1987 Stanley Cup playoffs

The 1987 Stanley Cup playoffs, the championship of the National Hockey League (NHL), began with sixteen teams on April 8, 1987. It concluded on May 31, with the Edmonton Oilers defeating the Philadelphia Flyers to win the Stanley Cup.

Contents

Series

Note: all dates in 1987

In attempts to reduce the number of first round upsets, the NHL expanded the best-of-five series in the first round to a best-of-seven series.

The game seven opening-round game between the Washington Capitals and New York Islanders went four overtimes, and is known as the Easter Epic.

The 1987 playoffs marked the second consecutive year that all four former WHA teams made the playoffs in the same year. It would not happen again until 1999 by which time 3 of those teams had moved, the Quebec Nordiques to Denver, the Winnipeg Jets to Phoenix, and the Hartford Whalers to Raleigh, North Carolina.

The Quebec Nordiques made the playoffs and defeated the Hartford Whalers in the first round. The next playoff series they would win would be in 1996, their first year as the Colorado Avalanche. The Winnipeg Jets' opening-round win over Calgary would be the last playoff series win for the combined Jets/Coyotes franchise to this day (through 2011 playoffs).

Playoff bracket

  Division Semi-finals Division Finals Conference Finals Final
                                     
A1  Hartford Whalers 2  
A4  Quebec Nordiques 4  
  A2  Montreal Canadiens 4  
 
  A4  Quebec Nordiques 3  
A2  Montreal Canadiens 4
A3  Boston Bruins 0  
  A2  Montreal Canadiens 2  
  P1  Philadelphia Flyers 4  
P1  Philadelphia Flyers 4  
P4  New York Rangers 2  
  P1  Philadelphia Flyers 4
 
  P3  New York Islanders 3  
P2  Washington Capitals 3
P3  New York Islanders 4  
  P1  Philadelphia Flyers 3
  S1  Edmonton Oilers 4
N1  St. Louis Blues 2  
N4  Toronto Maple Leafs 4  
  N4  Toronto Maple Leafs 3
 
  N2  Detroit Red Wings 4  
N2  Detroit Red Wings 4
N3  Chicago Blackhawks 0  
  N2  Detroit Red Wings 1
  S1  Edmonton Oilers 4  
S1  Edmonton Oilers 4  
S4  Los Angeles Kings 1  
  S1  Edmonton Oilers 4
 
  S3  Winnipeg Jets 0  
S2  Calgary Flames 2
S3  Winnipeg Jets 4  

Division Semi-finals

Prince of Wales conference

Hartford Whalers vs. Quebec Nordiques
Date Away Score Home Score Notes
April 8 Quebec 2 Hartford 3 OT
April 9 Quebec 4 Hartford 5
April 11 Hartford 4 Quebec 5
April 12 Hartford 1 Quebec 4
April 14 Quebec 7 Hartford 5
April 16 Hartford 4 Quebec 5 OT
Quebec won best-of-seven series 4–2

Source: Diamond(2000)[1]

Montreal Canadiens vs. Boston Bruins
Date Away Score Home Score Notes
April 8 Boston 2 Montreal 6
April 9 Boston 3 Montreal 4 OT
April 11 Montreal 5 Boston 4
April 12 Montreal 4 Boston 2
Montreal won best-of-seven series 4–0

Source: Diamond(2000)[1]

Philadelphia Flyers vs. New York Rangers
Date Away Score Home Score Notes
April 8 New York 3 Philadelphia 0
April 9 New York 3 Philadelphia 8
April 11 Philadelphia 3 New York 0
April 12 Philadelphia 3 New York 6
April 14 New York 1 Philadelphia 3
April 16 Philadelphia 5 New York 0
Philadelphia won best-of-seven series 4–2

Source: Diamond(2000)[1]

Washington Capitals vs. New York Islanders
Date Away Score Home Score Notes
April 8 New York 3 Washington 4
April 9 New York 3 Washington 1
April 11 Washington 2 New York 0
April 12 Washington 4 New York 1
April 14 New York 4 Washington 2
April 16 Washington 4 New York 5
April 18 New York 3 Washington 2 4OT
New York won best-of-seven series 4–3

Source: Diamond(2000)[1]

Clarence Campbell conference

St. Louis Blues vs. Toronto Maple Leafs
Date Away Score Home Score Notes
April 8 Toronto 1 St. Louis 3
April 9 Toronto 3 St. Louis 2 OT
April 11 St. Louis 5 Toronto 3
April 12 St. Louis 1 Toronto 2
April 14 Toronto 2 St. Louis 1
April 16 St. Louis 0 Toronto 4
Toronto won best-of-seven series 4–2

Source: Diamond(2000)[1]

Detroit Red Wings vs. Chicago Black Hawks
Date Away Score Home Score Notes
April 8 Chicago 1 Detroit 3
April 9 Chicago 1 Detroit 5
April 11 Detroit 4 Chicago 3 OT
April 12 Detroit 3 Chicago 1
Detroit won best-of-seven series 4–0

Source: Diamond(2000)[1]

Edmonton Oilers vs. Los Angeles Kings
Date Away Score Home Score Notes
April 8 Los Angeles 5 Edmonton 2
April 9 Los Angeles 3 Edmonton 13
April 11 Edmonton 6 Los Angeles 5
April 12 Edmonton 6 Los Angeles 3
April 14 Los Angeles 4 Edmonton 5
Edmonton won best-of-seven series 4–1

Source: Diamond(2000)[1]

Calgary Flames vs. Winnipeg Jets
Date Away Score Home Score Notes
April 8 Winnipeg 4 Calgary 2
April 9 Winnipeg 3 Calgary 2
April 11 Calgary 3 Winnipeg 2 OT
April 12 Calgary 3 Winnipeg 4
April 14 Winnipeg 3 Calgary 4
April 16 Calgary 1 Winnipeg 6
Winnipeg won best-of-seven series 4–2

Source: Diamond(2000)[1]

Division Finals

Prince of Wales conference

Montreal Canadiens vs. Quebec Nordiques
Date Away Score Home Score Notes
April 20 Quebec 7 Montreal 5
April 22 Quebec 2 Montreal 1
April 24 Montreal 7 Quebec 2
April 26 Montreal 3 Quebec 2 OT
April 28 Quebec 2 Montreal 3
April 30 Montreal 2 Quebec 3
May 2 Quebec 3 Montreal 5
Montreal won best-of-seven series 4–3

Source: Diamond(2000)[1]

Philadelphia Flyers vs. New York Islanders
Date Away Score Home Score Notes
April 20 New York 2 Philadelphia 4
April 22 New York 2 Philadelphia 1
April 24 Philadelphia 4 New York 1
April 26 Philadelphia 6 New York 4
April 28 New York 2 Philadelphia 1
April 30 Philadelphia 2 New York 4
May 2 New York 1 Philadelphia 5
Philadelphia won best-of-seven series 4–3

Source: Diamond(2000)[1]

Clarence Campbell conference

Detroit Red Wings vs. Toronto Maple Leafs
Date Away Score Home Score Notes
April 21 Toronto 4 Detroit 2
April 23 Toronto 7 Detroit 2
April 25 Detroit 4 Toronto 2
April 27 Detroit 2 Toronto 3 OT
April 29 Toronto 0 Detroit 3
May 1 Detroit 4 Toronto 2
May 3 Toronto 0 Detroit 3
Detroit won best-of-seven series 4–3

Source: Diamond(2000)[2]

Edmonton Oilers vs. Winnipeg Jets
Date Away Score Home Score Notes
April 21 Winnipeg 2 Edmonton 3 OT
April 23 Winnipeg 3 Edmonton 5
April 25 Edmonton 5 Winnipeg 2
April 27 Edmonton 4 Winnipeg 2
Edmonton won best-of-seven series 4–0

Source: Diamond(2000)[3]

Conference Finals

Prince of Wales conference

Philadelphia Flyers vs. Montreal Canadiens
Date Away Score Home Score Notes
May 4 Montreal 3 Philadelphia 4 OT
May 6 Montreal 5 Philadelphia 2
May 8 Philadelphia 4 Montreal 3
May 10 Philadelphia 6 Montreal 3
May 12 Montreal 5 Philadelphia 2
May 14 Philadelphia 4 Montreal 3
Philadelphia won best-of-seven series 4–2

Source: Diamond(2000)[3]

Clarence Campbell conference

Edmonton Oilers vs. Detroit Red Wings
Date Away Score Home Score Notes
May 5 Detroit 3 Edmonton 1
May 7 Detroit 1 Edmonton 4
May 9 Edmonton 2 Detroit 1
May 11 Edmonton 3 Detroit 2
May 13 Detroit 3 Edmonton 2
Edmonton won best-of-seven series 4–1

Source: Diamond(2000)[3]

Final

Edmonton Oilers Vs. Philadelphia Flyers

Further information: 1987 Stanley Cup Finals

The Oilers and Flyers would meet again in the finals for the second time in three years. This time, Edmonton was the regular season champion with 50 wins and 106 points, and Philadelphia was second with 46 wins and 100 points.

Unlike the 1985 final, this series would go the distance. Edmonton took the first two games at home, then split in Philadelphia. However, the Flyers won the next two games, one in Edmonton and one back in Philadelphia by one goal, to force a deciding seventh game. Edmonton won game seven to earn its third Stanley Cup in four seasons.

Date Away Score Home Score Notes
May 17 Philadelphia 2 Edmonton 4
May 20 Philadelphia 2 Edmonton 3 (OT)
May 22 Edmonton 3 Philadelphia 5
May 24 Edmonton 4 Philadelphia 1
May 26 Philadelphia 4 Edmonton 3
May 28 Edmonton 2 Philadelphia 3
May 31 Philadelphia 1 Edmonton 3
Edmonton wins best-of-seven series 4–3

Source: Diamond(2000)[3]

Stanley Cup scoring leaders

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Diamond 2000, p. 33.
  2. ^ Diamond 2000, pp. 33–34.
  3. ^ a b c d Diamond 2000, p. 34.
Preceded by
1986 Stanley Cup playoffs		 Stanley Cup playoffs Succeeded by
1988 Stanley Cup playoffs
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Category:Stanley Cup playoffs · Portal:Ice hockey