1990 Stanley Cup Finals | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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* – overtime periods | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Location(s) |
Boston (Boston Garden) (1,2,5) Edmonton (Northlands Coliseum) (3,4) |
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Coaches | Edmonton: John Muckler Boston: Mike Milbury |
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Captains | Edmonton: Mark Messier Boston: Ray Bourque |
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Referees |
Don Koharski (1,4) Andy Van Hellemond (3,5) Kerry Fraser (2) |
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Dates | May 15 to May 24 | |||||||||||||||||||||
MVP | Bill Ranford | |||||||||||||||||||||
Series-winning goal | Craig Simpson (9:31, second) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Networks |
CBC (Canada-English) SportsChannel America (United States, except Boston Area) NESN (Boston Area Games 1,2 and 5) WSBK-TV (Boston Area, Games 3 and 4) |
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Announcers |
Bob Cole, Harry Neale and Dick Irvin (CBC) Jiggs McDonald and Bill Clement (SC America) Fred Cusick and Derek Sanderson (NESN and WSBK) |
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In the 1990 Stanley Cup Final, 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).
Boston defeated the Hartford Whalers 4–3, the Montreal Canadiens 4–1, and the Washington Capitals 4–0 to advance to the Final.
Edmonton defeated the Winnipeg Jets 4–3, the Los Angeles Kings 4–0, and the Chicago Blackhawks 4–2.
In game one, Petr Klima scored at 15:13 of the third overtime period to give the Oilers a 3–2 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 4–1, 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.