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The 1988 Stanley Cup Finals was between the Edmonton Oilers and Boston Bruins. The Oilers would win the series 4–0 in five games. Game four was abandoned due to technical problems at the Boston Garden with the score tied 3–3 and replayed.

Paths to the Final

Edmonton defeated the Winnipeg Jets 4–1, the Calgary Flames 4–0 and the Detroit Red Wings 4–1 to reach the Finals. Boston defeated the Buffalo Sabres 4–2, the Montreal Canadiens 4–1 and the New Jersey Devils 4–3 to reach the Finals.

The series

The Finals pitted the Oilers' offensive juggernaut against the Bruins' more balanced team. The Oilers showed their defensive prowess, surrendering just 9 goals in the four completed games. Ray Bourque was physical in defending against Gretzky, but that wouldn't 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 four

Fog interfered with the game and a power outage caused its cancellation.

Glenn Anderson set a new record for quickest goal from the start of a Finals playoff Series game when he scored 10 seconds into the contest. Despite the game being suspended and replayed, the record was, and is, official. That record was tied two years later in the third game of the 1990 Final by John Byce playing for, in a twist, the Bruins, against the Oilers.^[1]

Boston Bruins vs. Edmonton Oilers

Edmonton wins best-of-seven series 4–0

Edmonton Oilers 1988 Stanley Cup champions

Roster

Stanley Cup engraving

• Daryl Reaugh (backup goalie) he 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 Randford. 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.
• Steve Dykstra played 42 NHL games in 1987–88 season. Dykstra joined Edmonton in a trade from 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.
• †Jim Wiemer played 12 regular season games, and 2 games in the conference finals. Wiemer was left off the cup, because he did not qualify.
• This would mark the final Wayne Gretzky would win the Stanley Cup.

Team picture on the ice, after winning a championship

• After Edmonton Oilers won the 1988 Stanley Cup Wayne Gretzky (in what ended up being his last game with the Oilers) wanted a picture on the ice with all the players, and all non-playing members including - management, coaches, trainers, scouts, locker room assistants. This tradition has been followed by each Stanley Cup winning team since. The team picture tradition after winning a championship is also followed by most hockey championship teams at all levels around the world.

Gretzky wanted each member of the Oilers to be included on the team picture. However, when the cup was engraved all 5 scouts were left off Garnet Bailey, Ed Chadwick, Lorne Davis, Bob Freedman, Matti Vaisanen (on the cup in 1985, 1987, 1990). Edmonton Oilers also left 3 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.

See also

• 1987–88 NHL season
• List of Stanley Cup champions

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.  

Notes