10 Difficult Questions about Stanley Cup

Answer: 3

Carl Voss of Massachusetts scored a cup winner in 1938 with the Chicago Blackhawks. Pete Babando of Pennsylvainia socred a cup winner in 1950 with the Detroit Red Wings. Neal Broten of Minnesota scored a cup winner in 1995 with the New Jesey Devils.

Answer: 9

The decade long domination of the Islanders and Oilers can only be compared to the stranglehold Montreal and Toronto had on the cup when they won 13 of 14 Cups between 1956 and 1969. The Islanders captured the Cup four years in a row from 1980 to {1983;} then Edmonton took five cups in seven seasons from 1984 to 1990. Only the Cup wins by Montreal in 1986 and Calgary in 1989 interrupted the 11-year Islanders-Oilers reign of the 1980s.

Answer: 54 octupi

According to Al Sobotka, the Joe Louis Arena manager who leads the clean-up crews, an unofficial record of 54 octopi were thrown during one game of the 1995 Stanley Cup final series between the Red Wings and New Jersey Devils. The playoff tradition dates back to the days of the old Detroit Olympia in 1952, when Wings fans Jerry and Pete Cusimano pitched the first octopus from the stands as a 'good luck' charm.

In those days, teams played two playoff rounds and could win the Cup in eight games. After sweeping Toronto 4-0 in the first round and leading Montreal 3-0 in the 1952 final series, the Cusimano brothers figured the eight-tentacled sea creature was a natural symbol for eight straight wins. Detroit won the 1952 Stanley Cup in eight, and today fans still toss an average of 25 octopi per game.

Answer: sweaters with the player's name

Not unlike the game itself, sweaters have gone through their own evolution since organized hockey began. The first jerseys were woollen and knitted by local women. Team emblems and stripes were always standard decoration, but player numbers didn't appear until around 1912. Little changed until the switch from wool to polyester in the 1960s, and the Rangers sported the first jerseys with the player's names in 1974. Teams immediatley began oicking up on the practice, which was soon adopted into a NHL rule.

Answer: 5

Five players share the record for most playoff goals in a single game. Darryl Sittler and Reggie Leach traded five-goal games during the 1976 Flyers-Maple Leafs series, tying earlier marks set by Rocket Richard and Newsy Lalonde. Mario Lemieux equalled the record in 1989. In each case, the scorer's team won the game on home ice.

Answer: 4

Certainly players have had their names misspelled, but Cup-winning teams? Yes, and more often than once. In 1916, 'Montreal Canadiens' was recorded on the Cup as 'Montreal Candaians.' Then, the 'Toronto Maple Leaes' followed in {1963;} the 'Bqston Bruins' in {1972;} and the 'New York Ilanders' in 1981.

Answer: 1 Team

The New York Islanders became the first American team in NHL history to win back-to-back-to-back Stanley Cups en route to claiming four successive championships between 1980 and 1983.

Answer: Late Night with David Letterman

Following the Rangers' Cup victory in 1994, the trophy made a suprise guest appearance on the David Letterman (taped in NYC). During the show's monologue, Letterman casually leaned back, looked over at his desk and said to band leader, Paul Schaefer: 'Hey Paul, what's that behind my desk?' Of course, everyone knew something was up. Letterman walked over and pulled out the Stanley Cup to wild applause.

He then brought out Mark Messier, Brian Leetch, and Mike Richter. After a brif interview with the trio, Letterman placed the Cup onstage, where is remained for the enitre show, in front of 20 million viewers.

Answer: Roger Crozier

Although Detroit lost the 1966 cup finals to Montreal, Crozier had a sensational playoff series.

Answer: 1893