On This Date in Sports May 24, 1986: Le Champions
In collaboration with the Sportsecyclopedia.com
The Montreal Canadiens claim their 23rd Stanley Cup Championship. The Canadiens defeat the Calgary Flames in five games, winning the finale at the Saddledome 4-3. The 23 titles are most among the four major sports, breaking a tie that the Canadiens had with the New York Yankees. Patrick Roy caps a strong rookie season by winning the first of three Conn Smythe awards as the MVP of the postseason.
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It was a new era for the Montreal Canadiens, who were seven years removed from their last drink from the Stanley Cup. Their lost drought in over four decades. Jean Perron was Montreal's new coach, while Patrick Roy had his first full season in the NHL. The Canadiens overcame a slow start to finish second in the Adams Division with a record of 40-33-7. In the playoffs, the Canadiens got off to a hot start sweeping the Boston Bruins in three games. In the Adams Divison Finals, the Habs needed seven games to beat the Hartford Whalers, who had scored a major upset of the Quebec Nordiques. Game 7 would go to overtime, with Claude Lemieux netting the game winner. The Canadiens won the Wales Conference by taking down the New York Rangers in five games.
Coached by Badger Bob Johnson, the Calgary Flames finished second in the Smythe Division with a record of 40-31-9. After sweeping the Winnipeg Jets, the Flames shocked the Edmonton Oilers in seven games in the Division Finals. The Flames won Game 7 due to an own goal by Steve Smith as the Oilers dynasty was interrupted as the Provincial Battle of Alberty became the hottest rivalry in the NHL. The Flames needed seven games to beat the St. Louis Blues to reach the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time in franchise history.
The Montreal Canadiens faced the Calgary Flames in the first All-Canadian Stanley Cup Finals since 1967. The Flames dominated the opener at the Saddledome in Calgary, winning 5-2, with five different goal scorers. The Flames jumped out to a 2-0 lead in Game 2, but Montreal battled back as Patrick Roy dominated the final two periods, with the game going to overtime. The Flames were totally screwed in overtime as Brian Skrudland scored the quickest playoff overtime goal in NHL history at nine seconds to win the game 3-2 for Montreal.
The Canadiens took the momentum of the Brian Skrudland goal and dominated Game 3 at the Montreal Forum, winning 5-2 with five different scorers. Game 4 was a battle of goalies as neither Patrick Roy nor Mike Vernon allowed a goal until the third period when Claude Lemieux scored to give Montreal a 1-0 lead. The lead would stand as the Canadiens led the series 3-1, heading back to Calgary for Game 5.
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Game 5 would see Montreal build a 4-1 lead in the third period as Rick Green and Bobby Smith scored 19 seconds apart. The Flames would make a late run, with goals by Steve Bozek and Joe Mullen, but could not get the equalizer as the Canadiens skated away with the Stanley Cup.
The Montreal Canadiens would win a 24th Stanley Cup seven years later but have not won the Stanley Cup since 1993. Meanwhile, the New York Yankees have won five World Series to pass the Canadiens record.