Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final is one of the most exhilarating scenes in sports, and NHL fans will certainly be hoping to see the championship clash between the Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers go the distance this year.
Throughout Stanley Cup Playoff history, seven-game series have been a fairly regular occurrence. Since 1939, when the NHL adopted the best-of-seven format, there have been 196 game sevens. Included in that tally is 17 in the Stanley Cup Final, and seven since the turn of the century.
We’ll take a look at each of the 17 seven-game series in Stanley Cup Final history:
YEAR
MATCHUP
1942
Toronto Maple Leafs def. Detroit Red Wings, 3–1
1945
Toronto Maple Leafs def. Detroit Red Wings, 2–1
1950
Detroit Red Wings def. New York Rangers, 4–3 (2OT)
1954
Detroit Red Wings def. Montreal Canadiens, 2–1 (OT)
1955
Detroit Red Wings def. Montreal Canadiens, 3–1
1964
Toronto Maple Leafs def. Detroit Red Wings, 4–0
1965
Montreal Canadiens def. Chicago Black Hawks, 4–0
1971
Montreal Canadiens def. Chicago Black Hawks, 3–2
1987
Edmonton Oilers def. Philadelphia Flyers, 3–1
1994
New York Rangers def. Vancouver Canucks, 3–2
2001
Colorado Avalanche def. New Jersey Devils, 3–1
2003
New Jersey Devils def. Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, 3–0
2004
Tampa Bay Lightning def. Calgary Flames, 2–1
2006
Carolina Hurricanes def. Edmonton Oilers, 3–1
2009
Pittsburgh Penguins def. Detroit Red Wings, 2–1
2011
Boston Bruins def. Vancouver Canucks, 4–0
2019
St. Louis Blues def. Boston Bruins, 4–1
The last time the Stanley Cup Final went the distance was in 2019, when the St. Louis Blues defeated the Boston Bruins in Game 7, 4–1, courtesy of goals from Alex Pietrangelo, Ryan O’Reilly, Brayden Schenn and Zach Sanford.
Of the 17 winner-take-all games since 1939 in the Stanley Cup Final, only twice has the game-winning goal occurred in overtime. Both of the two overtime goals were scored by the Detroit Red Wings, in 1950 and ’54, respectively. The Red Wings were involved in each of the first six Game 7s under the current format of the Stanley Cup Final, winning three of them.
For the fifth straight year, the Stanley Cup finals will have a Floridian flavor.
The Florida Panthers downed the New York Rangers 2–1 Saturday evening in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals to win the series. With the victory, the Panthers won their third conference championship and second in as many years.
Previous Florida trips to the Stanley Cup finals include 1996, when the third-year franchise was swept by the Colorado Avalanche, and 2023, when the team lost to the Vegas Golden Knights in five games.
To best the Rangers Saturday, the Panthers overcame a Herculean effort from New York goalie Igor Shesterkin. Center Sam Bennett staked Florida to a 1–0 lead at 19:10 of the first period, and right wing Vladimir Tarasenko added a second nine minutes into the third.
The Rangers opened their account with left wing Artemi Panarin's goal at 18:20 of the third period, but it was too little too late for New York's best team by points percentage since 1972.
The Panthers will meet either the Dallas Stars or Edmonton Oilers in the Stanley Cup finals; the Oilers lead their series three games to two with Game 6 scheduled for Sunday evening.
The Dallas Stars’ quest for the Stanley Cup lost some steam on Friday night after a gutting 3–1 loss to the Edmonton Oilers in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals.
The Stars’ disappointing performance at American Airlines Center drew plenty of questions for coach Pete DeBoer in the postgame conference, including one from The Dallas Morning News’ Tim Cowlishaw that elicited quite the heated response.
“As much as you’re praising the Oilers, did you not think it was kind of a lifeless second period for your team?” Cowlishaw asked. “After falling behind and just kind of putting no pressure on them at all …”
DeBoer voiced his irritation at the question and adamantly defended his team’s character.
“Listen, there’s always things you can do better,” DeBoer said. “You know, you can sit here and question our character if you want. You haven’t been around all year. I haven’t seen you here all year … So, you know what, I’m not gonna do it. You go ahead and write whatever the f--- you want.”
"Write whatever the f*** you want" | Dallas Stars Pete DeBoer did NOT appreciate DMN columnist Tim Cowlishaw's question 😲
The Oilers were able to extend their lead in the second period of Game 5 thanks to Ryan Nugent-Hopkins’s strike during a power play and defenseman Philip Broberg’s sniper shot four minutes later.
The Stars, lacking sustained offensive pressure early in the game, answered with a late consolation goal but ultimately ate their third loss of the series, a monumental setback in their bid for a second Stanley Cup.
Down 3-2 in the series and on the brink of elimination, the Stars will travel to Edmonton for Game 6 on Sunday.
The quickest path to hoisting the oldest trophy in North American sports history? Sweeping your opponent in four games.
There have been 20 sweeps in the Stanley Cup Final since the series was expanded to a best-of-seven series in 1939. The '41 Boston Bruins were the first NHL team to do it, sending the Detroit Red Wings packing after four games.
There were five sweeps in the 1990s—the most sweeps in a decade since the 1940s—but there hasn't been a Stanley Cup Final decided in four games since the Detroit Red Wings blanked the Washington Capitals in '98.
Without further ado, here's a full breakdown of every series sweep in Stanley Cup Final history:
The third best-of-seven Stanley Cup Final series in NHL history ended in a four-game sweep. Bruins goaltender Frank Brimsek allowed just six goals in four games, and Boston edged Detroit 3–2, 2–1, 4–2 and 3–1 to win its third Stanley Cup in franchise history.
Two years later, the Red Wings got their revenge. Detroit sent 16 goals past Brimsek, closing out the series with 4–0 and 2–0 shutouts. Red Wings stars Mud Bruneteau, Joe Carveth and Don Grosso all tallied three goals apiece in the series.
The Canadiens claimed their fifth Stanley Cup in franchise history by taking down the Chicago Black Hawks in four games. After winning the first two contests 5–1 and 3–1, Montreal edged Chicago 3–2 in Game 3 and hoisted the Stanley Cup after Toe Blake's game-winning goal in overtime gave them a 5–4 win.
How does a team one-up themselves after winning the Stanley Cup in 1947? By sweeping the series the following year. The Maple Leafs, led by Harry Watson's five goals, took down the Red Wings in four games. Toronto lost just one game during the 1948 playoffs and posted a goal differential of plus-18. Domination.
The Maple Leafs' dynasty of the 1940s wasn't done yet. Toronto scored exactly three goals in all four games, defeating the Red Wings 3–2, 3–1, 3–1 and 3–1 to hoist the Stanley Cup for a third straight year. Turk Broda manned the Leafs' net and surrendered just five goals in four contests.
Detroit swept the Maple Leafs in four games in the 1952 semifinals and did the same in the Stanley Cup Final, beating Toronto 3–1, 2–1, 3–0 and 3–0 in a rather low-scoring series. Ted Lindsay, Gordie Howe, Tony Leswick, Metro Prystai, Marty Pavelich and Glen Skov all tallied three points apiece in the series. It was the first of three Stanley Cups that Hall of Fame goaltender Terry Sawchuk would win in Detroit.
After six sweeps in the first 14 best-of-seven Stanley Cup Final series, there was an eight-year gap between sweeps in a stretch that featured two Game 7s. The Canadiens crushed the Maple Leafs in 1960, however, outscoring them 15–5 to hoist their fifth straight Stanley Cup, a streak that still stands as the most consecutive titles for a single team in NHL history.
The NHL expanded from six to 12 teams in 1967, but that didn't stop the Canadiens from punching their ticket to another Stanley Cup Final. The St. Louis Blues—one of those six expansion franchises—put up quite the fight but lost all four games in heartbreaking fashion by one goal, losing 3–2, 1–0, 4–3 and 3–2. Two of those four games went into overtime.
The Blues fought their way to a rematch in the 1969 Stanley Cup Final, but they fell short in four games once again. Canadiens goaltender Rogie Vachon, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2016, held the Blues to three goals in four games, stopping 104 of the 107 shots he faced.
Boston snapped an 11-year drought and defeated the New York Rangers and Chicago Black Hawks to advance to its first Stanley Cup Final since 1958. The Bruins made the most of it, blowing out the Blues 6–1 in Game 1 and 6–2 in Game 2 before wrapping up the series in Games 3 and 4 at the Boston Garden. Phil Esposito led the Bruins with eight points (two goals, six assists) in the series.
The 1975-76 Canadiens won 58 games and tallied 127 points in the regular-season standings, the fifth-most in NHL history. They didn't mess around in the playoffs, either. Montreal swept the Black Hawks in the quarterfinals, beat the New York Islanders in five games in the semifinals and claimed its 19th Stanley Cup in franchise history after sweeping the Flyers.
Different opponent, same result. The Canadiens returned to hockey's biggest stage in 1977 and once again swept their opponent, outscoring the Bruins 16–6 in the four games. Hall of Fame winger Guy Lafleur registered nine points (two goals, seven assists) in the Stanley Cup Final and won the Conn Smythe Trophy, given to the most valuable player of the playoffs.
Founded in 1972, the Islanders won their first Stanley Cup in franchise history in '80 but didn't stop there. They won it again in '81, and in '82 the Islanders earned their first Stanley Cup sweep. New York won Game 1 6–5 in overtime, and outscored the Canucks 12–5 the rest of the series to secure the three-peat.
Coach Al Arbour and the Islanders were back in the Stanley Cup Final in 1983, and they followed the same game plan as '82. The Islanders won all four games by multiple goals—2–0, 6–3, 5–1 and 4–2—to hoist Lord Stanley's Cup for a fourth straight year. It was the first Stanley Cup appearance for Oilers youngster Wayne Gretzky. He would be back.
Gretzky must have learned what it takes in 1983 because he led the Oilers to championships in '84, '85 and '87. In '88, Gretzky tallied three goals and 10 assists to help the Oilers sweep the Bruins—but with an asterisk. Game 4 of the series at Boston Garden was delayed in the second period due to fog interfering with the game, and later suspended after the power went out. The score was tied 3–3 at the time. Game 4 was moved to Edmonton, where the Oilers won 6–3 and claimed the sweep.
The Penguins won the first Stanley Cup in franchise history in 1991 and were back in '92 to face the Blackhawks. Pittsburgh scored twice in the third period of Game 1 to win 5–4, and edged Chicago 3–1, 1–0 and 6–5 in the final three games to finish off the sweep.
The Devils became the sixth non-Original Six team to win a championship when they swept the Red Wings in 1995. Neal Broten scored three goals and tallied three assists to lead the way for New Jersey, which closed out the series with resounding 5–2 victories in both Game 3 and Game 4.
The Panthers advanced to the Stanley Cup Final in just the third season in their existence, but the Avalanche—in their first season in Colorado since relocating from Quebec—spoiled the party. Patrick Roy allowed just four goals the entire series and held the Panthers scoreless for 103 minutes in Game 3, which the Avs won 1–0 in triple overtime. Joe Sakic won the Conn Smythe Trophy after tallying five points (one goal, four assists) in the series.
The 1996–97 Red Wings won their first Stanley Cup Final since '55, taking down the Flyers in four games—4–2, 4–2, 6–1 and 2–1. Sergei Federov led the way for Detroit's "Russian Five" with six points (three goals, three assists) in the series.
The 1997–98 season marked the fourth straight Stanley Cup Final to end in a sweep. Entering the upcoming matchup between the Panthers and Oilers, there hasn't been a Stanley Cup Final sweep since. The Red Wings won the first three games of the series by one goal—2–1, 5–4 and 2–1—before winning 4–1 in Game 4 to finish off Washington.
