1991 Stanley Cup playoffs

1991 Stanley Cup playoffs
Tournament details
Dates April 3–May 25, 1991
Teams 16
Final positions
Champions Pittsburgh Penguins
Runner-up Minnesota North Stars
Semifinalists
← 1990
1992 →
The Stanley Cup

The 1991 Stanley Cup Playoffs for the National Hockey League (NHL) championship began on April 3, 1991, following the 1990–91 regular season. The sixteen teams that qualified, from the top four teams of the four divisions, played best-of-seven series with re-seeding after the division finals. The Conference Champions played a best-of-seven series for the Stanley Cup.

This was the first of the 25 consecutive years in which the Detroit Red Wings qualified for the Stanley Cup Playoffs until their streak finally ended in 2017. Their streak is tied for the third longest in NHL history, and was the longest active playoff appearance streak in the four major American professional sports.

The finals concluded on May 25 with the Pittsburgh Penguins winning the Stanley Cup, defeating the Minnesota North Stars in the final series four games to two. Pittsburgh forward Mario Lemieux was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as Most Valuable Player of the playoffs.

This was the first NHL playoffs without any series sweeps since the 1972–73 season. In addition, this season set the record for most playoff games played with 92 which stood until 2014.[1]

Playoff seeds

In the 1990–91 season, teams qualified based on their division standing at the end of the regular season. Playoffs then proceeded among the top four teams in each division, providing a division winner. The two division winners of each conference then played off to provide a conference winner. The two conference winners then played off in the final to produce a Stanley Cup champion.

The following teams qualified for the playoffs:

Prince of Wales Conference

Adams Division

  1. Boston Bruins, Adams Division champions, Prince of Wales Conference regular season champions – 100 points
  2. Montreal Canadiens – 89 points
  3. Buffalo Sabres – 81 points
  4. Hartford Whalers – 73 points

Patrick Division

  1. Pittsburgh Penguins, Patrick Division champions – 88 points
  2. New York Rangers – 85 points
  3. Washington Capitals – 81 points
  4. New Jersey Devils – 79 points

Clarence Campbell Conference

Norris Division

  1. Chicago Blackhawks, Norris Division champions, Clarence Campbell Conference regular season champions, Presidents' Trophy winners – 106 points
  2. St. Louis Blues – 105 points
  3. Detroit Red Wings – 76 points
  4. Minnesota North Stars – 68 points

Smythe Division

  1. Los Angeles Kings, Smythe Division champions – 102 points
  2. Calgary Flames – 100 points
  3. Edmonton Oilers – 80 points
  4. Vancouver Canucks – 65 points

Playoff bracket

  Division Semifinals Division Finals Conference Finals Stanley Cup Finals
                                     
A1 Boston 4  
A4 Hartford 2  
  A1 Boston 4  
 
  A2 Montreal 3  
A2 Montreal 4
A3 Buffalo 2  
  A1 Boston 2  
Prince of Wales Conference
  P1 Pittsburgh 4  
P1 Pittsburgh 4  
P4 New Jersey 3  
  P1 Pittsburgh 4
 
  P3 Washington 1  
P2 NY Rangers 2
P3 Washington 4  
  P1 Pittsburgh 4
  N4 Minnesota 2
N1 Chicago 2  
N4 Minnesota 4  
  N4 Minnesota 4
 
  N2 St. Louis 2  
N2 St. Louis 4
N3 Detroit 3  
  N4 Minnesota 4
Clarence Campbell Conference
  S3 Edmonton 1  
S1 Los Angeles 4  
S4 Vancouver 2  
  S1 Los Angeles 2
 
  S3 Edmonton 4  
S2 Calgary 3
S3 Edmonton 4  

Division Semifinals

Prince of Wales Conference

(A1) Boston Bruins vs. (A4) Hartford Whalers

Boston won series 4–2

(A2) Montreal Canadiens vs. (A3) Buffalo Sabres

Montreal won series 4–2

(P1) Pittsburgh Penguins vs. (P4) New Jersey Devils

Pittsburgh won series 4–3

(P2) New York Rangers vs. (P3) Washington Capitals

Washington won series 4–2

Clarence Campbell Conference

(N1) Chicago Blackhawks vs. (N4) Minnesota North Stars

Minnesota won series 4–2

(N2) St. Louis Blues vs. (N3) Detroit Red Wings

St. Louis won series 4–3

(S1) Los Angeles Kings vs. (S4) Vancouver Canucks

Los Angeles won series 4–2

(S2) Calgary Flames vs. (S3) Edmonton Oilers

Edmonton won series 4–3

Division Finals

Prince of Wales Conference

(A1) Boston Bruins vs. (A2) Montreal Canadiens

Boston won series 4–3

(P1) Pittsburgh Penguins vs. (P3) Washington Capitals

Pittsburgh won series 4–1

Clarence Campbell Conference

(N2) St. Louis Blues vs. (N4) Minnesota North Stars

Minnesota won series 4–2

(S1) Los Angeles Kings vs. (S3) Edmonton Oilers

Edmonton won series 4–2

Conference Finals

Prince of Wales Conference Final

(A1) Boston Bruins vs. (P1) Pittsburgh Penguins

Pittsburgh won series 4–2

Clarence Campbell Conference Final

(S3) Edmonton Oilers vs. (N4) Minnesota North Stars

Minnesota's series victory was the first time since realignment in 1981 that the Clarence Campbell Conference was not represented by a Canadian or Smythe Division team in the Stanley Cup Finals.

Minnesota won series 4–1

Stanley Cup Finals

Pittsburgh won series 4–2

See also

Preceded by
1990 Stanley Cup playoffs		 Stanley Cup Champions Succeeded by
1992 Stanley Cup playoffs

References

  1. ↑ Mike Zeisberger – The Toronto Sun (June 14, 2014). "NHL playoff highlights during this lengthy post-season". Retrieved July 2, 2014.
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