1996 Stanley Cup Playoffs

The 1996 Stanley Cup playoffs, the championship of the National Hockey League (NHL), began in April, 1996. The sixteen teams that qualified, eight from each conference, played best-of-7 series for conference quarterfinals, semifinals and championships, and then the conference champions played a best-of-7 series for the Stanley Cup. These playoffs are noted as being the first playoffs in which all Canadian teams are eliminated after the first round.
The playoffs ended in June with the Colorado Avalanche sweeping the Florida Panthers in both team's first ever Finals appearance. It was Colorado's first ever Stanley Cup championship. Joe Sakic was named playoff MVP, and awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy.
As of 2009, the 1996 playoffs would be the most recent time every Original Six team made the playoffs in the same year. 
==Playoff bracket==
==First Round==
===Eastern Conference===
{| cellspacing="10"
| valign="top" |
Philadelphia vs. Tampa Bay 	Philadelphia vs. Tampa Bay 	Philadelphia vs. Tampa Bay 	Philadelphia vs. Tampa Bay
Date 	Away 	Home 	
April 16 	Tampa Bay 3 	7 Philadelphia 	
April 18 	Tampa Bay 2 	1 Philadelphia 	OT
April 21 	Philadelphia 4 	5 Tampa Bay 	OT
April 23 	Philadelphia 4 	1 Tampa Bay 	
April 25 	Tampa Bay 1 	4 Philadelphia 	
April 27 	Philadelphia 6 	1 Tampa Bay 	
Philadelphia wins series 4–2	Philadelphia wins series 4–2	Philadelphia wins series 4–2	Philadelphia wins series 4–2
| valign="top" |
Pittsburgh vs. Washington 	Pittsburgh vs. Washington 	Pittsburgh vs. Washington 	Pittsburgh vs. Washington
Date 	Away 	Home 	
April 17 	Washington 6 	4 Pittsburgh 	
April 19 	Washington 5 	3 Pittsburgh 	
April 22 	Pittsburgh 4 	1 Washington 	
April 24 	Pittsburgh 3 	2 Washington 	4 OT
April 26 	Washington 1 	4 Pittsburgh 	
April 28 	Pittsburgh 3 	2 Washington† 	
Pittsburgh wins series 4–2	Pittsburgh wins series 4–2	Pittsburgh wins series 4–2	Pittsburgh wins series 4–2
† Last playoff game at USAir Arena.
|-
| valign="top" |
NY Rangers vs. Montreal 	NY Rangers vs. Montreal 	NY Rangers vs. Montreal 	NY Rangers vs. Montreal
Date 	Away 	Home 	
April 16 	Montreal 3 	2 NY Rangers 	OT
April 18 	Montreal 5 	3 NY Rangers 	
April 21 	NY Rangers 2 	1 Montreal* 	
April 23 	NY Rangers 4 	3 Montreal 	
April 26 	Montreal 2 	3 NY Rangers 	
April 28 	NY Rangers 5 	3 Montreal 	
NY Rangers wins series 4–2	NY Rangers wins series 4–2	NY Rangers wins series 4–2	NY Rangers wins series 4–2
* First playoff Game at Molson Center.
| valign="top" |
Florida vs. Boston 	Florida vs. Boston 	Florida vs. Boston 	Florida vs. Boston
Date 	Away 	Home 	
April 17 	Boston 3 	6 Florida 	
April 22 	Boston 2 	6 Florida 	
April 24 	Florida 4 	2 Boston 	
April 25 	Florida 2 	6 Boston 	
April 27 	Boston 3 	4 Florida 	
Florida wins series 4–1	Florida wins series 4–1	Florida wins series 4–1	Florida wins series 4–1
===Western Conference===
{| cellpadding="3" border="1"	Detroit vs. Winnipeg 	Detroit vs. Winnipeg 	Detroit vs. Winnipeg 	Detroit vs. Winnipeg
Date 	Away 	Home 	 	
April 17 	Winnipeg 1 	4 Detroit 	 	
April 19 	Winnipeg 0 	4 Detroit 	 	
April 21 	Detroit 1 	4 Winnipeg 	 	
April 23 	Detroit 6 	1 Winnipeg 	 	
April 26 	Winnipeg 3 	1 Detroit 	 	
April 28 	Detroit 4 	1 Winnipeg* 	 	
Detroit wins series 4–2	Detroit wins series 4–2	Detroit wins series 4–2	Detroit wins series 4–2	
* Last NHL playoff game in Winnipeg 
† Last Playoff game at Maple Leaf Gardens
==Conference semifinals==
 Eastern Conference
{| cellpadding="3" border="1"	Florida vs. Philadelphia	Florida vs. Philadelphia	Florida vs. Philadelphia	Florida vs. Philadelphia
Date 	Away 	Home 	 	
May 2 	Florida 2 	0 Philadelphia 	 	
May 4 	Florida 2 	3 Philadelphia 	 	
May 7 	Philadelphia 3 	1 Florida 	 	
May 9 	Philadelphia 3 	4 Florida 	OT 	
May 12 	Florida 2 	1 Philadelphia* 	2OT 	
May 14 	Philadelphia 1 	4 Florida 	 	
Florida win series 4–2	Florida win series 4–2 	Florida win series 4–2 	Florida win series 4–2 	
* Last Flyers game at the Spectrum
 Western Conference
{| cellpadding="3" border="1"	St. Louis vs. Detroit 	St. Louis vs. Detroit 	St. Louis vs. Detroit 	St. Louis vs. Detroit
Date 	Away 	Home 	 	
May 3 	St. Louis 2 	3 Detroit 	 	
May 5 	St. Louis 3 	8 Detroit 	 	
May 8 	Detroit 4 	5 St. Louis 	OT 	
May 10 	Detroit 0 	1 St. Louis 	 	
May 12 	St. Louis 3 	2 Detroit 	 	
May 14 	Detroit 4 	2 St. Louis 	 	
May 16 	St. Louis 0 	1 Detroit 	2OT 	
Detroit wins series 4–3	Detroit wins series 4–3	Detroit wins series 4–3	Detroit wins series 4–3	
==Eastern Conference Finals==
The 1996 Eastern Conference Finals was the National Hockey League best-of-seven playoff series between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Florida Panthers. The Florida Panthers won the series in seven games, and represented the NHL Eastern Conference in the 1996 Stanley Cup Finals.
=== Series background ===
The Penguins were coming off a dominating 5-game series win over the New York Rangers, while the Panthers had just completed an unlikely upset of the top-seeded Philadelphia Flyers. The Penguins were looking to advance to the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time since 1992, while the Panthers were playing in their first-ever Conference Finals.
=== Series game recaps ===
Despite being outshot 33–25 in game one at the Pittsburgh Civic Arena, the Panthers came out on top with an impressive 5–1 win. Florida goaltender John Vanbiesbrouck made 32 saves and Florida forward Tom Fitzgerald scored twice.
The Penguins, wanting to avoid going down 2–0 against the Panthers, came out with a better game two and won 3–2.
In game three at the Miami Arena, the Panthers fired an incredible 61 shots on Penguins goaltender Tom Barrasso and it paid off as the Panthers won 5–2 to take a two-games-to-one series lead. Florida forward Stu Barnes scored twice.
Then, trailing 1–0 in game four, Pittsburgh tied the score on Brad Lauer's goal with 11:03 remaining in regulation. Bryan Smolinski scored the go-ahead goal with 3:31 to go to give the Penguins a 2–1 lead. This turned out to be the game-winner, as Pittsburgh hung on to win the game 2–1 and tie the series at two games apiece.
In game five back at the Civic Arena in Pittsburgh, the Penguins shut out the Panthers 3–0. Tom Barrasso stopped all 28 Florida shots he faced.
Leading the series three games to two, Pittsburgh looked to advance to the Stanley Cup Finals in game six on Thursday, May 30 at the Miami Arena. The Penguins led 2–1 in the second period, but the Panthers scored three of the next four goals and edged the Penguins 4–3 to tie the series at 3–3.
The pivotal game seven on Saturday, June 1 at the Pittsburgh Civic Arena, Florida got a 1–0 lead on Mike Hough's goal at 13:13 of the first period. After a scoreless second period, Pittsburgh tied the game on Petr Nedved's power-play goal at 1:23 of the third period. However, the Panthers regained the lead on Tom Fitzgerald's bizarre 58-foot slapshot at 6:18 and got an insurance goal from Johan Garpenlöv at 17:23. Florida hung on to win the game 3–1 and the series four games to three. John Vanbiesbrouck made 39 saves in the victory.
=== Series results ===
{| cellpadding="3" border="1" 	Florida vs. Pittsburgh 	Florida vs. Pittsburgh 	Florida vs. Pittsburgh 	Florida vs. Pittsburgh
Date 	Away 	Home 	 	
May 18 	Florida 5 	1 Pittsburgh 	 	
May 20 	Florida 2 	3 Pittsburgh 	 	
May 24 	Pittsburgh 2 	5 Florida 	 	
May 26 	Pittsburgh 2 	1 Florida 	 	
May 28 	Florida 0 	3 Pittsburgh 	 	
May 30 	Pittsburgh 3 	4 Florida 	 	
June 1 	Florida 3 	1 Pittsburgh 	 	
Florida wins series 4–3and Prince of Wales Trophy	Florida wins series 4–3and Prince of Wales Trophy	Florida wins series 4–3and Prince of Wales Trophy	Florida wins series 4–3and Prince of Wales Trophy	
==Western Conference Finals==
The 1996 Western Conference Finals was the National Hockey League best-of-seven playoff series between the Detroit Red Wings and Colorado Avalanche. The Colorado Avalanche won the series in six games, and represented the NHL Western Conference in the 1996 Stanley Cup Finals.
=== Series background ===
The Red Wings had just finished a seven-game series win against the St. Louis Blues, while the Avalanche were coming off a six-game series win against the Chicago Blackhawks. Detroit had the league's best regular-season record and were hoping to advance to the Stanley Cup Finals for the second consecutive year. As a franchise, the Avalanche had not been in a Conference Finals since 1985, when they were the Quebec Nordiques and a member of the Prince of Wales Conference (now the NHL Eastern Conference), and were looking to advance to the Cup Finals for the first time ever.
=== Series game recaps ===
As expected, game one at the Joe Louis Arena in Detroit was a hard-fought battle. The score was tied 2–2 in the first overtime period when Mike Keane scored at 17:31 to give Colorado a 3–2 win.
The Avalanche won game two as well, 3–0. Colorado goaltender Patrick Roy stopped all 35 shots he faced.
Down two games to none, the Red Wings played solidly in game three at McNichols Sports Arena in Denver. Detroit defensemen Nicklas Lidstrom and Vladimir Konstantinov combined to score three goals (including a shorthanded goal by Konstantinov) and Detroit won 6–4.
In Game 4, the Red Wings outshot the Avalanche 31–17. However, Colorado won the game 4–2, thanks in part to 29 saves made by goaltender Patrick Roy. The Avalanche now had a three-games-to-one lead in the series.
Detroit played with desperation and determination in Game 5 at the Joe Louis Arena on Monday, May 27. Inspired by Vladimir Konstantinov's big body check on Avalanche forward Claude Lemieux, the Red Wings went on to win 5–2. The series now stood at three games to two in favor of Colorado.
Game 6 at McNichols Sports Arena on Wednesday, May 29, became famous in the history of the Red Wings-Avalanche rivalry. At one moment during that game, Detroit forward Kris Draper was along the boards at center ice, off balance, when Colorado forward Claude Lemieux checked Draper into the boards. The hit sent Draper to the hospital with a broken jaw and a shattered cheek and orbital bone, which required surgery and stitches. Draper did not return to play until the middle of the 1996–97 season. While Lemieux was assessed a five minute major penalty and a game misconduct match penalty for the hit, the Avalanche went on to win the game 4–1, and the series four games to two. The controversial hit on Draper by Lemieux started the Detroit-Colorado rivalry that lasted for years.
=== Series results ===
{| cellpadding="3" border="1" 	Colorado vs. Detroit 	Colorado vs. Detroit 	Colorado vs. Detroit 	Colorado vs. Detroit
Date 	Away 	Home 	 	
May 19 	Colorado 3 	2 Detroit 	OT 	
May 21 	Colorado 3 	0 Detroit 	 	
May 23 	Detroit 6 	4 Colorado 	 	
May 25 	Detroit 2 	4 Colorado 	 	
May 27 	Colorado 2 	5 Detroit 	 	
May 29 	Detroit 1 	4 Colorado 	 	
Colorado wins series 4–2 and Clarence S. Campbell Bowl	Colorado wins series 4–2 and Clarence S. Campbell Bowl	Colorado wins series 4–2 and Clarence S. Campbell Bowl	Colorado wins series 4–2 and Clarence S. Campbell Bowl	
==Stanley Cup Finals==
Colorado vs. Florida 	Colorado vs. Florida 	Colorado vs. Florida 	Colorado vs. Florida 	Colorado vs. Florida 	Colorado vs. Florida
Date 	Away 	Score 	Home 	Score 	Notes
June 4 	Florida 	1 	Colorado 	3 	
June 6 	Florida 	1 	Colorado 	8 	
June 8 	Colorado 	3 	Florida 	2 	
June 10 	Colorado 	1 	Florida 	0 	3OT
Colorado wins series 4–0and Stanley Cup 	Colorado wins series 4–0and Stanley Cup 	Colorado wins series 4–0and Stanley Cup 	Colorado wins series 4–0and Stanley Cup 	Colorado wins series 4–0and Stanley Cup 	Colorado wins series 4–0and Stanley Cup
Joe Sakic (Colorado)wins Conn Smythe Trophy	Joe Sakic (Colorado)wins Conn Smythe Trophy	Joe Sakic (Colorado)wins Conn Smythe Trophy	Joe Sakic (Colorado)wins Conn Smythe Trophy	Joe Sakic (Colorado)wins Conn Smythe Trophy	Joe Sakic (Colorado)wins Conn Smythe Trophy
Category:1996 in hockey
Category:Stanley Cup
Category:Stanley Cup Playoffs