1991 Stanley Cup Finals | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Location(s) | Pittsburgh: Civic Arena (1, 2, 5) Bloomington: Met Center (3, 4, 6) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Coaches | Pittsburgh: Bob Johnson Minnesota: Bob Gainey | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Captains | Pittsburgh: Mario Lemieux Minnesota: Curt Giles[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Referees | Don Koharski (1, 6) Andy Van Hellemond (2, 4) Kerry Fraser (3, 5) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Dates | May 15–25, 1991 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
MVP | Mario Lemieux (Penguins) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Series-winning goal | Ulf Samuelsson (2:00, first, G6) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Hall of Famers | Penguins: Tom Barrasso (2023) Paul Coffey (2004) Ron Francis (2007) Mario Lemieux (1997) Joe Mullen (2000) Larry Murphy (2004) Mark Recchi (2017) Bryan Trottier (1997) North Stars: Mike Modano (2014) Coaches: Bob Gainey (1992, player) Bob Johnson (1992) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Networks | Canada: (English): CBC (French): SRC United States: (National): SportsChannel America (Pittsburgh area): KBL (1–2, 5), KDKA (3–4, 6) (Minnesota area): KMSP (1–2, 5), Midwest Sports Channel (3–4, 6) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Announcers | (CBC) Bob Cole, Harry Neale, and Dick Irvin Jr. (SRC) Claude Quenneville and Gilles Tremblay (SportsChannel America) Jiggs McDonald and Bill Clement (KBL/KDKA) Mike Lange and Paul Steigerwald (KMSP/MSC) Doug McLeod and Lou Nanne | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The 1991 Stanley Cup Finals was the championship series of the National Hockey League's (NHL) 1990–91 season, and the culmination of the 1991 Stanley Cup playoffs. It was contested by the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Minnesota North Stars. It was the Penguins' first Final series appearance and their first Stanley Cup victory. This is the first and only (to date) Stanley Cup Finals to feature two teams from the expansion group of 1967. It was Minnesota's second Final series appearance, and their last before the franchise's relocation to Dallas two years later. It was also the first time since 1983 that an American franchise would win the Stanley Cup. This was the first all-American finals since 1981, which also featured the North Stars in their first appearance.
This was also the first final since 1982 not to feature either of the two Alberta-based teams, the Calgary Flames or the Edmonton Oilers, and the first since 1981 not contested by a team from Western Canada, or Canada overall.
The Finals and the NHL season ended on May 25, marking the last time to date that the Stanley Cup playoffs ended before the month of June.
This series brought together four North Stars who were teammates on the other North Stars team to reach the Finals: Neal Broten, Curt Giles, and Bobby Smith for Minnesota and Gordie Roberts for Pittsburgh.
The Penguins players had a decided edge in Finals experience, with four players having won a Stanley Cup. Bryan Trottier (who won four with the New York Islanders in 1980, 1981, 1982, and 1982), Paul Coffey (who won three with the Edmonton Oilers in 1984, 1985, and 1987), Jiri Hrdina and Joe Mullen (both with the Calgary Flames in 1989). On the other hand, Bobby Smith was the only North Star player that had won a Stanley Cup, having won with the Montreal Canadiens in 1986. Overall, the North Stars had six players with previous Finals appearances, compared to the Penguins five.
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