Docs Menu

2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs

ChampionsSt. Louis BluesDefending ChampionsWashington Capitals
Runner-upBoston BruinsConn Smythe TrophyRyan O’Reilly (Blues)

The 2019 Stanley Cup playoffs was the playoff tournament of the National Hockey League (NHL). The playoffs began on April 10, 2019, after the 2018–19 regular season, and concluded on June 12, 2019, with the St. Louis Blues winning their first Stanley Cup in franchise history defeating the Boston Bruins four games to three in the Stanley Cup Finals.

The Tampa Bay Lightning made the playoffs as the Presidents’ Trophy winners with the most points (i.e. best record) during the regular season. The Pittsburgh Penguins increased their post-season appearance streak to thirteen seasons, the current longest streak. The Carolina Hurricanes made the playoffs for the first time since 2009, ending a nine-year playoff drought.

For the second season in a row, the Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs were the only Original Six teams to make the playoffs, marking the fifth time in league history (after 2000, 2001, 2007 and 2018) that only two Original Six teams clinched a playoff berth. For the first time since 2004, both Southern California teams, the Anaheim Ducks and Los Angeles Kings, missed the playoffs. For the second time in League history (and the second season in a row), both the Detroit Red Wings and Montreal Canadiens missed the playoffs.

The Blues tied the 1987 Philadelphia Flyers, 2004 Calgary Flames, 2014 Los Angeles Kings, and 2015 Tampa Bay Lightning for playing the most playoff games (26) in a four-round playoff format. The record for most playoff games was subsequently broken by the 2020 Dallas Stars, who played 27 games during the expanded 2020 Stanley Cup playoffs. The Kings were the only other Stanley Cup champions to play 26 games.

Eastern Conference First Round

(A1) Tampa Bay Lightning vs. (WC2) Columbus Blue Jackets

The Tampa Bay Lightning earned the Presidents’ Trophy as the NHL’s best regular season team with 128 points. Columbus finished as the Eastern Conference’s second wild card, earning 98 points. This was the first playoff meeting between these two teams. Tampa Bay won all three games in this year’s regular season series.

DateRoad TeamHome TeamScore/Recap
Apr. 10Columbus Blue JacketsTampa Bay Lightning4-3
Apr. 12Columbus Blue JacketsTampa Bay Lightning5-1
Apr. 14Tampa Bay LightningColumbus Blue Jackets1-3
Apr. 16Tampa Bay LightningColumbus Blue Jackets3-7

Blue Jackets won series 4-0

(A2) Boston Bruins vs. (A3) Toronto Maple Leafs

The Boston Bruins finished second in the Atlantic Division, earning 107 points. The Toronto Maple Leafs earned 100 points to finish third in the Atlantic Division. This was the sixteenth playoff meeting overall, and second consecutive, between these two teams, with Toronto winning eight of the fifteen previous series. They last met in the previous year’s Eastern Conference First Round, which Boston won in seven games. Boston won three of the four games in this year’s regular season series.

DateRoad TeamHome TeamScore/Recap
Apr. 11Toronto Maple LeafsBoston Bruins4-1
Apr. 13Toronto Maple LeafsBoston Bruins1-4
Apr. 15Boston BruinsToronto Maple Leafs2-3
Apr. 17Boston BruinsToronto Maple Leafs6-4
Apr. 19Toronto Maple LeafsBoston Bruins2-1
Apr. 21Boston BruinsToronto Maple Leafs4-2
Apr. 23Toronto Maple LeafsBoston Bruins1-5

Bruins won series 4-3

(M1) Washington Capitals vs. (WC1) Carolina Hurricanes

The Washington Capitals finished first in the Metropolitan Division earning 104 points. Carolina finished as the Eastern Conference’s first wild card earning 99 points. This was the first playoff meeting between these two teams. Washington won all four games in this year’s regular season series.

DateRoad TeamHome TeamScore/Recap
Apr. 11Carolina HurricanesWashington Capitals2-4
Apr. 13Carolina HurricanesWashington Capitals3-4 OT
Apr. 15Washington CapitalsCarolina Hurricanes0-5
Apr. 18Washington CapitalsCarolina Hurricanes1-2
Apr. 20Carolina HurricanesWashington Capitals0-6
Apr. 22Washington CapitalsCarolina Hurricanes2-5
Apr. 24Carolina HurricanesWashington Capitals4-3 2OT

Hurricanes won series 4-3

(M2) New York Islanders vs. (M3) Pittsburgh Penguins

The New York Islanders finished second in the Metropolitan Division with 103 points. The Pittsburgh Penguins earned 100 points to finish third in the Metropolitan Division. This was the fifth playoff meeting between these two teams with New York winning three of the four previous series. They last met in the 2013 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals, which Pittsburgh won in six games. These teams split their four-game regular season series. This was the first time since the 1988 Patrick Division Semifinals that the Islanders had home-ice advantage in a playoff series.

DateRoad TeamHome TeamScore/Recap
Apr. 10Pittsburgh PenguinsNew York Islanders3-4 2OT
Apr. 12Pittsburgh PenguinsNew York Islanders3-2
Apr. 14New York IslandersPittsburgh Penguins3-1
Apr. 16New York IslandersPittsburgh Penguins4-3

Islanders won series 4-0

Western Conference First Round

(C1) Nashville Predators vs. (WC1) Dallas Stars

The Nashville Predators finished first in the Central Division earning 100 points. Dallas finished as the Western Conference’s first wild card earning 93 points. This was the first playoff meeting between these two teams. Nashville won three of the five games in this year’s regular season series.

DateRoad TeamHome TeamScore/Recap
April 10Dallas StarsNashville Predators3-2
April 13Dallas StarsNashville Predators1-2 OT
April 15Nashville PredatorsDallas Stars3-2
April 17Nashville PredatorsDallas Stars1-5
April 20Dallas StarsNashville Predators5-3
April 22Nashville PredatorsDallas Stars1-2 OT

Stars won series 4-2

(C2) Winnipeg Jets vs. (C3) St. Louis Blues

The Winnipeg Jets finished second in the Central Division, earning 99 points. The St. Louis Blues also earned 99 points, but they finished third in the Central Division as Winnipeg won the first tie-breaker of combined regulation and overtime wins. This was the first playoff meeting between these two teams. This was also the first playoff meeting between the two cities since 1982. Winnipeg won three of the four games in this year’s regular season series.

DateRoad TeamHome TeamScore/Recap
Apr. 10St. Louis BluesWinnipeg Jets2-1
Apr. 12St. Louis BluesWinnipeg Jets4-3
Apr. 14Winnipeg JetsSt. Louis Blues6-3
Apr. 16Winnipeg JetsSt. Louis Blues2-1 OT
Apr. 18St. Louis BluesWinnipeg Jets3-2
Apr. 20Winnipeg JetsSt. Louis Blues2-3

Blues won series 4-2

(P1) Calgary Flames vs. (WC2) Colorado Avalanche

DateRoad TeamHome TeamScore/Recap
Apr. 11Colorado AvalancheCalgary Flames0-4
Apr. 13Colorado AvalancheCalgary Flames3-2 OT
Apr. 14Calgary FlamesColorado Avalanche2-6
Apr. 16Calgary FlamesColorado Avalanche2-3 OT
Apr. 18Colorado AvalancheCalgary Flames5-1

Avalanche won series 4-1

(P2) San Jose Sharks vs. (P3) Vegas Golden Knights

The San Jose Sharks finished second in the Pacific Division earning 101 points. The Vegas Golden Knights earned 93 points to finish third in Pacific Division. This was the second playoff meeting between these teams. They last met in the previous year’s Western Conference Second Round which Vegas won in six games. These teams split their four-game regular season series.

DateRoad TeamHome TeamScore/Recap
Aug. 12Vegas Golden KnightsSan Jose Sharks2-5
Aug. 14Vegas Golden KnightsSan Jose Sharks5-3
Aug. 16San Jose SharksVegas Golden Knights3-6
Aug. 17San Jose SharksVegas Golden Knights0-5
Aug. 19Vegas Golden KnightsSan Jose Sharks2-5
Aug. 21San Jose SharksVegas Golden Knights2-1 2OT
Aug. 23Vegas Golden KnightsSan Jose Sharks4-5 OT

Sharks won series 4-3

Eastern Conference Second Round

(A2) Boston Bruins vs. (WC2) Columbus Blue Jackets

This was the first playoff meeting between these two teams. Boston won two of the three games in this year’s regular season series.

DateRoad TeamHome TeamScore/Recap
Apr. 25Columbus Blue JacketsBoston Bruins2-3 OT
Apr. 27Columbus Blue JacketsBoston Bruins3-2 2OT
Apr. 30Boston BruinsColumbus Blue Jackets1-2
May 2Boston BruinsColumbus Blue Jackets4-1
May 4Columbus Blue JacketsBoston Bruins3-4
May 6Boston BruinsColumbus Blue Jackets3-0

Bruins won series 4-2

(M2) New York Islanders vs. (WC1) Carolina Hurricanes

This was the first playoff meeting between these two teams. New York won three of the four games in this year’s regular season series.

DateRoad TeamHome TeamScore/Recap
Apr. 26Carolina HurricanesNew York Islanders1-0 OT
Apr. 28Carolina HurricanesNew York Islanders2-1
May 1New York IslandersCarolina Hurricanes2-5
May 3New York IslandersCarolina Hurricanes2-5

Hurricanes won series 4-0

Western Conference Second Round

(C3) St. Louis Blues vs. (WC1) Dallas Stars

This was the fourteenth playoff meeting between these two teams with St. Louis winning seven of the thirteen previous series. They last met in the 2016 Western Conference Second Round, which St. Louis won in seven games. Dallas won three of the four games in this year’s regular season series.

DateRoad TeamHome TeamScore/Recap
Apr. 25Dallas StarsSt. Louis Blues2-3
Apr. 27Dallas StarsSt. Louis Blues4-2
Apr. 29St. Louis BluesDallas Stars4-3
May 1St. Louis BluesDallas Stars2-4
May 3Dallas StarsSt. Louis Blues2-1
May 5St. Louis BluesDallas Stars4-1
May 7Dallas StarsSt. Louis Blues1-2 2OT

Blues won series 4-3

(P2) San Jose Sharks vs. (WC2) Colorado Avalanche

This was the fifth playoff meeting between these two teams with both teams splitting the four previous series. They last met in the 2010 Western Conference Quarterfinals which San Jose won in six games. San Jose won all three games in this year’s regular season series.

DateRoad TeamHome TeamScore/Recap
Apr. 26Colorado AvalancheSan Jose Sharks2-5
Apr. 28Colorado AvalancheSan Jose Sharks4-3
Apr. 30San Jose SharksColorado Avalanche4-2
May 2San Jose SharksColorado Avalanche0-3
May 4Colorado AvalancheSan Jose Sharks1-2
May 6San Jose SharksColorado Avalanche3-4 OT
May 8Colorado AvalancheSan Jose Sharks2-3

Sharks won series 4-3

Eastern Conference Final

(A2) Boston Bruins vs. (WC1) Carolina Hurricanes

This was the fifth playoff meeting between these two teams with Boston winning three of the four previous series. They last met in the 2009 Eastern Conference Semifinals which Carolina won in seven games. This was Boston’s eighth appearance in the Conference Finals. They last went to the Conference Finals in 2013, which they won against the Pittsburgh Penguins in a four-game sweep. This was Carolina’s fourth Conference Finals appearance. They last went to the Conference Finals in 2009; they lost in a four-game sweep to Pittsburgh. Boston won two of the three games in this year’s regular season series.

DateRoad TeamHome TeamScore/Recap
May 9Carolina HurricanesBoston Bruins2-8
May 12Carolina HurricanesBoston Bruins1-2
May 14Boston BruinsCarolina Hurricanes3-5
May 16Boston BruinsCarolina Hurricanes4-1

Bruins won series 4-0

Western Conference Final

(P2) San Jose Sharks vs. (C3) St. Louis Blues

This was the sixth playoff meeting between these two teams with San Jose winning three of the five previous series. This was St. Louis’ fourth Conference Finals appearance and San Jose’s fifth appearance in the Conference Finals. This also marked the thirteenth conference final in the last sixteen seasons that included a California-based team. The teams’ last appearance in the Conference Finals was against each other in 2016, which San Jose won in six games. San Jose won two of the three games in this year’s regular season series.

DateRoad TeamHome TeamScore/Recap
May 11St. Louis BluesSan Jose Sharks3-6
May 13St. Louis BluesSan Jose Sharks4-2
May 15San Jose SharksSt. Louis Blues5-4 OT
May 17San Jose SharksSt. Louis Blues1-2
May 19St. Louis BluesSan Jose Sharks5-0
May 21San Jose SharksSt. Louis Blues1-5

Blues won series 4-2

Stanley Cup Final

Boston Bruins vs. St. Louis Blues

This was the third playoff meeting between these two teams, with Boston winning both previous series. They last met in the 1972 Stanley Cup Semifinals which Boston won in a four-game sweep. St. Louis made their fourth appearance in the Finals. They last advanced to the Finals in 1970, which they lost in four games to the Boston Bruins. Boston made their twentieth Finals appearance. They last advanced to the Finals in 2013, which they lost in six games to the Chicago Blackhawks. These teams split the two games in this year’s regular season series.

DateRoad TeamHome TeamScore/Recap
May 27St. Louis BluesBoston Bruins2-4
May 29St. Louis BluesBoston Bruins3-2 OT
June 1Boston BruinsSt. Louis Blues7-2
June 3Boston BruinsSt. Louis Blues2-4
June 6St. Louis BluesBoston Bruins2-1
June 9Boston BruinsSt. Louis Blues5-1
June 12St. Louis BluesBoston Bruins4-1

Blues won the series 4-3 and the Stanley Cup

Conn Smythe Trophy: Ryan O’Reilly

Sources