1998 Stanley Cup Playoffs

The 1998 Stanley Cup playoffs, the championship of the National Hockey League (NHL), began in April, 1998 following the 1997–98 regular season. 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. 
The playoffs concluded on June 16 with the Detroit Red Wings winning their second consecutive Stanley Cup championship, defeating the Washington Capitals in a four game sweep. Red Wings captain Steve Yzerman was named playoff MVP, and awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy.
==Playoff bracket==
== First Round ==
===Eastern Conference===
{| cellpadding="3" border="1"	Ottawa vs. New Jersey 	Ottawa vs. New Jersey 	Ottawa vs. New Jersey 	Ottawa vs. New Jersey
Date 	Away 	Home 	 	
April 22 	Ottawa 2 	1 New Jersey 	OT 	
April 24 	Ottawa 1 	3 New Jersey 	 	
April 26 	New Jersey 1 	2 Ottawa 	OT 	
April 28 	New Jersey 3 	4 Ottawa 	 	
April 30 	Ottawa 1 	3 New Jersey 	 	
May 2 	New Jersey 1 	3 Ottawa 	 	
Ottawa wins series 4–2	Ottawa wins series 4–2	Ottawa wins series 4–2	Ottawa wins series 4–2	
===Western Conference===
{| cellpadding="3" border="1"	San Jose vs. Dallas 	San Jose vs. Dallas 	San Jose vs. Dallas 	San Jose vs. Dallas
Date 	Away 	Home 	 	
April 23 	San Jose 1 	4 Dallas 	 	
April 24 	San Jose 2 	5 Dallas 	 	
April 26 	Dallas 1 	4 San Jose 	 	
April 28 	Dallas 0 	1 San Jose 	OT 	
April 30 	San Jose 2 	3 Dallas 	 	
May 2 	Dallas 3 	2 San Jose 	OT 	
Dallas wins series 4–2	Dallas wins series 4–2	Dallas wins series 4–2	Dallas wins series 4–2	
==Conference semifinals==
 Eastern Conference
{| cellpadding="3" border="1"	Ottawa vs. Washington 	Ottawa vs. Washington 	Ottawa vs. Washington 	Ottawa vs. Washington
Date 	Away 	Home 	 	
May 7 	Ottawa 2 	4 Washington 	 	
May 9 	Ottawa 1 	6 Washington 	 	
May 11 	Washington 3 	4 Ottawa 	 	
May 13 	Washington 2 	0 Ottawa 	 	
May 15 	Ottawa 0 	3 Washington 	 	
Washington win series 4–1	Washington win series 4–1	Washington win series 4–1	Washington win series 4–1	
 Western Conference
{| cellpadding="3" border="1"	Edmonton vs. Dallas 	Edmonton vs. Dallas 	Edmonton vs. Dallas 	Edmonton vs. Dallas
Date 	Away 	Home 	 	
May 7 	Edmonton 1 	3 Dallas 	 	
May 9 	Edmonton 2 	0 Dallas 	 	
May 11 	Dallas 1 	0 Edmonton 	OT 	
May 13 	Dallas 3 	1 Edmonton 	 	
May 16 	Edmonton 1 	2 Dallas 	 	
Dallas wins series 4–1	Dallas wins series 4–1	Dallas wins series 4–1	Dallas wins series 4–1	
==Conference finals==
{| cellpadding="3" border="1" 	Buffalo vs. Washington 	Buffalo vs. Washington 	Buffalo vs. Washington 	Buffalo vs. Washington
Date 	Away 	Home 	 	
May 23 	Buffalo 2 	0 Washington 	 	
May 25 	Buffalo 2 	3 Washington 	OT 	
May 28 	Washington 4 	3 Buffalo 	OT 	
May 30 	Washington 2 	0 Buffalo 	 	
June 2 	Buffalo 2 	1 Washington 	 	
June 4 	Washington 3 	2 Buffalo 	OT 	
Washington wins series 4–2and Prince of Wales Trophy	Washington wins series 4–2and Prince of Wales Trophy	Washington wins series 4–2and Prince of Wales Trophy	Washington wins series 4–2and Prince of Wales Trophy	
==Stanley Cup final==
The 1998 Stanley Cup Finals were played in the 105th year of the Stanley Cup. The series was played between the Western Conference champion Detroit Red Wings and the Eastern Conference champion Washington Capitals. The Red Wings were led by Captain Steve Yzerman, Coach Scotty Bowman, and Goalie Chris Osgood. The Capitals were led by Captain Dale Hunter, Coach Ron Wilson, and Goalie Olaf Kolzig.
{| cellpadding="3" border="1" 	Washington vs. Detroit 	Washington vs. Detroit 	Washington vs. Detroit 	Washington vs. Detroit
Date 	Away 	Home 	 	
June 9 	Washington 1 	2 Detroit 	 	
June 11 	Washington 4 	5 Detroit 	OT 	
June 13 	Detroit 2 	1 Washington 	 	
June 16 	Detroit 4 	1 Washington 	 	
Detroit wins series 4–0and Stanley Cup 	Detroit wins series 4–0and Stanley Cup 	Detroit wins series 4–0and Stanley Cup 	Detroit wins series 4–0and Stanley Cup 	
Steve Yzerman (Detroit)wins Conn Smythe Trophy	Steve Yzerman (Detroit)wins Conn Smythe Trophy	Steve Yzerman (Detroit)wins Conn Smythe Trophy	Steve Yzerman (Detroit)wins Conn Smythe Trophy	
==Scoring leaders==
Note: GP = Games Played, G = Goals, A = Assists, Pts = Points
Player 	Team 	GP	G 	A 	Pts
Steve Yzerman 	Detroit 	22	6 	18	24
Sergei Fedorov 	Detroit 	22	10	10	20
Tomas Holmstrom 	Detroit 	22	7 	12	19
Nicklas Lidstrom 	Detroit 	22	6 	13	19
Joe Juneau 	Washington	21	7 	10	17
Adam Oates 	Washington	21	6 	11	17
Martin Lapointe 	Detroit 	21	9 	6 	15
Larry Murphy 	Detroit 	22	3 	12	15
Vyacheslav Kozlov	Detroit 	22	6 	8 	14
Mike Modano 	Dallas 	17	4 	10	14
==See also==
* 1997–98 NHL season
Category:Stanley Cup
Category:1998 in hockey
Category:Stanley Cup Playoffs