Stanley Cup (2008)
The 2008 Stanley Cup Final: Detroit Red Wings defeat Pittsburgh Penguins in six games for their eleventh Cup title.
The 2008 Stanley Cup Final was the championship series of the National Hockey League's (NHL) 2007–08 season, and the culmination of the 2008 Stanley Cup playoffs. It was contested between the Western Conference champion Detroit Red Wings and the Eastern Conference champion Pittsburgh Penguins. This was Detroit's 23rd appearance in the Finals, and its first since winning the Cup in 2002. This was Pittsburgh's third appearance in the Finals, and its first since winning consecutive Cup championships in 1991 and 1992.
The Red Wings defeated the Penguins in six games to win their eleventh Stanley Cup title. Detroit's Henrik Zetterberg was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as the Most Valuable Player of the playoffs. As of , this is the most recent major professional sports championship won by a Detroit-based team. This was also the first Cup Finals between two United States–based NHL teams since 2003, and the last one until 2026 in which neither team played a Game 7 in an earlier round of that season’s playoffs.
Quick Facts
- Key captain
- Nicklas Lidström
Lore & Background
In the United States, Versus televised games one and two, and NBC broadcast the rest of the series. It was broadcast in Canada on CBC in English and on RDS in French. In the United Kingdom, all games were aired live on Five, and on the cable sports channel NASN. The series was also broadcast by NHL Radio via Westwood One.
Reader's Guide
Paths to the Finals: Detroit Red Wings entered after winning the Presidents' Trophy. Led by Henrik Zetterberg, Pavel Datsyuk, and Johan Franzen, Detroit scored 55 goals in the first three rounds. With Dominik Hasek replaced mid-series by Chris Osgood, the Red Wings defeated Nashville Predators in six games, swept Colorado Avalanche, then defeated Dallas Stars in six games to win the Clarence S. Campbell Bowl. Pittsburgh Penguins entered after winning the Atlantic Division. Led by Sidney Crosby, goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury recorded three shutouts. Evgeni Malkin and Marian Hossa each recorded nine goals and ten assists. The Penguins swept Ottawa Senators, defeated New York Rangers in five games, and won the Prince of Wales Trophy by defeating Philadelphia Flyers in five games.
Did You Know?
- This was the first time since the 1909 World Series that professional sports teams from Detroit and Pittsburgh met in a postseason series or game.
- Game 5 was the fifth-longest in Stanley Cup Final history.
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