1985 Stanley Cup Finals

The 1985 Stanley Cup Finals was played between the defending champion Edmonton Oilers in their third-straight Finals appearance and the Philadelphia Flyers. The Oilers would win the best-of-seven series four games to one, to win their second Stanley Cup. It was also the sixth straight Finals of post 1967 expansion teams. As of 2009, this is also the last time that a team, defending champion or finalist, would appear in the finals for the third straight season.

Paths to the Final
Edmonton defeated the Los Angeles Kings 3–0, the Winnipeg Jets 4–0 and the Chicago Black Hawks 4–2 to advance to the finals. Philadelphia  defeated the New York Rangers 3–0, the New York Islanders 4–1, and the Quebec Nordiques 4–2 to make it to the finals.

The series
The 1985 final series continued to use the format of alternating locations after game two and game five, instead of the previous format of alternating after game two, game four and every game thereafter. The NHL would revert back to the previous format for the 1986 final. Wayne Gretzky scored seven goals in the five games. Grant Fuhr stopped two penalty shots.

Game one
The Flyers posted a 4–1 victory to open the series.

Game two
Wayne Gretzky's first period goal gave Edmonton a lead they would protect fiercely throughout in a decidedly more defensive game on both sides. Willy Lindstrom's goal late in the second period snapped a 1–1 tie, and Dave Hunter added an insurance empty-netter and the Oilers drew even in the series with a 3–1 win.

Game three
Gretzky single-handedly won the game for his club. He scored twice within the first 90 seconds of the game, and finished off a hat trick by the end of the first period. Although the Oilers put six shots on net over the final 40 minutes, it was enough to escape with a 4–3 win and 2–1 series lead.

Game four
Unbowed, the Flyers roared out to a 3–1 lead midway through the first period thanks to goals at even strength, on the power play and shorthanded. However, the Oilers roared back with four unanswered goals including a pair from Gretzky, to win 5–3 and take a commanding series lead.

Game five
Against backup goaltender Bob Froese, the Oilers blitzed the Flyers with a four-goal first period and sailed to a convincing 8–3 win. Gretzky posted a goal and three assists, Paul Coffey scored twice as did Mark Messier. Edmonton won its second consecutive Stanley Cup while the Flyers, at the time the youngest team in professional sports, took the lessons from their loss into the clubs' next meeting in 1987. Wayne Gretzky won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP.

Stanley Cup Engravings

 * Garnet "Ace" Bailey, Ed Chadwick, Lorne Davis, Matti Valsanen (Scouts), Gordon Cameron (Team Physician) received rings with Edmonton in 1984. Their names however, were left off the Stanley Cup.