1993 Stanley Cup Final Game 7, Kings vs Canadiens

Lore & Background

By the time the 1993 playoffs arrived, the Los Angeles Kings had become the NHL's most frustrating team: talented, flashy, and perpetually one round short of the promised land. Luc Robitaille's silky dekes and Wayne Gretzky's playmaking had made them a fan favorite, but the trophy case remained empty. The Montreal Canadiens, meanwhile, carried the weight of a franchise that had won eleven Cups before 1979 and had been chasing a twelfth for over a decade. Patrick Roy, the young phenom from Quebec, was the engine of that chase.

The series itself was a masterclass in goaltending. Hrudey, a veteran who had backstopped the Kings through a grueling playoff run, brought a calm, almost surgical presence between the pipes. Roy brought fire, speed, and a willingness to go toe-to-toe with the best forwards in the league. Their duel defined every game, and by Game 5 the tension was palpable—every save, every rebound, every scramble in front of the net felt like it could decide a franchise's legacy.

When the Canadiens finally lifted the Cup at the Montreal Forum, it was not just a victory for one team. It was a vindication for a franchise that had long been the standard of excellence, and a moment that cemented Roy's legacy as one of the greatest goalies of all time. The image of Roy hoisting the Stanley Cup, surrounded by teammates drenched in champagne, became one of the defining visuals of 1990s hockey.

Reader's Guide

The occasion: Game 7 of the 1993 Stanley Cup Final, played at The Forum in Inglewood, California. The Kings and Canadiens had split the first six games three apiece, leaving everything for one final contest in front of the Kings' home crowd.

What happened: The Kings, led by a veteran goaltending performance from Tony Esposito and offensive contributions from Luc Robitaille, Dave Semenko, and Jeff Brown, edged out the Canadiens to clinch the series 4-3. Patrick Roy gave the Kings everything he had, but the Kings' depth and composure in the final minutes proved the difference. It was a tight, physical, goaltending duel that lived up to the hype of a seven-game final.

Why it's remembered: This was the Kings' first Stanley Cup, ending years of near-misses and mocking from the hockey world. It validated Pat Verbeek's coaching, the core group of players, and the franchise's place in the NHL. For Canadiens fans, it was a bitter end to a run that had them believing the long drought was finally over. The series is remembered as one of the great goaltending battles of the 1990s and a defining moment in Kings history.

Did You Know?

• The 1993 Cup was the 24th Stanley Cup in the Montreal Canadiens' franchise history, making the celebration at the Montreal Forum a familiar yet no less joyous moment for a city that had long been a hockey mecca.
• Kelly Hrudey, who had been the Kings' goaltender throughout the 1993 playoffs, put up a valiant effort in the Final but could not overcome the Canadiens' depth and Roy's brilliance.
• The Canadiens' 1993 championship was clinched in front of their own fans at the Montreal Forum, giving the franchise and its supporters a home-ice coronation that no amount of road wins could have matched.