Clarence Campbell Conference final
(N3) Toronto Maple Leafs vs. (S3) Los Angeles Kings
This was the third playoff series meeting between these two teams. Toronto won both previous meetings, including their most recent meeting in a two-game sweep in the 1978 Preliminary Round. This was the first conference final for both teams since the playoffs went to a conference format starting in 1982. Toronto last played a semifinal series in 1978; they were swept by Montreal. Los Angeles last played in such a series in 1969; they were swept by St. Louis. For the first time since 1982, this series did not have either the Calgary Flames or the Edmonton Oilers representing the Smythe Division, and it was the only one between then and 1994 not to feature a team from Western Canada.
During Game 1, Los Angeles defenceman Marty McSorley delivered a serious, open-ice hit on Toronto’s Doug Gilmour. Leafs captain Wendel Clark took exception to the hit and went after McSorley for striking their star player. Toronto head coach Pat Burns tried scaling the bench to confront Los Angeles head coach Barry Melrose. After the game, McSorley claimed in the interviews he received dozens of threats on his hotel phone from angry fans. For their part, the Kings believed Gilmour had attempted to head-butt McSorley in retaliation, which would have made Gilmour subject to a game misconduct and a five-minute major penalty, had the butt been called. However, referee Don Koharski declined to do so.
The bad blood between the Kings and Gilmour traced back to the game of November 22, 1992, when Gilmour broke the left arm of Kings forward Tomas Sandstrom with a slash, drawing an eight-day suspension and sidelining Sandstrom for over a month. The fires of the feud were fanned by Hockey Night in Canada studio analyst Don Cherry, who heaped abuse on Melrose throughout the telecast, criticizing everything from his playing style to his haircut, and claimed Sandstrom had “deserved” to have his arm broken, for being a “ChickenSwede”. Later, in a post-game interview, Cherry kissed Gilmour, further angering the Kings.
Toronto took a 3–2 series lead heading into Game 6 in Los Angeles, which would ultimately become one of the most controversial in NHL history. With the game tied at four in overtime, Wayne Gretzky high-sticked Gilmour in the face, cutting his chin open. As with the alleged head-butt in Game 1, high sticking penalties that resulted in a cut at that time resulted in a five-minute major penalty and a game misconduct on the play. However, Gretzky was not penalized by referee Kerry Fraser and went on to score the winning goal moments later evening the series at three games each.
In Game 7, Gretzky scored a hat-trick and added an assist to give the Kings another 5–4 win and the first Stanley Cup Finals berth in team history. Gretzky later called Game 7 of the 1993 Campbell Conference Finals the greatest game he had ever played. This was Los Angeles’ last conference championship until 2012.
To date, this remains the closest the Maple Leafs have come to winning a Stanley Cup (five wins away) since their last title in 1967.
May 17 Los Angeles Kings 1–4 Toronto Maple Leafs Maple Leaf Gardens Recap
May 19 Los Angeles Kings 3–2 Toronto Maple Leafs Maple Leaf Gardens Recap
May 21 Toronto Maple Leafs 2–4 Los Angeles Kings Great Western Forum Recap
May 23 Toronto Maple Leafs 4–2 Los Angeles Kings Great Western Forum Recap
May 25 Los Angeles Kings 2–3 OT Toronto Maple Leafs Maple Leaf Gardens Recap
May 27 Toronto Maple Leafs 4–5 OT Los Angeles Kings Great Western Forum Recap
May 29 Los Angeles Kings 5–4 Toronto Maple Leafs Maple Leaf Gardens Recap
Los Angeles won series 4–3
2 Comments
Please like share and subscribe. Thank you.
The broadcast game playing on the audio was from when I was 19 years old. At the end of the year, I bought my friend's Sega CDX and games, and the CD version of NHL '94 was with it. That got me hooked on hockey, and I played this game nearly every day.