What if the 1986 Stanley Cup Finals was Edmonton vs Montreal
Let's say the Oilers were able to make the Stanley Cup Finals in 1986, would they have ended up defeating Montreal or would the Canadiens still end up winning it?
well they could've gotten to the third round if smith hadn't made that mistake....
Because Mike Vernon only played six games (4-2).
30 saves, 1 GA
17 saves, 2 GA
14 saves, 7 GA
30 saves, 1 GA
34 saves, 4 GA
22 saves, 2 GA
They might have eaten their lunch twice, but if they can't score more than two goals or 5.7% of their shots on Mike Vernon in their losses (or 10.4% overall - consistent to what other teams had scored on Vernon in the rest of the playoffs), what is Edmonton going to do to the best individual playoff from a goaltender based upon save percentage?
It comes down to whether or not Montreal can score. They had a terrible playoff in terms of scoring goals, but Fuhr was letting in three-and-a-half per game to Calgary. He wasn't on like he was in 1984 or 1987.
Let's say the Oilers were able to make the Stanley Cup Finals in 1986, would they have ended up defeating Montreal or would the Canadiens still end up winning it?
I think the Oilers would have won the Cup. I liken the Calgary series to what the Islanders went through in 1982 with Pittsburgh. It was a scare. In fact, it was almost too close for comfort. But they never had much of a problem after that continuing their dynasty. If the Oilers beat Calgary in Game 7 I think they would feel they dodged a bullet and would have dug their heels back in and stopped treating the postseason like a country club. So yeah, they win the Cup despite Roy's heroics.
I also feel the same thing goes for Pittsburgh in 1993. Even when you watch Game 7 against the Islanders there is no way a team that outplayed another team that badly should have lost. Had the Pens won, I think they learn their lesson and win a 6 game series vs. Montreal and then beat Gretzky and the Kings in 6 (just because Gretzky alone would want to win a game or two against Lemieux to make a point)
Probably Edmonton. For that stretch of the 80's, most consider Edmonton and Calgary to be the two best teams, regardless of which team ended up first and which lost to the first place team.
Edmonton would have won their third straight cup had they played Montreal in 1986. Calgary matched up better against the Oilers, The Battle of Alberta brought out the best in the Flames. Oilers beat Montreal in 5 games.
well they could've gotten to the third round if smith hadn't made that mistake....
Even without Smith's mistake, that wouldn't have put the Oilers into the lead in Game Seven.
And you're ignoring that the series even *got* to a Game Seven.
Blaming Smith's mistake for the series loss lets a lot of people off the hook.
As to the question at hand, I think that the Oilers would have beaten Montreal, because they're a better team on paper. On the other hand, as I've said around here a few times, games aren't played on paper - they're played inside television sets.
I read a book a couple years ago about the Flames '86 run and what I got from it was Calgary was pretty much gassed after the St. Louis series and didn't have it in them for one more.
The Oilers we're so ridiculously good back then that it's hard to say they wouldn't have taken it.
)
