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1988 Stanley Cup Finals
1988 Stanley Cup Finals
Location(s)	Edmonton: Northlands Coliseum (1, 2, 4); Boston: Boston Garden) (3, 4)
Coaches	Edmonton: Glen Sather; Boston: Terry O'Reilly
Captains	Edmonton: Wayne Gretzky; Boston: Ray Bourque, Rick Middleton
Referees	Denis Morel (1, 4); Andy Van Hellemond (3, 4); Don Koharski (2)
Dates	May 18–26, 1988
MVP	Wayne Gretzky (Oilers)
Series-winning goal	Wayne Gretzky (9:44, second, G4)
Hall of Famers	Oilers:; Glenn Anderson (2008); Grant Fuhr (2003); Wayne Gretzky (1999); Jari Kurri (2001); Kevin Lowe (2020); Mark Messier (2007); Bruins:; Ray Bourque (2004); Cam Neely (2005); Coaches:; Glen Sather (2007)
Networks	Canada:; (English): Global/Canwest (1–2), CBC (3–4); (French): SRC; United States:; (National): ESPN; (Boston area): WSBK (1–2, 4), NESN (3–4)
Announcers	(Global/Canwest) Dan Kelly and John Davidson; (CBC) Bob Cole and Harry Neale; (SRC) Richard Garneau and Gilles Tremblay; (ESPN) Mike Emrick, Bill Clement (1–4), and Mickey Redmond; (WSBK/NESN) Fred Cusick, Derek Sanderson, and Dave Shea (NESN only)

The 1988 Stanley Cup Finals was the championship series of the National Hockey League's (NHL) 1987–88 season, and the culmination of the 1988 Stanley Cup playoffs. It was contested between the Edmonton Oilers and Boston Bruins. The Oilers swept the Bruins to once again repeat as Stanley Cup champions. It was the Oilers’ fourth championship in franchise history.^[a]

This was the seventh of nine consecutive Finals contested by a team from Western Canada, sixth of eight by a team from Alberta (the Oilers appeared in six of them, the Calgary Flames in two, and the Vancouver Canucks in one), and the last of five consecutive Finals to end with the Cup presentation on Alberta ice (the Oilers won four such Cups, the Montreal Canadiens the other). The series is remembered for the power failure that occurred during game four at Boston Garden, which caused that game to be suspended. The league decided to replay game four at Northlands Coliseum in Edmonton, at the site, date and time that was originally scheduled for game five. Game 5 is also the final time that Wayne Gretzky appeared in an Edmonton Oilers uniform as he was traded to Los Angeles just prior to the next season, and the last Stanley Cup he would win as a player.

Paths to the Finals

The Oilers cruised into the Finals with relative ease, losing only two games in the process. They beat the Winnipeg Jets in five games, swept the Calgary Flames, and then beat the Detroit Red Wings in five to win the Clarence S. Campbell Bowl for the fifth time in six years.

The Bruins, meanwhile, had a much harder road. It took them six games to knock off the Buffalo Sabres, then beat their longtime rivals the Montreal Canadiens in five games, and then needed the full seven games to beat the New Jersey Devils to claim the Prince of Wales Trophy.

Game summaries

The Finals pitted the Oilers' offensive juggernaut against the Bruins' more balanced team. The Oilers showed their defensive prowess, surrendering just nine goals in the four completed games. Ray Bourque was physical in defending against Gretzky, but that would not ground the "Great One" on his way to claiming his second Conn Smythe Trophy and setting playoff records with 31 assists in just 18 games, and 13 points in the Finals series.

Game one

Summary

May 18

Boston Bruins

1–2
0–0, 1–1, 0–1

Edmonton Oilers

Northlands Coliseum
Attendance: 17,502

Game reference

Andy Moog

Goalies

Grant Fuhr

	0–1	1:56 – Wayne Gretzky 10 (Steve Smith, Jari Kurri) (PP)
Cam Neely 8 (Craig Janney, Gord Kluzak) – 13:15	1–1
	1–2	1:15 – Keith Acton 2 (Steve Smith, Kevin McClelland)

14

Shots

22

Game two

Summary

May 20

Boston Bruins

2-4
0-2 ,0-0, 2-2

Edmonton Oilers

Northlands Coliseum
Attendance: 17,502

Game reference

Game three

Summary

May 22

Edmonton Oilers

6–3
1–1, 2–0, 3–2

Boston Bruins

Boston Garden
Attendance: 14,448

Game reference

Grant Fuhr

Goalies

Rejean Lemelin

Referee:
Andy Van Hellemond
Linesmen:
Ron Finn
Ray Scapinello

	1–1
	3–1
	6–3

25

Shots

28

Game four (suspended)

Glenn Anderson set a new record for quickest goal from the start of a Finals game when he scored ten seconds into the contest. That record was tied two years later in the third game of the 1990 Finals by John Byce who, in a twist, was playing for the Bruins against the Oilers.^[1] Fog interfered with the game, requiring stoppages during the second period so that all 40+ players could skate around the ice to clear it away. The Oilers scored with 3:23 left in the second period, tying the game at 3–3, then the arena suffered a power failure before the ensuing face-off. The teams were sent to their dressing room until – after a very long delay and no change in the situation – NHL President John Ziegler Jr. announced that the game was suspended.^[2] Despite the game being suspended and replayed, Anderson's record is official.

Game four was subsequently rescheduled and moved to Edmonton, which was originally set to be the site of a game five if necessary. The Oilers won that game, sweeping the series and winning their fourth Stanley Cup in five years. The NHL announced that, in the unlikely event that the Bruins had managed to win any games, game five would have been played on the original date for game six in Boston, Edmonton would have hosted the rescheduled game six, and then game seven would have been played in Boston as the makeup game; the Bruins did not win a single game, so no part of this plan had to be implemented.^[3]^[4]^[5]

Game four

Summary

May 26

Edmonton Oilers

6–3
2–2, 3–0, 1–1

Boston Bruins

Northlands Coliseum
Attendance: 17,502

Game reference

Grant Fuhr

Goalies

Andy Moog

Referee:
Andy Van Hellemond
Linesmen:
Ron Finn
Ray Scapinello

	2–2
	5–2
	6–3

26

Shots

19

Series summary

Boston Bruins vs. Edmonton Oilers

Date	Away	Score	Home	Score	Notes
May 18	Boston Bruins	1	Edmonton Oilers	2
May 20	Boston Bruins	2	Edmonton Oilers	4
May 22	Edmonton Oilers	6	Boston Bruins	3
May 24	Edmonton Oilers	3	Boston Bruins	3	Game suspended at 16:37 of second period due to power failure.
May 26	Boston Bruins	3	Edmonton Oilers	6

Edmonton wins best-of-seven series 4–0^[a]

Team rosters

Years indicated in boldface under the "Finals appearance" column signify that the player won the Stanley Cup in the given year.

Boston Bruins

#	Player	Position	Hand	Acquired	Place of birth	Finals appearance
33	John Blum	D	R	1983–84	Detroit, Michigan	first (did not play)
77	Ray Bourque – C	D	L	1979	Saint-Laurent, Quebec	first
12	Randy Burridge	LW	L	1985	Fort Erie, Ontario	first
34	Lyndon Byers	RW	R	1982	Nipawin, Saskatchewan	first
18	Keith Crowder – A	RW	R	1979	Windsor, Ontario	first
40	Greg Hawgood	D	L	1986	Edmonton, Alberta	first
23	Craig Janney	C	L	1986	Hartford, Connecticut	first
39	Greg Johnston	RW	R	1983	Barrie, Ontario	first
27	Bob Joyce	LW	L	1987–88	Saint John, New Brunswick	first
11	Steve Kasper	C	L	1980	Saint-Lambert, Quebec	first
6	Gord Kluzak	D	L	1982	Climax, Saskatchewan	first
28	Reed Larson	D	R	1985–86	Minneapolis, Minnesota	first
37	Moe Lemay	LW	L	1987–88	Saskatoon, Saskatchewan	second (1987)
1	Rejean Lemelin	G	L	1987–88	Quebec City, Quebec	second (1986)
13	Ken Linseman	C	L	1984–85	Kingston, Ontario	fourth (1980, 1983, 1984)
17	Nevin Markwart	LW	L	1983	Toronto, Ontario	first
19	Tom McCarthy	LW	L	1986–87	Toronto, Ontario	second (1981)
16	Rick Middleton – C	C	L	1976–77	Toronto, Ontario	third (1977, 1978)
29	Jay Miller	LW	L	1985–86	Wellesley, Massachusetts	first
35	Andy Moog	G	L	1987–88	Penticton, British Columbia	fifth (1983, 1984, 1985, 1987)
8	Cam Neely	RW	R	1986–87	Comox, British Columbia	first
10	Billy O'Dwyer	C	L	1987–88	South Boston, Massachusetts	first
41	Allen Pedersen	D	L	1983	Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta	first
25	Willi Plett	RW	R	1987–88	Asunción, Paraguay	first
40	Bruce Shoebottom	D	L	1987–88	Windsor, Ontario	first (did not play)
42	Bob Sweeney	C	R	1982	Concord, Massachusetts	first
22	Michael Thelven	D	R	1980	Stockholm, Sweden	first
26	Glen Wesley	D	L	1987	Red Deer, Alberta	first

Edmonton Oilers

#	Player	Position	Hand	Acquired	Place of birth	Finals appearance
12	Keith Acton	C	L	1987–88	Stouffville, Ontario	first
9	Glenn Anderson	RW	L	1979	Vancouver, British Columbia	fifth (1983, 1984, 1985, 1987)
6	Jeff Beukeboom	D	R	1983	Ajax, Ontario	second (1987)
15	Geoff Courtnall	LW	L	1987–88	Victoria, British Columbia	first
31	Grant Fuhr	G	R	1981	Spruce Grove, Alberta	fifth (1983, 1984, 1985, 1987)
21	Randy Gregg	D	L	1981–82	Edmonton, Alberta	fifth (1983, 1984, 1985, 1987)
99	Wayne Gretzky – C	C	L	1979–80	Brantford, Ontario	fifth (1983, 1984, 1985, 1987)
12	Dave Hannan	C	L	1987–88	Onaping Falls, Ontario	first
22	Charlie Huddy	D	L	1980–81	Oshawa, Ontario	fifth (1983, 1984, 1985, 1987)
26	Mike Krushelnyski	C	L	1984–85	Montreal, Quebec	third (1985, 1987)
17	Jari Kurri	RW	R	1980	Helsinki, Finland	fifth (1983, 1984, 1985, 1987)
19	Normand Lacombe	RW	R	1987–88	Montreal, Quebec	first
4	Kevin Lowe – A	D	L	1979	Lachute, Quebec	fifth (1983, 1984, 1985, 1987)
14	Craig MacTavish	C	L	1985–86	London, Ontario	second (1987)
24	Kevin McClelland	RW	R	1983–84	Oshawa, Ontario	fourth (1984, 1985, 1987)
33	Marty McSorley	D	R	1985–86	Hamilton, Ontario	second (1987)
11	Mark Messier – A	LW	L	1979	Edmonton, Alberta	fifth (1983, 1984, 1985, 1987)
28	Craig Muni	D	L	1986–87	Toronto, Ontario	second (1987)
30	Bill Ranford	G	L	1987–88	Brandon, Manitoba	first
18	Craig Simpson	LW	R	1987–88	London, Ontario	first
5	Steve Smith	D	L	1981	Glasgow, Scotland	second (1987)
10	Esa Tikkanen	LW	L	1983	Helsinki, Finland	third (1985, 1987)

Stanley Cup engraving

The 1988 Stanley Cup was presented to Oilers captain Wayne Gretzky by NHL President John Ziegler following the Oilers 6–3 win over the Bruins in game four.

The following Oilers players and staff had their names engraved on the Stanley Cup

1987–88 Edmonton Oilers

Players

Centres

99 Wayne Gretzky (Captain)
11 Mark Messier (A)
12 Dave Hannan
14 Craig MacTavish
23 Keith Acton
26 Mike Krushelnyski (also played wing during the playoffs)

Wingers

Defencemen

4 Kevin Lowe (A)
5 Steve Smith
6 Jeff Beukeboom
21 Randy Gregg
22 Charlie Huddy
28 Craig Muni
33 Marty McSorley (played wing during the regular season)

Goaltenders

31 Grant Fuhr
30 Bill Ranford

Coaching and administrative staff

Peter Pocklington (Owner)
Glen Sather (President/General Manager/Head Coach)
John Muckler (Co-Coach), Edward Ted Green (Asst. Coach)
Bruce MacGregor (Asst. General Manager)
Barry Fraser (Director of Player Personnel/Chief Scout), Bill Tuele (Director of Public Relations)
Dr. Gordon Cameron (Team Physician), Peter Millar (Athletic Therapist), Juergen Merz (Massage Therapist)
Barrie Stafford (Trainer), Lyle Kulchisky (Asst. Trainer)

Stanley Cup engraving

#29 Daryl Reaugh (backup goalie) joined the team after Andy Moog left in September to play for Team Canada, and at the 1988 Olympics. Reaugh would play 6 games (dressed for 60). After the Olympics, Moog was traded to Boston Bruins for minor leaguer goalie Bill Ranford. Reaugh was sent to the minors, being recalled during the conference finals. His name was left off, because he was playing in the minors after the trade deadline. Reaugh was included on the team picture.
#20 Steve Dykstra played 42 NHL games in 1987–88 season. Dykstra joined Edmonton in a trade from the Buffalo Sabres, playing in 15 of the Oilers last 21 games, but not in the playoffs. He was left off, because he did not play all 42 games with Edmonton.
#32 Jim Wiemer played 12 regular season games and two games in Conference Finals. He was left off the Stanley Cup because he did not play in the finals
This would mark the final time Wayne Gretzky would win the Stanley Cup.

Team picture on the ice, after winning a championship

After the Oilers won the 1988 Stanley Cup, Wayne Gretzky (in what ended up being his last game with the Oilers) requested a picture on the ice with all the players, and all non-playing members including management, coaches, trainers, scouts, locker room assistants. The team honoured his request, and it has remained a tradition followed by each Stanley Cup-winning team. The team picture tradition after winning a championship then became a tradition followed by most hockey championship teams at all levels around the world.

Gretzky wanted every member of the Oilers to be included on the team picture. However, when the cup was engraved all five scouts were left off: Garnet Bailey, Ed Chadwick, Lorne Davis, Matti Vaisanen (on the Cup in 1985, 1987, 1990), Bob Freeman (part time, not on the Cup). The Oilers also left three players off the Stanley Cup: Daryl Reaugh, Steve Dykstra, Jim Weimer. Bill Tuele (Public Relations Director) had his name added to the cup for the first time. He has rings with the Oilers in 1984, 1985, 1987, but his name was not put on the Stanley Cup those seasons.

Broadcasting

In the United States, this was the final year under ESPN's national three-year deal. Under the U.S. TV contracts that would take effect beginning next season, SportsChannel America would take over as the NHL's American television partner.

ESPN's coverage of the 1988 Cup Finals was blacked out locally in the Boston area due to WSBK and NESN's local rights to Bruins games.

In Canada, this was the second and final year that the English-language rights to the Cup Finals was split between the Global-Canwest consortium and the CBC. Global aired games one and two. The CBC aired game three, then both the original and replayed game fours. CBC had the rights to game 5 of the Stanley Cup Finals, and Canwest/Global also had the rights to games 6 & 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals between Edmonton Oilers and Boston Bruins (both CBC and Canwest/Global had the rights of Game 7, using separate production facilities and separate on-air talent), which were not necessary.^[3]^[4]^[5]

Notes

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Game four was abandoned due to a power failure at the Boston Garden with the score tied 3–3; it was subsequently replayed in Edmonton
^ Morel refereed the original game 4 in Boston
^ Van Hellemond refereed the replayed game 4 in Edmonton
^ CBC aired both the original and replayed game fours.
^ ^a ^b Both NESN and WSBK simulcasted the original game four in Boston, and WSBK only aired the replayed game four in Edmonton.
^ Clement did not work during the replayed game four in Edmonton due to an illness.

Footnotes

^ Diamond (2000, p. 90)
^ Weekes, Don (2003). The Best and Worst of Hockey's Firsts: The Unofficial Guide. Canada: Greystone Books. pp. 240. ISBN 9781550548600.
^ ^a ^b Crowe, Jerry (May 25, 1988). "Oilers, Bruins Play Game 4 in a Fog, End in the Dark". Los Angeles Times.
^ ^a ^b Finn, Robin; Times, Special To the New York (May 25, 1988). "No Lights, Then No Crowd; Hockey Halted for the Night". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved August 1, 2021.
^ ^a ^b Memories: Power outage halts game at Boston Garden, archived from the original on December 21, 2021, retrieved August 1, 2021

References

Diamond, Dan (2000). Total Stanley Cup. Toronto: Total Sports Canada. ISBN 978-1-892129-07-9.
Podnieks, Andrew; Hockey Hall of Fame (2004). Lord Stanley's Cup. Bolton, Ont: Fenn Pub. pp. 12, 50. ISBN 978-1-55168-261-7.