5 3 5 0 Start date May 26, 1992 | 4 1 | |
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Similar 1991 Stanley Cup Finals, 1993 Stanley Cup Finals, 1990 Stanley Cup Finals, 1981 Stanley Cup Finals, 1982 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 appearing in their first Finals since 1973. After the Blackhawks jumped to an early 4–1 lead in the first game of the series, Mario Lemieux and the Penguins came back to win the game, sweep the series in four games, and win their second consecutive and second overall Stanley Cup. It was the 99th year of the Stanley Cup, and the first to extend into the month of June. It was the last final for Chicago Stadium as it closed in 1994.
Contents
- 1992 stanley cup finals game four highlights pittsburgh vs chicago
- Road to the Finals
- The series
- Stanley Cup engraving
- Aftermath
- References
1992 stanley cup finals game four highlights pittsburgh vs chicago
Road to the Finals
Pittsburgh defeated the Washington Capitals 4–3, the New York Rangers 4–2, and the Boston Bruins 4–0.
Chicago had to defeat their three biggest rivals, first the St. Louis Blues 4–2, then their long-time Original Six rival Detroit Red Wings 4–0, and then, the Edmonton Oilers 4–0.
With their co-tenants at Chicago Stadium, the Bulls, coached by Phil Jackson and led by Michael Jordan, playing in (and winning) the NBA Finals, it was an opportunity for both the Blackhawks and the Bulls to help the city of Chicago become the first city to have both NHL and NBA championships in the same year. (New York also had this opportunity in 1994, when the Knicks and Rangers made the finals in their respective sport; however, the result was the same, albeit a reversal of Chicago's ending, as the Rangers won their first Stanley Cup since 1940, and the Knicks lost, with both of those series going the full seven games.)
Chicago set an NHL playoff record in winning 11 games in a row to reach the finals.
Pittsburgh had won seven in a row entering the finals and swept Chicago in four games to tie Chicago's record. Pittsburgh then extended the playoff winning streak record to 14 with wins in the first three games against the New Jersey Devils in the following season's first playoff round.
The series
The Penguins were led by captain Mario Lemieux, coach Scotty Bowman, and goaltender Tom Barrasso. The Blackhawks were led by captain Dirk Graham, coach Mike Keenan, and goaltender Ed Belfour. They also made history in having the first Russian-born player to have a chance to get their name on the Stanley Cup in Igor Kravchuk.
Mario Lemieux won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP for the second consecutive year, becoming only the second player in NHL history to do so: Bernie Parent had won it when the Philadelphia Flyers won the Cup in the consecutive years of 1974 and 1975.
Game four was the first NHL game played in the month of June.
Stanley Cup engraving
Pierre McGuire, Les Binkley, John Gill, Charlie Hodge, Ralph Cox were with the team as Scouts in 1990–91, but names were not included on the Stanley Cup that year. All five members have two Stanley Cup rings with Pittsburgh. Team Doctor Charles Burke won cups with Pittsburgh in 1991-92, but name was left off.
Aftermath
The Penguins won a league record 17 straight games en route to the Presidents' Trophy in the 1992–93 season, despite Mario Lemieux missing much of the season to Hodgkin's lymphoma. However they lost in the conference semifinals to the New York Islanders.