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NHL Stanley Cup Finals Trivia

The Stanley Cup Finals represent hockey's ultimate stage. Every overtime goal, every Game 7, every dynasty run creates moments that define careers and franchises. From Bobby Orr flying through the air to Patrick Kane's barely visible goal, Finals trivia covers the biggest moments in NHL history. This quiz tests your knowledge of championship teams, Finals MVPs, historic upsets, and the moments that became hockey lore.

January 24, 2026

The Trophy Itself

Q: Which trophy is awarded to the winner of the NHL playoffs?

A: The Stanley Cup, the oldest professional sports trophy in North America.

Q: Which team has won the most Stanley Cups?

A: The Montreal Canadiens with 24 championships.

Q: Which franchise has appeared in the most Stanley Cup Finals overall?

A: The Montreal Canadiens with over 30 Final appearances.

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Historic Finals Moments

Q: Who scored the 1970 Cup-winning overtime goal while flying through the air for the Boston Bruins?

A: Bobby Orr against the St. Louis Blues. The photo of Orr horizontal in the air became hockey's most iconic image.

Q: Which team ended a 54-year drought by winning the Stanley Cup in 1994?

A: The New York Rangers, ending the "1940" chant that haunted them for decades.

Q: Which team won four consecutive Stanley Cups from 1980 to 1983?

A: The New York Islanders, the last dynasty to win four straight.

Q: Which player scored the overtime goal in Game 6 of the 2010 Final to clinch the Cup for Chicago?

A: Patrick Kane. The goal went in so quickly that only Kane and a few others realized it immediately, creating confusion before the celebration.

Dynasty Teams

Q: Which team famously won the Stanley Cup in 2010, 2013 and 2015?

A: The Chicago Blackhawks, becoming the salary cap era's first dynasty.

Q: Which team won back-to-back Cups in 2020 and 2021?

A: The Tampa Bay Lightning, dominating in the bubble playoffs and the following season.

Q: Which team did the Pittsburgh Penguins defeat in back-to-back Finals in 2016 and 2017?

A: San Jose Sharks (2016) and Nashville Predators (2017).

Q: Which player is the only one credited with winning 11 Stanley Cups as a player?

A: Henri Richard with the Montreal Canadiens.

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Recent Championships

Q: Which team defeated the Vegas Golden Knights in the 2018 Stanley Cup Final?

A: The Washington Capitals in five games.

Q: Which team won its first Stanley Cup in 2018, led by Alex Ovechkin?

A: The Washington Capitals, finally breaking through after years of playoff disappointments.

Q: Which team won the Cup in 2019, ending the longest active title drought in the NHL?

A: The St. Louis Blues, who were in last place in January before storming through the playoffs.

Q: Which team did the Colorado Avalanche defeat in the 2022 Stanley Cup Final?

A: The Tampa Bay Lightning, ending their three-year championship run.

Q: Which team did the Vegas Golden Knights defeat to win their first Stanley Cup in 2023?

A: The Florida Panthers.

Historic Matchups

Q: Which two teams played in the 2011 Stanley Cup Final that went seven games?

A: The Boston Bruins and Vancouver Canucks. The series sparked riots in Vancouver after the Canucks lost Game 7 at home.

Q: Which team did the Tampa Bay Lightning defeat to win the Stanley Cup in the 2003-04 season?

A: The Calgary Flames in seven games.

Q: Which team did the Detroit Red Wings defeat in 1997 to end their 42-year Cup drought?

A: The Philadelphia Flyers in a four-game sweep.

Q: Which team did the Colorado Avalanche defeat in the 2001 Stanley Cup Final?

A: The New Jersey Devils in seven games.

Q: Which team did the Edmonton Oilers defeat for their first Stanley Cup in 1984?

A: The New York Islanders, ending their dynasty.

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Controversial Finals

Q: Which team lost the controversial 1999 Final on Brett Hull's "skate in the crease" overtime goal?

A: The Buffalo Sabres. Hull's skate was in the crease, but the goal stood, giving Dallas the Cup.

Q: Which goaltender backstopped the New Jersey Devils to three Stanley Cups in the mid-1990s and early 2000s?

A: Martin Brodeur (1995, 2000, 2003).

Kings Dynasty

Q: Which team won the Cup in 2012 and 2014 with Jonathan Quick in net and Anze Kopitar as a key center?

A: The Los Angeles Kings.

Q: Which team did the Kings defeat in 2012 after entering the playoffs as an 8-seed?

A: The New Jersey Devils in the Final, though they defeated Vancouver, St. Louis, and Phoenix before that.

Canadian Drought

Q: Which Canadian team was the last to win the Stanley Cup (as of mid-2020s)?

A: The Montreal Canadiens in 1993, creating the longest Cup drought for Canadian teams in NHL history.

Expansion Success

Q: Which team reached the Cup Final in its inaugural season in 2018?

A: The Vegas Golden Knights, losing to Washington.

Q: Which expansion team made the Finals in just its second season?

A: No team has done this recently, though Vegas reached the Final in year one.

Why Finals Trivia Matters

Stanley Cup Finals moments transcend regular hockey knowledge. These are the games everyone remembers, the goals that get replayed forever, and the series that define generations of fandom. Understanding Finals history means knowing which teams delivered under ultimate pressure.

The Conn Smythe Factor

Finals MVP (Conn Smythe Trophy) winners often come from the championship team, but occasionally a losing player wins it for extraordinary performance. Jean-Sébastien Giguère (2003) and Roger Crozier (1966) both won despite losing in the Final, showing how dominant goaltending can shine even in defeat.

Home Ice Advantage in the Finals

Home ice matters enormously in the Finals. Teams with home ice win roughly 60% of championship series. The ability to match lines, feed off crowd energy, and have the last change gives home teams crucial advantages in tight series.

The Modern Finals Format

Today's Finals use a 2-2-1-1-1 format, meaning teams alternate home games more frequently than the old 2-3-2 format. This change reduced travel but also meant fewer extended homestands, keeping both teams sharp and giving road teams more chances to steal games.

Overtime Drama

Finals overtime creates the highest-stakes moments in hockey. Every shift could end the season. Goalies make career-defining saves. Fourth-liners become heroes. The tension is suffocating, and when the goal finally comes, it creates instant legend status for the scorer.

Play Gridzy Hockey Free Every Day

Gridzy Hockey is Shurzy's daily NHL grid game where you pretend you're "just messing around" and then suddenly you're 15 minutes deep arguing with yourself about whether some 2009 fourth-liner qualifies as a 40-goal guy.

You get nine guesses to fill a 3×3 grid, you can't reuse players, and every pick is either a genius flex or instant regret. So yeah, it's basically hockey trivia with stakes.

New grid drops every day at 6:00am ET, which is perfect because nothing says "healthy morning routine" like panicking over who won the Lady Byng in 1998. If you think you know puck, prove it.

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