1991 Stanley Cup playoffs
Encyclopedia
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) championship began on April 3, 1991, following the 1990–91 regular season. The sixteen teams that qualified, from the top four teams of the four divisions, played best-of-seven series with re-seeding after the division finals. The Conference Champions played a best-of-seven series for 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...
.
The finals concluded on May 25 with the Pittsburgh Penguins
Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the first expansion teams during the league's original...
winning the Stanley Cup, defeating the Minnesota North Stars
Minnesota North Stars
The Minnesota North Stars were a professional ice hockey team in the National Hockey League for 26 seasons, from 1967 to 1993. The North Stars played their home games at the Met Center in Bloomington, and the team's colors for most of its history were green, yellow, gold and white...
in the final series four games to two. Pittsburgh forward
Forward (ice hockey)
In ice hockey, a forward is a player position on the ice whose primary responsibility is to score goals. Generally, the forwards try to stay in three different lanes, also known as thirds, of the ice going from goal to goal. It is not mandatory however, to stay in a lane. Staying in a lane aids in...
Mario Lemieux
Mario Lemieux
Mario Lemieux, OC, CQ is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He is acknowledged to be one of the best players of all time. He played 17 seasons as a forward for the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League between 1984 and 2006...
was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy
Conn Smythe Trophy
The Conn Smythe Trophy is awarded annually to the player judged most valuable to his team during the National Hockey League's Stanley Cup playoffs. The Conn Smythe Trophy has been awarded 46 times to 40 players since the 1964–65 NHL season...
as Most Valuable Player of the playoffs.
This was the first NHL playoffs without any series sweeps since the 1972-73 season.
Playoff seeding and format
In the 1990–91 season, teams qualified based on their division standing at the end of the regular season. Playoffs then proceeded among the top four teams in each division, providing a division winner. The two division winners of each conference then played off to provide a conference winner. The two conference winners then played off in the final to produce a Stanley Cup champion.Playoff bracket
Note: All dates in 1991Wales Conference
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Campbell Conference
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Division Finals
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Conference Finals
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Final
| Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Minnesota North Stars | |||||
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| Date | Away | Score | Home | Score | Notes |
| May 15 | Minnesota | 5 | Pittsburgh | 4 | |
| May 17 | Minnesota | 1 | Pittsburgh | 4 | |
| May 19 | Pittsburgh | 1 | Minnesota | 3 | |
| May 21 | Pittsburgh | 5 | Minnesota | 3 | |
| May 23 | Minnesota | 4 | Pittsburgh | 6 | |
| May 25 | Pittsburgh | 8 | Minnesota | 0 | |
| Pittsburgh wins series 4–2 and 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... |
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| Mario Lemieux Mario Lemieux Mario Lemieux, OC, CQ is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He is acknowledged to be one of the best players of all time. He played 17 seasons as a forward for the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League between 1984 and 2006... (Pittsburgh) wins Conn Smythe Trophy Conn Smythe Trophy The Conn Smythe Trophy is awarded annually to the player judged most valuable to his team during the National Hockey League's Stanley Cup playoffs. The Conn Smythe Trophy has been awarded 46 times to 40 players since the 1964–65 NHL season... |
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See also
- 1990–91 NHL season
- List of NHL seasons