Stanley Cup Playoffs: Memorable Moments Quiz

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Wayne Gretzky won four Stanley Cups and played in 208 playoff games during his career. Only once, on April 28, 1984, was he awarded a penalty shot in the Stanley Cup playoffs. It was in the Conference Finals against Don Beaupre of the Minnesota North Stars. Did "The Great One" score?

Answer: Yes

Gretzky became just the third player to score on a penalty shot in the playoffs. The Oilers won the game 8-5. They won the series and went on to win their first Stanley Cup championship over the New York Islanders. Gretzky led all players in scoring with 35 playoff points.

2. It is often said that great goaltending wins Stanley Cups. Which rookie netminder for the Montreal Canadiens was handed the Stanley Cup, and the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP, after a 3-2 victory in Game 7, on the road against the Chicago Blackhawks on May 18, 1971?

Answer: Ken Dryden

Dryden had only played in six regular season games before assuming the role of starting goalie for the playoffs. He was the first rookie to be named playoff MVP. He would go on to win 6 Stanley Cups with Montreal, all in the 1970s.

3. This superstar player for the Pittsburgh Penguins scored an amazing eight points in one game in the Division Finals against the Philadelphia Flyers on April 25, 1989.

Answer: Mario Lemieux

"Super Mario" scored four goals in the first period, three assists in the second, and added an empty-net goal in the third as the Penguins beat the Flyers 10-7 in a wild game. This was Lemieux's first time playing in the playoffs since joining the NHL.

Mario Lemieux was born October 5, 1965, in Montreal, Quebec. He was selected 1st overall in the 1984 NHL Entry Draft by the Pittsburgh Penguins. He was the team's franchise player for 17 seasons and led the team to back-to-back Stanley Cup championships in 1991 and 1992.

4. In 1993, the Toronto Maple Leafs became the first team ever to play in three straight seven game series in the Stanley Cup playoffs. After defeating Detroit in Game 7 overtime, the Leafs went to double overtime in Game 1 of the next series against the St. Louis Blues. Who scored for Toronto on a wrap-around from behind the net?

Answer: Doug Gilmour

Doug "Killer" Gilmour scored at 3:16 of the second overtime period against Curtis Joseph of the Blues. After holding the puck behind the net for what seemed like an eternity, Gilmour went one way, then the other and stuffed the puck in the net for a 2-1 victory. Curtis Joseph in later years would become a star goalie for the Leafs.

After winning four games to three against both Detroit and St. Louis, Toronto lost in seven games to the Los Angeles Kings in the Conference Finals. Gilmour scored 35 points in 21 games for the Leafs that playoff season.

5. Memorable moments in sports can sometimes come from strange places. On April 27, 1994, Dave Hannan of the Buffalo Sabres scored in quadruple overtime in Game 6 against the New Jersey Devils to force a seventh and deciding game in New Jersey. Buffalo Sabre announcer Rick Jeanneret made an incredible head turning statement following the goal. What did he say?

Answer: This series is going back to where Jimmy Hoffa is

Hannan scored on a backhand shot after receiving a pass from Jason Dawe from behind the net at 5:43 of the fourth overtime to give the Sabres a 1-0 win. This was a first round match up. Unfortunately for Buffalo, they lost game seven in New Jersey and were eliminated from further play.

Rick Jeanneret was born in my hometown St. Catharines, Ontario in 1942. He has been the Buffalo Sabre play-by-play announcer since 1971.

Jimmy Hoffa was General President of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters union from 1958-1971. He disappeared July 30th, 1975 in Detroit, Michigan.

6. On June 9, 2003, the New Jersey Devils defeated the Anaheim Mighty Ducks 3-0 to win game seven and the Stanley Cup. It was a special night as one player became the first ever to have his first playoff goal also be the Stanley Cup winning goal. Who was that player?

Answer: Michael Rupp

Rupp scored the first goal of the game in the second period, then assisted on the other two goals. He only played four games in New Jersey`s run to the Stanley Cup, all of them in the final series.

This was the Devil`s third Stanley Cup win. It also marked just the third time that the home team won every game in the final series. Despite recording seven shutouts during the playoffs, New Jersey goaltender Martin Brodeur was not named playoff MVP. Jean-Sebastien Giguere, Anaheim`s goalie, was given the award.

7. Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final in June 2009 saw the Pittsburgh Penguins win 2-1 on the road at Joe Louis Arena against the Detroit Red Wings. Which relatively unknown player scored both goals for Pittsburgh in that game?

Answer: Maxime Talbot

Talbot scored both goals in the second period and the Pens made it stand up for the win. He was born February 11, 1984 in LeMoyne, Quebec. He was chosen 234th overall by Pittsburgh in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft.

This was the third Stanley Cup championship for the Pittsburgh Penguins and the first for their young captain and NHL superstar, Sidney Crosby. The Penguins avenged their loss to Detroit in the Stanley Cup Final the year before.

8. On May 31, 1987, Wayne Gretzky, captain of the Edmonton Oilers, was handed the Stanley Cup after winning Game 7 by 3-1 against the Philadelphia Flyers. This was Edmonton's third title in four years. Gretzky then made a tremendous gesture by handing the Stanley Cup directly to which player?

Answer: Steve Smith

Steve Smith was the defenseman who the year before accidentally scored on his own net in the third period of Game 7 against the Calgary Flames in the Conference Final. This mistake cost Edmonton a chance for three straight championships. The worst of it was that Smith's own goal happened on his birthday.

Edmonton would go on to win the Stanley Cup again in 1988, making it four titles in five years. Smith continued to play with Edmonton until 1991, when he was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks.

9. It is customary in the National Hockey League to pick three stars at the end of each game. On March 23, 1944, this player from the Montreal Canadiens nicknamed "Rocket", was chosen as the first, second, and third star of the game after scoring all five goals in a 5-1 semi-final victory against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Answer: Maurice Richard

This was the first time in NHL history that a single player swept the three star selections. Richard scored three goals in the second period, plus two more in the third. Toe Blake, future head coach of the Montreal Canadiens, assisted on all five goals.

Montreal defeated the Maple Leafs in that series then went on to sweep the Chicago Blackhawks to take the Stanley Cup. This was the first season that Richard participated in the playoffs.

10. One of the most famous hockey photos is that of Bobby Orr flying through the air in jubilation after scoring in overtime against the St. Louis Blues on May 10, 1970. Was this in fact the goal that won the Stanley Cup for the Boston Bruins?

Answer: Yes

Orr took a pass from Derek Sanderson in front of the net and scored against goalie Glenn Hall just 40 seconds into the overtime period. He was tripped by a St. Louis player as he shot sending him into the air.

The Bruins won the game 4-3 and the series 4-0 to win their first Stanley Cup in 29 years. Orr scored 20 points in 14 games and was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP.

Source: Author johnnycat777

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor gtho4 before going online.
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A look back at some of hockey's most unforgettable times in the chase for the Stanley Cup. All questions are multiple choice.

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