Raising the Cup presents: Game 4 1988 Stanley Cup Final

NHL Network is going to raise the Cup all summer long.

Every day at noon, we'll roll out another Cup clincher to stave off your hockey hunger. Watch your heroes of yesterday win it all ... again.

Fans can tune in at 12 p.m. ET every weekday for a different game -- and different champion. A complete program schedule can be found on NHLNetwork.com (U.S.).

For the first time since the 1980–81 season, the Edmonton Oilers did not win their division, break the 100-point mark or lead the NHL in goals. But, for the fifth time in six years, they were playing in the Stanley Cup Final. Already a dynasty with three Cups in their last four seasons, the Oilers squared off against the Boston Bruins, making their first appearance in the Final since consecutive trips in 1977 and 1978. 

The defending champion Oilers cruised into the Final, losing just two games in the first three rounds, and they would continue their winning ways against the B's. Edmonton doubled up the Bruins in each of the first three games -- 2-1, 4-2 and 6-3 -- with the first two games taking place North of the Border and the last of the three on Boston ice.

Boston Garden was to be the site of Game 4 as well, and for nearly two periods, it was. With 3:23 remaining in the second, moments after the Oilers tied the score at 3-3, the lights went out in the historic arena. The sweltering heat of a late-May day in New England had already caused clouds of fog on the ice before potentially contributing to the power failure. After much deliberation from Edmonton, Boston and League officials, it was decided the game would not be finished that night.

Therefore, NHL President John Ziegler resorted to League bylaw 27-12 as to what the course of action would be: "If, for any cause beyond the control of the club, a playoff game should be unfinished, such game shall be replayed in its entirety at the end of the series, if necessary, and it shall be played in the rink in which the unfinished game occurred."

In other words, the series proceeded directly to Game 5 in Edmonton (despite no result in Game 4) and Game 4 would have only been replayed if the Bruins won the next three games to tie the series. Had that happened, the teams would have replayed Game 4 in Boston to crown a champion -- following what technically would have been called Game 7. 

With the series back in Edmonton two days later, the Oilers quickly put any confusion to rest by yet again doubling up the Bruins, 6-3, to sweep the B's -- in five games. Amidst fog, blackouts and bylaws, the Oilers emerged with their fourth Cup in five seasons, matching the Islanders' four championships won in the beginning of the decade. 

Wayne Gretzky, who scored the winner in the clinching game, set a record that still stands today with 31 assists in the 1988 postseason, as "The Great One" claimed the second of his two Conn Smythe Trophies. It would prove to be the final Stanley Cup of Gretzky's career, as the Edmonton captain was famously traded to the Los Angeles Kings that August, forever changing the landscape of hockey.

DATE	recap	GAME
Mon, Jul 18		1982 Stanley Cup Final Game 4 - New York Islanders vs. Vancouver Canucks
Tue, Jul 19		1983 Stanley Cup Final Game 4 - Edmonton Oilers vs. New York Islanders
Wed, Jul 20		1984 Stanley Cup Final Game 5 - Edmonton Oilers vs. New York Islanders
Thu, Jul 21		1985 Stanley Cup Final Game 5 - Edmonton Oilers vs. Philadelphia Flyers
Fri, Jul 22		1986 Stanley Cup Final Game 5 - Calgary Flames vs. Montreal Canadiens
Mon, Jul 25		1987 Stanley Cup Final Game 7 - Edmonton Oilers vs. Philadelphia Flyers
Tue, Jul 26		1988 Stanley Cup Final Game 4 - Boston Bruins vs. Edmonton Oilers
Wed, Jul 27		1989 Stanley Cup Final Game 6 - Calgary Flames vs. Montreal Canadiens
Thu, Jul 28		1990 Stanley Cup Final Game 5 - Boston Bruins vs. Edmonton Oilers
Fri, Jul 29		1992 Stanley Cup Final Game 4 - Chicago Blackhawks vs.Pittsburgh Penguins
Mon, Aug 1		1993 Stanley Cup Final Game 5 - Montreal Canadiens vs. Los Angeles Kings
Tue, Aug 2		1994 Stanley Cup Final Game 7 - New York Rangers vs. Vancouver Canucks
Wed, Aug 3		1995 Stanley Cup Final Game 4 - Detroit Red Wings vs. New Jersey Devils
Thu, Aug 4		1996 Stanley Cup Final Game 4 - Colorado Avalanche vs. Florida Panthers
Fri, Aug 5		1997 Stanley Cup Final Game 4 - Detroit Red Wings vs. Philadelphia Flyers
Mon, Aug 8		1998 Stanley Cup Final Game 4 - Detroit Red Wings vs. Washington Capitals
Tue, Aug 9		1999 Stanley Cup Final Game 6 - Buffalo Sabres vs. Dallas Stars
Wed, Aug 10		2000 Stanley Cup Final Game 6 - Dallas Stars vs. New Jersey Devils
Thu, Aug 11		2001 Stanley Cup Final Game 7 - Colorado Avalanche vs. New Jersey Devils
Fri, Aug 12		2002 Stanley Cup Final Game 5 - Detroit Red Wings vs. Carolina Hurricanes
Mon, Aug 15		2003 Stanley Cup Final Game 7 - Mighty Ducks of Anaheim vs. New Jersey Devils
Tue, Aug 16		2004 Stanley Cup Final Game 7 - Calgary Flames vs. Tampa Bay Lightning
Wed, Aug 17		2006 Stanley Cup Final Game 7 - Carolina Hurricanes vs. Edmonton Oilers
Thu, Aug 18		2007 Stanley Cup Final Game 5 - Anaheim Ducks vs. Ottawa Senators
Fri, Aug 19		2008 Stanley Cup Final Game 6 - Detroit Red Wings vs. Pittsburgh Penguins
Mon, Aug 22		2009 Stanley Cup Final Game 7 - Detroit Red Wings vs. Pittsburgh Penguins
Tue, Aug 23		2010 Stanley Cup Final Game 6 - Chicago Blackhawks vs. Philadelphia Flyers