1993 Stanley Cup Final

Paths to the Final

The playoff paths for both finalists were shaped by significant upsets that eliminated many of the league's top contenders. The Los Angeles Kings, who did not have home-ice advantage in any round, faced a series of Canadian opponents. They defeated the Calgary Flames in six games in the Smythe Division Semifinals and then the Vancouver Canucks, also in six games, in the Smythe Division Finals. Their Campbell Conference Final against the Toronto Maple Leafs went the full seven games before the Kings advanced. Their journey was notably eased by the absence of their perennial playoff nemesis, the Edmonton Oilers, who had eliminated the Kings in 1990, 1991, and 1992 but failed to qualify for the 1993 playoffs. The Montreal Canadiens' route through the Wales Conference began with a hard-fought series against their provincial rivals, the Quebec Nordiques. After losing the first two games, in part due to weak goals allowed by goaltender Patrick Roy, the Canadiens rallied to win the next four. This comeback was sparked after a newspaper in Roy's hometown suggested he be traded and Nordiques goaltending coach Dan Bouchard claimed his team had solved Roy. Montreal then swept the Buffalo Sabres in the Adams Division Finals and defeated the New York Islanders in five games in the Wales Conference Finals. Their path was cleared when the Sabres swept the Boston Bruins, a team that had eliminated Montreal for three straight years largely due to goaltender Andy Moog.

The Turning Point: McSorley's Illegal Stick

The defining moment of the series occurred late in the third period of Game 2 at the Montreal Forum. With the Kings leading the series 1-0 and holding a 2-1 lead in the game, Canadiens coach Jacques Demers called for a measurement of the curve on Kings defenceman Marty McSorley's stick. The officials ruled the stick illegal, assessing McSorley a two-minute minor penalty for illegal equipment. As it was late in the game and Montreal faced going to Los Angeles down two games to none, Demers pulled goaltender Patrick Roy to create a 6-on-4 advantage. Desjardins then completed a hat trick by scoring 51 seconds into overtime, securing a 3-2 victory for Montreal and becoming the first and only defenceman to score a hat trick in the Stanley Cup Final. The penalty proved catastrophic for the Kings, who from that moment failed to win another postseason game for the remainder of the 1990s. Reports later suggested a Montreal Forum employee assigned to the Kings' locker room may have temporarily moved the Kings' stick rack to allow inspection, though Demers has denied this and credited captain Guy Carbonneau with spotting the illegal stick.

Game Summaries and Overtime Heroics

Game 1 saw the Kings seize an early series lead with a 4-1 victory in Montreal. Luc Robitaille scored two power-play goals, Jari Kurri added a marker off a Patrice Brisebois turnover, and Wayne Gretzky sealed the win with an empty-net goal. The tide turned dramatically with Montreal's overtime win in Game 2. The series shifted to Los Angeles for Games 3 and 4, which followed remarkably similar scripts. In Game 3, Montreal built a 3-0 lead on goals by Brian Bellows, Gilbert Dionne, and Mathieu Schneider, only for the Kings to tie it on goals from Robitaille, Tony Granato, and Gretzky. Late in the third period, Montreal captain Guy Carbonneau appeared to cover the puck in the crease, which could have resulted in a penalty shot, but the referee ruled the puck had been shot into his equipment. John LeClair then scored 34 seconds into overtime for a Montreal win. In Game 4, Montreal again took a 2-0 lead before the Kings fought back to tie it on goals by Mike Donnelly and Marty McSorley. LeClair again scored in overtime, banking the puck off the leg of Kings defenceman Darryl Sydor 14:37 into the extra period. With these wins, LeClair matched a feat last accomplished by Maurice Richard in 1951 by scoring overtime goals in consecutive playoff games, and the Canadiens set an NHL record with ten consecutive overtime wins in the playoffs. Game 5 back in Montreal saw the Canadiens build a 4-1 lead and hold on to clinch the championship, with Kirk Muller scoring the game-winning goal and Paul DiPietro adding two goals. Wayne Gretzky did not manage a shot on net during the entire clinching game.

Championship Context and Records

The 1993 championship held unique historical significance on multiple fronts. It was the 100th anniversary of the Stanley Cup's first awarding in 1893 and the first Final to start in the month of June. The Canadiens' victory marked the last time a team composed solely of North American-born players won the Cup. Furthermore, it was the last championship won by a Canadian team in any of the four major North American sports leagues until the Toronto Blue Jays won the World Series later that same year, making 1993 the first and only year where at least two major sports championships were won by Canadian teams. The series was also the last Stanley Cup Final played in the historic Montreal Forum and the last Final appearance for Wayne Gretzky. Canadiens goaltender Patrick Roy won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP for the second time, having first won it in 1986. The Canadiens did not appear in the Final again until 2021, while the Kings did not return until 2012.

The Stanley Cup Engraving and Omissions

Following their Game 5 victory, the Stanley Cup was presented to Canadiens captain Guy Carbonneau by NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman. The names of the winning players and staff were engraved on the trophy, though the process included some notable omissions and inclusions. Player Jesse Belanger, who played 19 regular-season and nine playoff games but did not play in the finals, had his name included on the Cup even though he did not officially qualify. Conversely, Oleg Petrov, who played nine regular-season and one playoff game, was left off the Cup and the team picture. Several team executives, including vice presidents Aldo Giampaolo, Fred Steer, and Bernard Brisset, and director of player development Claude Ruel, were omitted from the engraving despite there being ample space, though all received championship rings. The 1992-93 season also saw the creation of the Replica Stanley Cup, which remains on permanent display at the Hockey Hall of Fame. This replica corrected some historical spelling mistakes from previous engravings but also introduced a couple of new errors. It was designed to stay at the Hall and does not travel like the Presentation Cup.

The Montreal Stanley Cup Riot and Aftermath

The championship celebration in Montreal was marred by a significant riot that erupted after the Canadiens' victory. As the team celebrated inside the Montreal Forum, crowds poured into the streets, with the epicentre on Saint Catherine Street. The gathering quickly turned violent, resulting in widespread vandalism, looting, and the burning of police cars. The riot caused an estimated $2.5 million in damage, equivalent to approximately $4.8 million in 2025. At the peak of the riot, 980 police officers were dispatched. They made 115 arrests and reported 168 injuries, including 49 officers. Police reported 47 damaged police cars, with 8 of those completely destroyed. Some rioters were suspected of planning to loot stores using the victory celebration as a decoy. The event garnered international media attention, with Los Angeles-based news outlets like the Los Angeles Times and the Daily News covering the disturbance, and Times sports writer Helene Elliott being pressed into service as a news reporter.

Broadcast Details and Blackout

The 1993 Final was broadcast across North America with distinct regional coverage. In Canada, the series was televised nationally in English on the CBC and in French on SRC, providing comprehensive coverage for Canadian audiences. In the United States, ESPN carried the series, marking its first Stanley Cup Final broadcast since 1988. However, due to local television rights held by Prime Ticket for Kings games, ESPN's coverage was blacked out in the Los Angeles market. This meant fans in the Kings' home city could only watch the games on the regional sports network, not on the national ESPN broadcast. This broadcasting arrangement highlighted the complexities of NHL media rights at the time and meant a significant portion of the American audience for the series watched games involving a west coast team on a network unavailable in that team's home city.

Lasting Legacy and Historical Significance

For Canadian hockey fans, the 1993 Canadiens' victory represents a lasting and poignant milestone. It is the most recent time a Canadian NHL franchise has captured the Stanley Cup, a drought that has now extended over three decades. The team's success, coupled with the Toronto Blue Jays' World Series win that same year, created a unique moment of national sporting pride. The series is also remembered for its dramatic narrative, centred on McSorley's penalty and Montreal's record overtime prowess. The Canadiens did not return to the Final until 2021, where they lost to the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Kings' next appearance and first championship came in 2012, when they defeated the New Jersey Devils. The 1993 Final remains a frequent reference point in discussions about Canada's quest to end the Stanley Cup drought. The fact that the 1993 Canadiens are the last team outside of Toronto to win a championship in one of the four major North American sports leagues adds another layer to its historical place in Canadian sport.

Questions about 1993 Stanley Cup Final

Why is the 1993 Stanley Cup Final so famous?

The 1993 Final is famous for the dramatic turning point in Game 2, when Los Angeles Kings defenceman Marty McSorley was penalized for using an illegal stick. With the Kings leading the series and the game, the penalty allowed the Montreal Canadiens to tie the game on the power play and win in overtime. This moment shifted the series momentum entirely to Montreal, who went on to win the next three games. It is also remembered as the last Stanley Cup won by a Canadian team and for the Canadiens' record ten consecutive overtime wins in those playoffs.

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 Roy earned the honour, having first won it in 1986 when the Canadiens also won the Stanley Cup. His stellar goaltending was a key part of Montreal's playoff run, which included the remarkable streak of overtime victories. Roy's performance cemented his reputation as one of the greatest clutch goaltenders in NHL history.

What was significant about the 1993 Stanley Cup anniversary?

The year 1993 marked the 100th anniversary of the first awarding of the Stanley Cup in 1893. This centennial added historical weight to the championship series. It was also the first Stanley Cup Final to begin in the month of June, due to the expanded playoff format. Furthermore, the 1993 Montreal Canadiens were the last team composed entirely of North American-born players to win the Cup, reflecting a changing demographic in the league as European player recruitment increased.

What happened in the Montreal riot after the 1993 win?

Following the Canadiens' Game 5 victory, a large riot erupted in the streets of Montreal, primarily along Saint Catherine Street. The celebration turned violent, resulting in widespread looting, vandalism, and burned police cars. The riot caused an estimated $2.5 million in damage and led to 115 arrests and 168 injuries, including 49 police officers. The event was covered by international media, including Los Angeles news outlets, and cast a shadow over the city's championship celebration.

How did the Los Angeles Kings perform after the 1993 Final?

Following the loss in the 1993 Final, the Los Angeles Kings entered a prolonged period of struggle. They did not win another playoff game for the remainder of the 1990s, failing to qualify for the postseason in five of the next seven seasons and being swept in the first round in the other two. Their next playoff victory did not come until 2001, against the Detroit Red Wings. The Kings did not return to the Stanley Cup Final until 2012, when they defeated the New Jersey Devils to win their first championship.

Which Canadian teams did the Los Angeles Kings defeat to reach the 1993 Final?

The Los Angeles Kings faced exclusively Canadian opponents in their path to the 1993 Stanley Cup Final. In the Smythe Division Semifinals, they defeated the Calgary Flames four games to two. They then beat the Vancouver Canucks, also four games to two, in the Smythe Division Finals. Finally, in the Campbell Conference Finals, they outlasted the Toronto Maple Leafs in a full seven-game series. This made the Kings the only club that year to face Canadian teams in every playoff round.

Sources: Wikipedia and current public reporting, checked by the Garbutt Disposal desk. Last updated 2026-10-19.