1993 Stanley Cup Final

Paths to the Final

The playoff paths for both the Los Angeles Kings and Montreal Canadiens were shaped by significant upsets across the league and the absence of traditional rivals. The top regular-season teams in each conference, the Chicago Blackhawks and Pittsburgh Penguins, were eliminated before the Conference Finals. For the Kings, their journey was notably eased by the failure of their nemesis, the Edmonton Oilers, to qualify for the playoffs for the first time since 1979, having eliminated Los Angeles in the three previous postseasons. The Kings, who did not have home-ice advantage in any round, became the only club to face Canadian teams in every round, defeating the Calgary Flames 4-2, the Vancouver Canucks 4-2, and the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-3 in a tense seven-game Campbell Conference Final.

Montreal's route began with a dramatic comeback against their provincial rivals, the Quebec Nordiques, in the Adams Division Semifinals. After losing the first two games, partly due to shaky goaltending from Patrick Roy, the Canadiens rallied to win the next four games and take the series 4-2. Their path was further smoothed when the Buffalo Sabres swept Montreal's bitter rivals, the Boston Bruins, in the other semifinal, eliminating a team that had ousted the Canadiens for three consecutive years. Montreal then swept the Sabres 4-0 and defeated the New York Islanders 4-1 in the Wales Conference Finals, tying an NHL record with 11 consecutive playoff wins during their run. The playoffs featured several key upsets that cleared obstacles for both finalists.

• The Chicago Blackhawks, top team in the Campbell Conference, were swept by the St. Louis Blues in the Norris Division Semifinals.
• The Pittsburgh Penguins, the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions and league's top regular-season team, were eliminated by the New York Islanders in the Patrick Division Finals.
• The Boston Bruins, who had eliminated Montreal for three straight years, were swept by the Buffalo Sabres in the Adams Division Semifinals.
• The Edmonton Oilers, who had eliminated Los Angeles in 1990, 1991, and 1992, failed to qualify for the 1993 playoffs.

Series Summary and Turning Point

The series opened at the historic Montreal Forum, with the Kings seizing an early advantage. Los Angeles won Game 1 by a score of 4-1, powered by two power-play goals from Luc Robitaille and an empty-net goal from Wayne Gretzky. Game 2 in Montreal became the defining moment of the series. With the Kings leading 2-1 late in the third period, Canadiens coach Jacques Demers called for a measurement of Kings defenceman Marty McSorley's stick. The stick was ruled illegal, resulting in a two-minute minor penalty for McSorley. Demers pulled goalie Patrick Roy to create a 6-on-4 advantage, and defenceman Eric Desjardins scored the tying goal on the power play to force overtime. Desjardins then completed a hat trick just 51 seconds into overtime, giving Montreal a 3-2 victory and shifting the series momentum entirely. From the moment of that penalty, the Kings did not win another playoff game for the remainder of the 20th century, losing all remaining games of the Final and failing to win a postseason game until 2001. Reports suggested Demers knew which stick to challenge due to a Forum employee, though he credited captain Guy Carbonneau with the observation.

Overtime Drama in Los Angeles

The series shifted to the Great Western Forum in Los Angeles for Games 3 and 4, both of which extended into overtime. In Game 3, Montreal built a 3-0 lead in the second period before the Kings stormed back with three goals, including one from Gretzky, to tie the game. A controversial non-call late in the third period, where Montreal captain Guy Carbonneau appeared to cover the puck in the crease, denied the Kings a potential penalty shot. John LeClair then scored just 34 seconds into overtime, giving Montreal a 4-3 win and their ninth consecutive overtime playoff victory. Game 4 followed a nearly identical script, with Montreal taking an early 2-0 lead before the Kings fought back to tie the game in the second period. After a scoreless third, LeClair again played the hero, scoring 14:37 into overtime to give the Canadiens a 3-2 win and an NHL-record tenth consecutive overtime victory in the 1993 playoffs. The back-to-back overtime wins in Los Angeles were critical in building a commanding series lead.

• John LeClair scored the overtime winner in Game 3 just 34 seconds into the extra period.
• John LeClair scored the overtime winner in Game 4 at 14:37 of the extra period.
• LeClair became the first player since Maurice Richard in 1951 to score playoff overtime goals in consecutive games.
• The Canadiens set an NHL record with ten consecutive overtime wins during the 1993 playoffs.
• Eric Desjardins scored the overtime winner in Game 2 at the 51-second mark.

The Championship Clincher

Returning to Montreal with a 3-1 series lead, the Canadiens closed out the championship in Game 5. Paul DiPietro opened the scoring for Montreal in the first period, but Marty McSorley replied for the Kings early in the second. The Canadiens' response was swift, with Kirk Muller scoring the game-winning goal just 71 seconds later. Stephane Lebeau added a power-play goal later in the period, and DiPietro scored his second of the game in the third to seal a 4-1 victory. Wayne Gretzky was held without a shot on goal in the decisive game, and with the win, the Montreal Canadiens captured their 24th Stanley Cup. The victory sparked massive celebrations in Montreal that later deteriorated into a riot causing millions in damages.

Records and Historical Context

The 1993 Stanley Cup Final was a series marked by several notable records and historical milestones. It was the first Final to begin in the month of June and the last to be played in the Montreal Forum. The Canadiens set an NHL record by winning ten consecutive overtime games during their playoff run. Eric Desjardins became the first and only defenceman to score a hat trick in a Stanley Cup Final game. John LeClair matched a feat last accomplished by Maurice Richard in 1951 by scoring overtime goals in consecutive playoff games. The 1993 Canadiens also hold several enduring distinctions as the last Stanley Cup champion composed solely of North American-born players and, along with the Toronto Blue Jays' World Series win that same year, part of the only year where Canadian teams won at least two championships across the four major North American sports leagues. The series also represented the end of an era in several personal narratives.

• It was the last Stanley Cup Final appearance for Wayne Gretzky.
• It was the last Final played in the Montreal Forum.
• The Kings did not win another playoff game until 2001, against the Detroit Red Wings.
• The Canadiens did not appear in the Final again until 2021, where they lost to the Tampa Bay Lightning.
• The Kings did not appear in the Final again until 2012, where they defeated the New Jersey Devils.

The key players and staff from the winning Montreal Canadiens team were engraved on the Stanley Cup. Some administrative figures from the Molson family ownership were omitted from the engraving despite qualifying. The NHL had created a Replica Stanley Cup in the 1992-93 season. This Replica Cup stays at the Hockey Hall of Fame and corrected many spelling errors found on the Presentation Cup. It is displayed when the Presentation Cup is away from the Hall for about 250 days each year.

The Montreal Riot and Aftermath

Following the Canadiens' victory in Game 5, celebrations in Montreal escalated into a major riot. Crowds poured into the streets, particularly along Saint Catherine Street, where widespread vandalism, looting, and arson occurred. Rioters damaged and destroyed police vehicles and storefronts, with 47 police cars damaged and 8 completely destroyed. The Montreal police deployed 980 officers, made 115 arrests, and reported 168 injuries, including 49 officers. The riot caused an estimated $2.5 million in damages, equivalent to approximately $4.8 million in 2025. Media coverage was extensive, with Los Angeles news outlets like the Los Angeles Times and Daily News also reporting on the event as their hometown team had been the opponent. The riot revealed the intense emotions surrounding the championship and the challenges of managing large-scale public celebrations, with some rioters suspected of planning looting using the victory as a decoy.

Broadcast Details and Team Composition

The television broadcast of the 1993 Final reflected the growing profile of the NHL. In Canada, the series was carried nationally in English on CBC and in French on SRC. In the United States, ESPN broadcast the series, marking its first Stanley Cup Final coverage since 1988. However, due to local broadcast rights, ESPN's feed was blacked out in the Los Angeles market, where games were shown on Prime Ticket. The series is persistently remembered for the McSorley stick incident, which has become a legendary moment in hockey lore, often cited as a classic example of a coaching gamble altering the course of a championship. The Canadiens' victory, as the last by a Canadian team, holds a special place in the nation's sporting consciousness, representing both a pinnacle of success and the beginning of a long championship drought for Canadian NHL franchises. The composition of the winning team added to its historical significance.

Montreal did not include several vice presidents and the Director of Player Development on the Stanley Cup despite having room. This was a departure from their 1986 engraving practices when they included similar positions. All of these non-playing members were still awarded Stanley Cup rings. The Replica Stanley Cup created that season fixed many spelling mistakes but also introduced some new errors. It also excluded names like Basil Pocklington from the 1984 Edmonton Oilers.

Questions about 1993 Stanley Cup Final

What was the illegal stick penalty in the 1993 Stanley Cup Final?

The illegal stick penalty was called against Los Angeles Kings defenceman Marty McSorley late in the third period of Game 2. With the Kings leading 2-1, Montreal Canadiens coach Jacques Demers requested a measurement of McSorley's stick curve, which was ruled illegal. The resulting two-minute penalty allowed Montreal to pull their goalie for a 6-on-4 advantage, on which they scored the tying goal. The Canadiens then won the game in overtime, shifting the series momentum permanently in their favour.

Why is the 1993 Canadiens team considered historically unique?

The 1993 Montreal Canadiens hold several unique historical distinctions. They were the last Stanley Cup champion to be composed entirely of North American-born players. They remain the last Canadian-based team to win the Stanley Cup. Along with the Toronto Blue Jays winning the World Series that same year, 1993 is the only year where Canadian teams won at least two championships across the four major North American professional sports leagues.

How many overtime games were in the 1993 Final?

Three of the five games in the 1993 Stanley Cup Final went into overtime. Game 2, Game 3, and Game 4 all required extra time. The Montreal Canadiens won all three overtime contests, with Eric Desjardins scoring the winner in Game 2 and John LeClair scoring the winners in both Games 3 and 4. These victories were part of an NHL-record streak of ten consecutive overtime wins by Montreal during the 1993 playoffs.

What happened during the Montreal riot after the 1993 win?

After the Canadiens won the Stanley Cup, celebrations in Montreal escalated into a major riot, primarily centred on Saint Catherine Street. The riot involved widespread vandalism, looting of stores, and arson, with several police cars set ablaze. Police deployed 980 officers, made 115 arrests, and reported 168 injuries. The riot caused an estimated $2.5 million in property damage, a significant event that marred the championship celebrations and received international media coverage.

Who won the Conn Smythe Trophy in 1993?

Montreal Canadiens goaltender Patrick Roy won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player of the 1993 Stanley Cup Playoffs. This was the second time in his career he won the award, having first won it in 1986. Roy backstopped the Canadiens to their 24th Stanley Cup championship, a series they won in five games over the Los Angeles Kings. His performance throughout the playoffs was instrumental in Montreal's success, which included an NHL record ten consecutive overtime wins. The Canadiens' victory in 1993 remains the most recent Stanley Cup championship won by a Canadian based team.

When did the Kings and Canadiens next appear in the Stanley Cup Final?

The Los Angeles Kings did not appear in the Stanley Cup Final again until 2012, where they faced the New Jersey Devils and won their first championship. The Montreal Canadiens did not appear in the Stanley Cup Final again until 2021, where they lost to the Tampa Bay Lightning. Their 1993 victory was the Canadiens' 34th appearance in the Final and their first since 1989. For the Kings, the 1993 series was their first appearance in the Final in their 26 year history. The 1993 Canadiens are also the last Stanley Cup championship team to be composed solely of North American born players.

Sources and further reading

• 1993 Stanley Cup Final (Wikipedia)
• 1993 NHL Stanley Cup Final: LAK vs. MTL (hockey-reference.com)
• An oral history of the Canadiens' 1993 Stanley Cup win (montrealgazette.com)

Checked by the Garbutt Disposal desk. Last updated 2026-10-19.