1990 Stanley Cup Finals

In the 1990 Stanley Cup Finals, the Edmonton Oilers defeated the Boston Bruins four games to one. For the Oilers, it was their fifth Cup win in seven years, and the only one since they traded Wayne Gretzky to the Los Angeles Kings in 1988. This would be the last of eight consecutive Finals contested by a team from Alberta (the Oilers appeared in six, the Calgary Flames in two).

Paths to the Finals

Boston defeated the Hartford Whalers 4â€"3, the Montreal Canadiens 4â€"1, and the Washington Capitals 4â€"0 to advance to the Final.

Edmonton defeated the Winnipeg Jets 4â€"3, the Los Angeles Kings 4â€"0, and the Chicago Blackhawks 4â€"2.

Game summaries

In game one, Petr Klima scored at 15:13 of the third overtime period to give the Oilers a 3â€"2 win; this game remains the longest in Stanley Cup Finals history (see Longest NHL overtime games), edging both Brett Hull's Cup-winner in 1999 and Igor Larionov's game-winner in 2002 by less than 30 seconds.

Though the Oilers ultimately won the series in five games, it was the Bruins who dominated play during the early part of the series. The Bruins had more chances to win the opener, and at one point had a 15-4 shot advantage in game two before the Oilers came back.

In game five at the Boston Garden on May 24, the Oilers won 4â€"1, the first time they had ever clinched the Cup on the road. Craig Simpson scored the game-winning goal. Oilers goaltender Bill Ranford, originally the backup who took over from Grant Fuhr for the remainder of the regular season and the entire playoffs, was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP.

Mark Messier won his first Stanley Cup as a team captain, and his fifth overall. He would win his sixth Stanley Cup as the captain with the New York Rangers four years later, and scored the Cup-winning goal, making him the only player to captain two different Cup-winning teams.

Ray Bourque would not reach the Stanley Cup Finals again until the Colorado Avalanche won in 2001. As for the Bruins, they wouldn't return to the Stanley Cup Finals until their championship season of 2011. The Oilers did not reach the Finals again until 2006, losing in seven games.

Boston Bruins vs. Edmonton Oilers

Edmonton Oilers â€" 1990 Stanley Cup champions

Players

Stanley Cup engravings

• Garnet "Ace" Bailey won seven Stanley Cups. His name was engraved on the Stanley Cup five times. He was engraved as Garnet Bailey in 1972, G. Bailey in 1970, 1985, 1987, and Ace Bailey in 1990. His name was left off the Stanley Cup, but he was awarded Stanley Cup rings in 1984, 1988.
• #29 Vladimir Ruzicka joined Edmonton from Europe in January. Ruzicka played 25 games, but did not dress in the playoffs.
• #19 Anatoli Semenov joined Edmonton from Europe in May. Semenov played two games in the Conference Final.

Neither player qualified for engravement on the Cup, but both players received Stanley Cup rings. Ruzicka was also included on the team winning picture.

• Grant Fuhr only played 21 games, during the regular season due to injuries. Although he would miss the rest of the regular season and the entire playoffs, he qualified to be on the Cup by dressing for over 40 regular season games.

Members of all five Edmonton Oilers championships

• Glenn Anderson, Grant Fuhr, Randy Gregg, Charlie Huddy, Jari Kurri, Kevin Lowe, Mark Messier (seven Players), Peter Pocklington, Glen Sather, John Mucker, Ted Green, Barry Fraser, Barry Stafford, Lyle Kulchisky (seven non-players)
• Nine non-players were part of all five championships, but not all engraved each year: Garnet 'Ace' Bailey, Ed Chadwick, Lorne Davis, Matti Vaisanen, Gordon Cameron, Bill Tuele, John Backwell, Werner Baum, and Bob Freedman

Members of all five Edmonton Oilers championships and New York Rangers championship (1994)

• Glenn Anderson, Kevin Lowe and Mark Messier.

See also

• 1989â€"90 NHL season
• List of Stanley Cup champions
• 1989â€"90 Boston Bruins season
• 1989â€"90 Edmonton Oilers season

References

Inline citations

Bibliography

• Cole, Stephen (2004). The Best of Hockey Night in Canada. Toronto: McArthur & Company. pp. 120, 128. ISBN 1-55278-408-8. 
• Podnieks, Andrew; Hockey Hall of Fame (2004). Lord Stanley's Cup. Bolton, Ont.: Fenn Pub. pp. 12, 50. ISBN 978-1-55168-261-7.