1994 Stanley Cup playoffs

The 1994 Stanley Cup playoffs, the championship of the National Hockey League (NHL), began after the conclusion of the 1993–94 NHL season. The sixteen teams that qualified, eight from each conference, played best-of-7 series for conference quarterfinals, semifinals and championships, and then the conference champions played a best-of-7 series for the Stanley Cup.

The playoffs ended when the New York Rangers defeated the Vancouver Canucks in the seventh game of the 1994 Stanley Cup Finals.

For the first time in history, all four former WHA teams (Edmonton, Hartford, Quebec, and Winnipeg) failed to make the playoffs in the same year. This would not happen again until 2007 a decade after the three latter teams relocated. Also, for the first time in history, every Original Six team made the playoffs in the same season. This would happen again two years later.

Wayne Gretzky missed the playoffs for the first of 4 times in his career.

1 Playoff bracket
2 Conference Quarter-finals
- 2.1 Eastern Conference
- 2.2 Western Conference
3 Conference Semi-finals
4 Eastern Conference Final
- 4.1 Background
- 4.2 Series summary
5 Western Conference Final
6 Stanley Cup Final
7 See also

Playoff bracket

Conference Quarter-finals			Conference Semi-finals				Conference Finals			Stanley Cup Finals

1	New York Rangers	4	1	New York Rangers	4
8	New York Islanders	0	7	Washington Capitals	1

2	Pittsburgh Penguins	2				Eastern Conference

7	Washington Capitals	4
							1	New York Rangers	4

							3	New Jersey Devils	3
3	New Jersey Devils	4

6	Buffalo Sabres	3



4	Boston Bruins	4	3	New Jersey Devils	4

5	Montreal Canadiens	3	4	Boston Bruins	2
										E1	New York Rangers	4
	(Pairings are re-seeded after the first round.)
										W7	Vancouver Canucks	3
1	Detroit Red Wings	3	3	Toronto Maple Leafs	4

8	San Jose Sharks	4	8	San Jose Sharks	3


2	Calgary Flames	3

7	Vancouver Canucks	4
							3	Toronto Maple Leafs	1

							7	Vancouver Canucks	4
3	Toronto Maple Leafs	4

6	Chicago Blackhawks	2					Western Conference


4	Dallas Stars	4	4	Dallas Stars	1

5	St. Louis Blues	0	7	Vancouver Canucks	4

During the first three rounds home ice is determined by seeding number, not position on the bracket. In the Finals the team with the better regular season record has home ice.

Conference Quarter-finals

Eastern Conference

**NY Rangers (1) vs. NY Islanders (8)**
Date	Away	Home
April 17	NY Islanders 0	6 NY Rangers
April 18	NY Islanders 0	6 NY Rangers
April 21	NY Rangers 5	1 NY Islanders
April 24	NY Rangers 5	2 NY Islanders
NY Rangers wins series 4–0

**Pittsburgh (2) vs. Washington (7)**
Date	Away	Home
April 17	Washington 5	3 Pittsburgh
April 19	Washington 1	2 Pittsburgh
April 21	Pittsburgh 0	2 Washington
April 23	Pittsburgh 1	4 Washington
April 25	Washington 2	3 Pittsburgh
April 27	Pittsburgh 3	6 Washington
Washington wins series 4–2

**New Jersey (3) vs. Buffalo (6)**
Date	Away	Home	OT
April 17	Buffalo 2	0 New Jersey
April 19	Buffalo 1	2 New Jersey
April 21	New Jersey 2	1 Buffalo
April 23	New Jersey 3	5 Buffalo
April 25	Buffalo 3	5 New Jersey
April 27	New Jersey 0	1 Buffalo	4 OT
April 29	Buffalo 1	2 New Jersey
New Jersey wins series 4–3

**Boston (4) vs. Montreal (5)**
Date	Away	Home	OT
April 16	Montreal 2	3 Boston
April 18	Montreal 3	2 Boston
April 21	Boston 6	3 Montreal
April 23	Boston 2	5 Montreal
April 25	Montreal 2	1 Boston	OT
April 27	Boston 3	2 Montreal*
April 29	Montreal 3	5 Boston
Boston wins series 4–3

* Last playoff game at the Montreal Forum.

Western Conference

**Detroit (1) vs. San Jose (8)**
Date	Away	Home
April 18	San Jose 5	4 Detroit
April 20	San Jose 0	4 Detroit
April 22	Detroit 3	2 San Jose
April 23	Detroit 3	4 San Jose
April 26	Detroit 4	6 San Jose
April 28	San Jose 1	7 Detroit
April 30	San Jose 3	2 Detroit
San Jose wins series 4–3

**Calgary (2) vs. Vancouver (7)**
Date	Away	Home	OT
April 18	Vancouver 5	0 Calgary
April 20	Vancouver 5	7 Calgary
April 22	Calgary 4	2 Vancouver
April 24	Calgary 3	2 Vancouver
April 26	Vancouver 2	1 Calgary	OT
April 28	Calgary 2	3 Vancouver	OT
April 30	Vancouver 4	3 Calgary	2 OT
Vancouver wins series 4–3

**Toronto (3) vs. Chicago (6)**
Date	Away	Home	OT
April 18	Chicago 1	5 Toronto
April 20	Chicago 0	1 Toronto	OT
April 22	Toronto 4	5 Chicago
April 24	Toronto 3	4 Chicago	OT
April 26	Chicago 0	1 Toronto
April 28	Toronto 1	0 Chicago*
Toronto wins series 4–2

**Dallas (4) vs. St. Louis (5)**
Date	Away	Home	OT
April 17	St. Louis 3	5 Dallas
April 20	St. Louis 2	4 Dallas
April 22	Dallas 5	4 St. Louis	OT
April 24	Dallas 2	1 St. Louis†
Dallas wins series 4–0

* Last playoff game at Chicago Stadium.
† Last playoff game at the St. Louis Arena.

Conference Semi-finals

**NY Rangers (1) vs. Washington (7)**
Date	Away	Home
May 1	Washington 3	6 NY Rangers
May 3	Washington 2	5 NY Rangers
May 5	NY Rangers 3	0 Washington
May 7	NY Rangers 2	4 Washington
May 9	Washington 3	4 NY Rangers
NY Rangers win series 4–1

**New Jersey (3) vs. Boston (4)**
Date	Away	Home	OT
May 1	Boston 2	1 New Jersey
May 3	Boston 6	5 New Jersey	OT
May 5	New Jersey 4	2 Boston
May 7	New Jersey 5	4 Boston	OT
May 9	Boston 0	2 New Jersey
May 11	New Jersey 5	3 Boston
New Jersey wins series 4–2

**Toronto (3) vs. San Jose (8)**
Date	Away	Home	OT
May 2	San Jose 3	2 Toronto
May 4	San Jose 1	5 Toronto
May 6	Toronto 2	5 San Jose
May 8	Toronto 8	3 San Jose
May 10	Toronto 2	5 San Jose
May 12	San Jose 2	3 Toronto	OT
May 14	San Jose 2	4 Toronto
Toronto wins series 4–3

**Dallas (4) vs. Vancouver (7)**
Date	Away	Home	OT
May 2	Vancouver 6	4 Dallas
May 4	Vancouver 3	0 Dallas
May 6	Dallas 4	3 Vancouver
May 8	Dallas 1	2 Vancouver	OT
May 10	Dallas 2	4 Vancouver
Vancouver wins series 4–1

Eastern Conference Final

The New York Rangers and New Jersey Devils met in the 1994 Eastern Conference final. This was the first Conference Final since 1985 not to feature either the Boston Bruins or the Montreal Canadiens.

Background

The Rangers had just dispatched the Washington Capitals in five games, while the Devils had just defeated the Boston Bruins in six games (after losing the first two games of the series at home). New York was trying to advance to the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time since 1979, while the Devils were trying to advance to their first-ever Cup Finals. The Rangers and Devils finished 1–2 respectively in the NHL during the regular season. Despite the two teams strong regular season records, the Rangers entered the series heavily favored as they had swept the regular season six game series with the Devils. This series was the second time that the Rangers and Devils had met in the post season. The series also cemented the legitimacy of the Hudson River rivalry. The series is also recognized as one of the greatest series in NHL history.

Series summary

Game 1

With a minute remaining in Game 1 at Madison Square Garden, New York was leading 3–2. However, Devils forward Claude Lemieux tied the game on a scramble in front of New York goaltender Mike Richter. The Devils went on to win the game on Stephane Richer's breakaway goal at 15:23 of the second overtime.

Game 2

The Rangers evened the series, winning Game 2 in a 4–0 shutout.

Game 3

The series then turned to the Meadowlands in East Rutherford, NJ, for games three and four. Like Game 1, Game 3 went into double overtime but this time it was New York who won, 3–2, on Stephane Matteau's goal at 6:13 of the second overtime period.

Game 4

The Devils, winning by a final score of 3–1, evened the series at 2-2.

Game 5

The Devils took the series lead with a 4-1 win at Madison Square Garden.

Game 6

Despite the fact that his team trailed in the series 3–2, Rangers captain Mark Messier made a highly publicized guarantee that New York would win Game 6. After trailing New Jersey by a score of 2–1 after two periods, Messier himself scored a third-period hat trick to rally the Rangers to a 4–2 victory.

Game 7

Game 7, played at Madison Square Garden, was a goaltending battle between New Jersey's Martin Brodeur and New York's Mike Richter. Brian Leetch gave the Rangers a 1–0 lead in the second period. Richter, who had shut out the Devils for over 59 minutes, conceded Devils forward Valeri Zelepukin the game-tying goal with just 7.7 seconds remaining in regulation. The two teams played into double overtime for the third time in the series, and for the second time in the series, it was Stephane Matteau who scored the game winner. With his a wrap-around goal coming at 4:24 of the second overtime period, the Rangers won the game 2–1 win and the series 4–3.

**NY Rangers (1) vs. New Jersey (3)**
Date	Away	Home	OT
May 15	New Jersey 4	3 NY Rangers	2 OT
May 17	New Jersey 0	4 NY Rangers
May 19	NY Rangers 3	2 New Jersey	2 OT
May 21	NY Rangers 1	3 New Jersey
May 23	New Jersey 4	1 NY Rangers
May 25	NY Rangers 4	2 New Jersey
May 27	New Jersey 1	2 NY Rangers	2 OT
NY Rangers wins series 4–3 and Prince of Wales Trophy

Western Conference Final

The Toronto Maple Leafs and Vancouver Canucks met in the 1994 Western Conference final. Toronto was coming off a tough seven-game series win against the San Jose Sharks while Vancouver was fresh off a 4-1 series win against the Dallas Stars. The Maple Leafs were hoping to make it to Stanley Cup Finals for the first time since winning the championship in 1967, while the Canucks had not made it to the Cup Finals since their Cinderella run in 1982.

Toronto won game one at Maple Leaf Gardens on Peter Zezel's goal at 16:55 of the first overtime period. After that, however, the Maple Leafs could not seem to slow down the bigger, more-powerful Canucks. Vancouver edged Toronto 4–3 in game two, and won shutouts at the Pacific Coliseum in games three and four, by scores of 2–0 and 4–0 respectively. Down three games to one and facing elimination, the Maple Leafs played much better in game five on Tuesday, May 24 in Vancouver. They pushed Vancouver to double overtime but it was Vancouver forward Greg Adams who beat Leafs goaltender Felix Potvin just 14 seconds into the second overtime period to give the Canucks a 4–3 win and a 4–1 series win.

**Toronto (3) vs. Vancouver (7)**
Date	Away	Home	OT
May 16	Vancouver 2	3 Toronto	OT
May 18	Vancouver 4	3 Toronto
May 20	Toronto 0	4 Vancouver
May 22	Toronto 0	2 Vancouver
May 24	Toronto 3	4 Vancouver	2OT
Vancouver wins series 4–1 and Clarence S. Campbell Bowl

Stanley Cup Final

Main article: 1994 Stanley Cup Finals

The Rangers were making their tenth appearance in the Final, first since 1979. For Vancouver, it was their second, first since 1982. With the Rangers having 112 points against Vancouver's 85, the 27 point difference was the largest point differential between two teams in a Stanley Cup Final since 1982 when 41 points separated the New York Islanders (118) and Vancouver (77).

In a back-and-forth series that went the maximum, the Rangers won the Cup, their fourth title, and first since 1940.

**NY Rangers (1) vs. Vancouver (7)**
Date	Away	Score	Home	Score	OT
May 31	Vancouver	3	New York	2	OT
June 2	Vancouver	1	New York	3
June 4	New York	5	Vancouver	1
June 7	New York	4	Vancouver	2
June 9	Vancouver	6	New York	3
June 11	New York	1	Vancouver	4
June 14	Vancouver	2	New York	3
New York Rangers wins series 4–3 and Stanley Cup
Brian Leetch (NY Rangers) wins Conn Smythe Trophy