1985-86 Stanley Cup Playoffs
Adams Division
Dave Andreychuk had 4 points, including the OT goal that eliminated
Quebec in
Montreal’s first round sweep.
Hartford eliminates the
Bruins without
Mark Messier in the lineup, who is probably out for a few more weeks. A rematch of the last few Adams division finals goes a different way.
Montreal reverses last years result with a dominant sweep of
Wayne Gretzky’s Whalers.
Patrick Division
Another edition of the battle of
New York sees the
Rangers upset the league’s best team!! That’s’ the 2nd time the
Islanders have won the President’s trophy, and lost in the opening round! The
Devils use their home ice to pummel the
Flyers in games 3 and 4 to win their series. The top 2 teams in the NHL are out in the first round! The battle of the underdogs goes to one of hockey’s all time underdogs. The
Rockies turn
Devils win the Patrick Division in 6 games and now will play for a birth in the Stanley Cup!
Norris Division
Both first round series are rematches from last year.
Chicago gets revenge, easily sweeping
Super Mario and the first place
Red Wings! The defending champs needed two third period goals in game 5 to avoid being upset by
St. Louis! Brent Ashton scored with 45 seconds left to win the series. After sweeping the first first place team, the
Blackhawks were no match for the
North Stars, who flexed their muscles in a 4 game sweep of their own.
Minnesota goes back the Campbell Conference Finals.
Smythe Division
The
Flames and
Kings both make relatively easy work of their lower ranked opponents.
Jets fans are probably upset. After last season’s breakout performance, they finish third and are ousted in the first round! In the quintessential 1980’s playoff game, the
Kings beat the
Flames 8-7 in overtime in game 4 of their division final series. That game was the only win the
Kings got.
Calgary advances in 5!
Wales Conference Finals
New Jersey was ready for this. By the time the first period ended, they had a 3-1 lead. All three
Devils goals are scored on the PP. Special teams determines game one, as
New Jersey wins the opener 4-1.
New Jersey comes out hot again in game two.
Glenn Anderson scores two early goals, and helps the
Devils to a 2-1 first period lead. The score stays that was until the
Habs pulled their goalie late in the third.
Brett Hull scored his 7th without a goalie to stop it.
New Jersey wins 3-1.
Glenn Anderson's 2 goals help NJ win game two!
Montreal, trailing 2-0, on the road, need something to go right. It starts with not allowing the
Devils a goal in the first, and
Dave Andreychuk getting his first goal of the series in the 2nd. The
Habs go up 3-1 early in the third, and look like they got this thing, but
Jim Pavese scores with 3 minutes left, and
Mats Naslund scores a minute later, to tie it for
New Jersey. Overtime! In OT,
Montreal’s Steve Bozek comes through to avoid the disaster, and keep the
Habs alive! 4-3
Montreal.
Dave Andreychuk looks like he’s heating up. He scores twice in the first period of game 4, his 2nd and 3rd of the series, but those goals only manage to tie the game at 2.
Andreychuk would complete the hat trick in the third, but
New Jersey is able to tie it again late, on a
Dave Hannan goal. In the 2nd straight overtime game,
Mats Naslund sends the home crowd home happy, scoring 2 minutes from intermission. 4-3
Devils!
Mats Naslund wins game four for New Jersey!
Facing elimination in game five, the
Habs play their best game of the series. They score 4 times in the first, and hold
New Jersey to just 19 shots.
Montreal wins 6-2. As dominant as
Montreal was in game five,
New Jersey was better in game six. Sorry, no drama. It’s 4-0 after a period, 7-0 after two.
Doug Lidster has 4 points, as does
Glenn Anderson. New Jersey absolutely smokes the
Habs 9-3, winning the series in 6! The
Devils are going to the Stanley Cup Finals!
Campbell Conference Final
Calgary opened game one playing the physical game, outhitting the
North Stars by a 2-1 margin, and drawing double the PIM’s. It did not work.
Minnesota scored twice in the first 4 minutes, and eventually built up a 5-0 lead. The
North Stars win the opener 6-2.
Darryl Sittler scores the first goal of game two, and the
North Star defense went to work. Playing with a lead,
Minnesota was able to limit
Calgary’s attack very efficiently. By the time
Rick Middleton scored midway through the third, the game was essentially over. 4-1
North Stars win game two.
Sittler has 2 goals in the opening two games of the series.
Time to see if the
Flames have any fightback.
Duane Sutter and
Geoff Courtnall give them a 2-1 first period lead. After exchanging 2nd period goals,
Calgary blows a 2 goal lead in the third, when
Scott Bjugstad ties it. Overtime is needed, and in the extra frame, it’s
Brent Ashton who ends up winning it. 5-4
Minnesota, they lead the series 3-0. With a quick series finish on their minds,
Sergio Momesso opens the scoring for the
North Stars. Calgary would respond in the 2nd, and take the lead in the third. The obvious better team though, could not be stopped. Trailing 2-1,
Joel Otto, Dave Hunter and
Tim Bothwell score consecutively for
Minnesota. 4-2 is the final.
North Stars sweep the series!
