kurri | RW | R | 24 | 1980 | Helsinki, Finland |
| 19 |  |
Willy Lindstrom | RW | L | 33 | 1983 | Grums, Sweden |
| 20 | |
Dave Lumley | RW | R | 29 | 1979 | Toronto, Ontario |
| 21 | |
Randy Gregg | D | L | 28 | 1982 | Edmonton, Alberta |
| 22 | |
Charlie Huddy | D | L | 24 | 1979 | Oshawa, Ontario |
| 24 | |
Kevin McClelland | C | R | 21 | 1983 | Oshawa, Ontario |
| 27 | |
Dave Semenko | LW | L | 26 | 1979 | Winnipeg, Manitoba |
| 29 | |
Donald Jackson | D | L | 25 | 1981 | Minneapolis, Minnesota |
| 31 | |
Grant Fuhr | G | R | 21 | 1981 | Spruce Grove, Alberta |
| 33 | |
Mike Zanier | G | L | 21 | 1984 | Trail, British Columbia |
| 35 | |
Andy Moog | G | L | 24 | 1980 | Penticton, British Columbia |
| 99 | |
Wayne Gretzky (C) | C | L | 23 | 1979 | Brantford, Ontario |
| No. | Nat | Player | Pos | S/G | Age | Acquired | Birthplace |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | |
Roland Melanson | G | L | 23 | 1979 | Moncton, New Brunswick |
| 2 | |
Gord Dineen | D | R | 21 | 1981 | Quebec City, Quebec |
| 3 | |
Tomas Jonsson | D | L | 24 | 1979 | Falun, Sweden |
| 4 | |
Paul Boutilier | D | L | 21 | 1981 | Sydney, Nova Scotia |
| 5 | |
Denis Potvin (C) | D | L | 30 | 1973 | Vanier, Ontario |
| 6 | |
Ken Morrow | D | R | 27 | 1976 | Davison, Michigan |
| 7 | |
Stefan Persson | D | L | 29 | 1974 | Bjurholm, Sweden |
| 8 | |
Patrick Flatley | RW | R | 20 | 1982 | Toronto, Ontario |
| 9 | |
Clark Gillies | LW | L | 30 | 1974 | Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan |
| 11 | |
Wayne Merrick | C | L | 32 | 1977 | Sarnia, Ontario |
| 12 | |
Duane Sutter | RW | R | 24 | 1979 | Viking, Alberta |
| 14 | |
Bob Bourne | LW | L | 29 | 1974 | Kindersley, Saskatchewan |
| 16 | |
Pat LaFontaine | C | R | 19 | 1983 | St. Louis, Missouri |
| 17 | |
Greg Gilbert | LW | L | 22 | 1980 | Mississauga, Ontario |
| 19 | |
Bryan Trottier | C | L | 27 | 1974 | Val Marie, Saskatchewan |
| 20 | |
Mats Hallin | LW | L | 26 | 1982 | Eskilstuna, Sweden |
| 21 | |
Brent Sutter | C | R | 21 | 1980 | Viking, Alberta |
| 22 | |
Mike Bossy | RW | R | 27 | 1977 | Montreal, Quebec |
| 23 | |
Bob Nystrom | RW | R | 31 | 1981 | Stockholm, Sweden |
| 24 | |
Gord Lane | D | L | 31 | 1979 | Brandon, Manitoba |
| 25 | |
Billy Carroll | C | L | 25 | 1979 | Toronto, Ontario |
| 26 | |
Dave Langevin | D | L | 30 | 1974 | Saint Paul, Minnesota |
| 27 | |
John Tonelli | LW | L | 27 | 1977 | Hamilton, Ontario |
| 28 | |
Anders Kallur | RW | L | 31 | 1979 | Ludvika, Sweden |
| 31 | |
Billy Smith | G | L | 33 | 1972 | Perth, Ontario |
| 91 | |
Butch Goring | C | L | 34 | 1980 | St. Boniface, Manitoba |
The 1984 Stanley Cup was presented to Oilers captain Wayne Gretzky by NHL President John Ziegler following the Oilers 5–2 win over the Islanders in game five.
The following Oilers players and staff had their names engraved on the Stanley Cup:
1983–84 Edmonton Oilers
(played left wing during the regular season)
(played Centre during the regular season)
Each team was required to play 20 players out of a 24-man roster. The Oilers engraved 21 players' names on the Cup, leaving off four players who were dressed in the playoffs. All four players left off the Stanley Cup were awarded a Stanley Cup ring, and are included in the team picture.
On the new ring, EDMONTON was misspelt DDMONTON. An "E" was stamped twice over the first "D" to correct the mistake.
Seamless Wikipedia browsing. On steroids.
Every time you click a link to Wikipedia, Wiktionary or Wikiquote in your browser's search results, it will show the modern Wikiwand interface.
Wikiwand extension is a five stars, simple, with minimum permission required to keep your browsing private, safe and transparent.
