1987 Stanley Cup playoffs
Encyclopedia
The 1987 Stanley Cup playoffs, the championship of the National Hockey League
(NHL), began with sixteen teams on April 8, 1987. It concluded on May 31, with the Edmonton Oilers
defeating the Philadelphia Flyers
to win the Stanley Cup
.
In attempts to reduce the number of first round upsets, the NHL expanded the best-of-five
series in the first round to a best-of-seven series.
The game seven opening-round game between the Washington Capitals
and New York Islanders
went four overtimes, and is known as the Easter Epic
.
The 1987 playoffs marked the second consecutive year that all four former WHA teams made the playoffs in the same year. It would not happen again until 1999 by which time 3 of those teams had moved, the Quebec Nordiques
to Denver, the Winnipeg Jets to Phoenix, and the Hartford Whalers
to Raleigh, North Carolina.
The Quebec Nordiques made the playoffs and defeated the Hartford Whalers in the first round. The next playoff series they would win would be in 1996, their first year as the Colorado Avalanche. The Winnipeg Jets' opening-round win over Calgary would be the last playoff series win for the combined Jets/Coyotes franchise to this day (through 2011 playoffs).
Source: Diamond(2000)
Source: Diamond(2000)
Source: Diamond(2000)
Source: Diamond(2000)
Source: Diamond(2000)
Source: Diamond(2000)
Source: Diamond(2000)
Source: Diamond(2000)
Source: Diamond(2000)
Source: Diamond(2000)
Source: Diamond(2000)
Source: Diamond(2000)
Source: Diamond(2000)
Source: Diamond(2000)
The Oilers and Flyers would meet again in the finals for the second time in three years. This time, Edmonton was the regular season champion with 50 wins and 106 points, and Philadelphia was second with 46 wins and 100 points.
Unlike the 1985 final, this series would go the distance. Edmonton took the first two games at home, then split in Philadelphia. However, the Flyers won the next two games, one in Edmonton and one back in Philadelphia by one goal, to force a deciding seventh game. Edmonton won game seven to earn its third Stanley Cup in four seasons.
Source: Diamond(2000)
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
(NHL), began with sixteen teams on April 8, 1987. It concluded on May 31, with the Edmonton Oilers
Edmonton Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division in the Western Conference of the National Hockey League ....
defeating the Philadelphia Flyers
Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
to win the Stanley Cup
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
.
Series
Note: all dates in 1987Playoff format
There are several different Playoff formats used in various levels of competition in sports and games to determine an overall champion. Some of the most common are the single elimination, the best-of- series, the total points series, and the round-robin tournament.-Single elimination:A Single...
series in the first round to a best-of-seven series.
The game seven opening-round game between the Washington Capitals
Washington Capitals
The Washington Capitals are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Since their founding in 1974, "The Caps" have won one conference championship to reach the 1998 Stanley Cup...
and New York Islanders
New York Islanders
The New York Islanders are a professional ice hockey team based in Uniondale, New York. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
went four overtimes, and is known as the Easter Epic
Easter Epic
The Easter Epic is the nickname given to a National Hockey League Stanley Cup Playoff game between the New York Islanders and Washington Capitals, played April 18–19, 1987, at the Capital Centre in Landover, Maryland. It is so named because the game started on Saturday evening but did not finish...
.
The 1987 playoffs marked the second consecutive year that all four former WHA teams made the playoffs in the same year. It would not happen again until 1999 by which time 3 of those teams had moved, the Quebec Nordiques
Quebec Nordiques
The Quebec Nordiques were a professional ice hockey team based in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. The Nordiques played in the World Hockey Association and the National Hockey League...
to Denver, the Winnipeg Jets to Phoenix, and the Hartford Whalers
Hartford Whalers
The Hartford Whalers were a professional ice hockey team based for most of its existence in Hartford, Connecticut, U.S.A.. The club played in the World Hockey Association from 1972–79 and in the National Hockey League from 1979–97...
to Raleigh, North Carolina.
The Quebec Nordiques made the playoffs and defeated the Hartford Whalers in the first round. The next playoff series they would win would be in 1996, their first year as the Colorado Avalanche. The Winnipeg Jets' opening-round win over Calgary would be the last playoff series win for the combined Jets/Coyotes franchise to this day (through 2011 playoffs).
Playoff bracket
Prince of Wales conference
| Date | Away | Score | Home | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 8 | Quebec | 2 | Hartford | 3 | OT |
| April 9 | Quebec | 4 | Hartford | 5 | |
| April 11 | Hartford | 4 | Quebec | 5 | |
| April 12 | Hartford | 1 | Quebec | 4 | |
| April 14 | Quebec | 7 | Hartford | 5 | |
| April 16 | Hartford | 4 | Quebec | 5 | OT |
| Quebec won best-of-seven series 4–2 | |||||
Source: Diamond(2000)
| Date | Away | Score | Home | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 8 | Boston | 2 | Montreal | 6 | |
| April 9 | Boston | 3 | Montreal | 4 | OT |
| April 11 | Montreal | 5 | Boston | 4 | |
| April 12 | Montreal | 4 | Boston | 2 | |
| Montreal won best-of-seven series 4–0 | |||||
Source: Diamond(2000)
| Date | Away | Score | Home | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 8 | New York | 3 | Philadelphia | 0 | |
| April 9 | New York | 3 | Philadelphia | 8 | |
| April 11 | Philadelphia | 3 | New York | 0 | |
| April 12 | Philadelphia | 3 | New York | 6 | |
| April 14 | New York | 1 | Philadelphia | 3 | |
| April 16 | Philadelphia | 5 | New York | 0 | |
| Philadelphia won best-of-seven series 4–2 | |||||
Source: Diamond(2000)
| Date | Away | Score | Home | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 8 | New York | 3 | Washington | 4 | |
| April 9 | New York | 3 | Washington | 1 | |
| April 11 | Washington | 2 | New York | 0 | |
| April 12 | Washington | 4 | New York | 1 | |
| April 14 | New York | 4 | Washington | 2 | |
| April 16 | Washington | 4 | New York | 5 | |
| April 18 | New York | 3 | Washington | 2 | 4OT |
| New York won best-of-seven series 4–3 | |||||
Source: Diamond(2000)
Clarence Campbell conference
| Date | Away | Score | Home | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 8 | Toronto | 1 | St. Louis | 3 | |
| April 9 | Toronto | 3 | St. Louis | 2 | OT |
| April 11 | St. Louis | 5 | Toronto | 3 | |
| April 12 | St. Louis | 1 | Toronto | 2 | |
| April 14 | Toronto | 2 | St. Louis | 1 | |
| April 16 | St. Louis | 0 | Toronto | 4 | |
| Toronto won best-of-seven series 4–2 | |||||
Source: Diamond(2000)
| Date | Away | Score | Home | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 8 | Chicago | 1 | Detroit | 3 | |
| April 9 | Chicago | 1 | Detroit | 5 | |
| April 11 | Detroit | 4 | Chicago | 3 | OT |
| April 12 | Detroit | 3 | Chicago | 1 | |
| Detroit won best-of-seven series 4–0 | |||||
Source: Diamond(2000)
| Date | Away | Score | Home | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 8 | Los Angeles | 5 | Edmonton | 2 | |
| April 9 | Los Angeles | 3 | Edmonton | 13 | |
| April 11 | Edmonton | 6 | Los Angeles | 5 | |
| April 12 | Edmonton | 6 | Los Angeles | 3 | |
| April 14 | Los Angeles | 4 | Edmonton | 5 | |
| Edmonton won best-of-seven series 4–1 | |||||
Source: Diamond(2000)
| Date | Away | Score | Home | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 8 | Winnipeg | 4 | Calgary | 2 | |
| April 9 | Winnipeg | 3 | Calgary | 2 | |
| April 11 | Calgary | 3 | Winnipeg | 2 | OT |
| April 12 | Calgary | 3 | Winnipeg | 4 | |
| April 14 | Winnipeg | 3 | Calgary | 4 | |
| April 16 | Calgary | 1 | Winnipeg | 6 | |
| Winnipeg won best-of-seven series 4–2 | |||||
Source: Diamond(2000)
Prince of Wales conference
| Date | Away | Score | Home | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 20 | Quebec | 7 | Montreal | 5 | |
| April 22 | Quebec | 2 | Montreal | 1 | |
| April 24 | Montreal | 7 | Quebec | 2 | |
| April 26 | Montreal | 3 | Quebec | 2 | OT |
| April 28 | Quebec | 2 | Montreal | 3 | |
| April 30 | Montreal | 2 | Quebec | 3 | |
| May 2 | Quebec | 3 | Montreal | 5 | |
| Montreal won best-of-seven series 4–3 | |||||
Source: Diamond(2000)
| Date | Away | Score | Home | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 20 | New York | 2 | Philadelphia | 4 | |
| April 22 | New York | 2 | Philadelphia | 1 | |
| April 24 | Philadelphia | 4 | New York | 1 | |
| April 26 | Philadelphia | 6 | New York | 4 | |
| April 28 | New York | 2 | Philadelphia | 1 | |
| April 30 | Philadelphia | 2 | New York | 4 | |
| May 2 | New York | 1 | Philadelphia | 5 | |
| Philadelphia won best-of-seven series 4–3 | |||||
Source: Diamond(2000)
Clarence Campbell conference
| Date | Away | Score | Home | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 21 | Toronto | 4 | Detroit | 2 | |
| April 23 | Toronto | 7 | Detroit | 2 | |
| April 25 | Detroit | 4 | Toronto | 2 | |
| April 27 | Detroit | 2 | Toronto | 3 | OT |
| April 29 | Toronto | 0 | Detroit | 3 | |
| May 1 | Detroit | 4 | Toronto | 2 | |
| May 3 | Toronto | 0 | Detroit | 3 | |
| Detroit won best-of-seven series 4–3 | |||||
Source: Diamond(2000)
| Date | Away | Score | Home | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 21 | Winnipeg | 2 | Edmonton | 3 | OT |
| April 23 | Winnipeg | 3 | Edmonton | 5 | |
| April 25 | Edmonton | 5 | Winnipeg | 2 | |
| April 27 | Edmonton | 4 | Winnipeg | 2 | |
| Edmonton won best-of-seven series 4–0 | |||||
Source: Diamond(2000)
Prince of Wales conference
| Date | Away | Score | Home | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 4 | Montreal | 3 | Philadelphia | 4 | OT |
| May 6 | Montreal | 5 | Philadelphia | 2 | |
| May 8 | Philadelphia | 4 | Montreal | 3 | |
| May 10 | Philadelphia | 6 | Montreal | 3 | |
| May 12 | Montreal | 5 | Philadelphia | 2 | |
| May 14 | Philadelphia | 4 | Montreal | 3 | |
| Philadelphia won best-of-seven series 4–2 | |||||
Source: Diamond(2000)
Clarence Campbell conference
| Date | Away | Score | Home | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 5 | Detroit | 3 | Edmonton | 1 | |
| May 7 | Detroit | 1 | Edmonton | 4 | |
| May 9 | Edmonton | 2 | Detroit | 1 | |
| May 11 | Edmonton | 3 | Detroit | 2 | |
| May 13 | Detroit | 3 | Edmonton | 2 | |
| Edmonton won best-of-seven series 4–1 | |||||
Source: Diamond(2000)
Final
Edmonton Oilers Vs. Philadelphia FlyersThe Oilers and Flyers would meet again in the finals for the second time in three years. This time, Edmonton was the regular season champion with 50 wins and 106 points, and Philadelphia was second with 46 wins and 100 points.
Unlike the 1985 final, this series would go the distance. Edmonton took the first two games at home, then split in Philadelphia. However, the Flyers won the next two games, one in Edmonton and one back in Philadelphia by one goal, to force a deciding seventh game. Edmonton won game seven to earn its third Stanley Cup in four seasons.
| Date | Away | Score | Home | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 17 | Philadelphia | 2 | Edmonton | 4 | |
| May 20 | Philadelphia | 2 | Edmonton | 3 | (OT) |
| May 22 | Edmonton | 3 | Philadelphia | 5 | |
| May 24 | Edmonton | 4 | Philadelphia | 1 | |
| May 26 | Philadelphia | 4 | Edmonton | 3 | |
| May 28 | Edmonton | 2 | Philadelphia | 3 | |
| May 31 | Philadelphia | 1 | Edmonton | 3 | |
| Edmonton wins best-of-seven series 4–3 | |||||
Source: Diamond(2000)