THROWBACK THURSDAY: Return to Royalty

During the Oilers 40th Anniversary Season, EdmontonOilers.com is looking back at the history of the franchise weekly with Throwback Thursdays.
EDMONTON, AB - Oilers 4, Bruins 1 |
Box Score
"Once again, Hockey Night in Canada salutes the Edmonton Oilers. Stanley Cup champions, 1990!"
It was the fifth and final Stanley Cup victory during the Oilers dynasty. Yet, there were a few notable differences in the championship photo this time around.
For one, there was no Wayne Gretzky hoisting hockey's ultimate prize. Instead, it was Mark Messier who dawned the 'C' - his first championship as team captain and fifth Cup overall.

Fans in the background were sporting black and yellow - an unfamiliar site in Oilers championship photos in years past. 1990 marked the first time the Oilers captured the holy grail in an opposing team's arena.
And with the road win, we see the iconic royal blue jersey.
Watch: Youtube Video
It was the first time the Oilers secured a championship while wearing the blue unis. Also new to the photo in 1990, a Stanley Cup Finals patch. The NHL had both teams wearing a commemorative patch to showcase the world's best teams going head-to-head in a best-of-seven series.
This one only needed five.
The Edmonton Oilers defeated the Boston Bruins on May 24, 1990 to win a fifth championship in seven seasons - and with his orange cuffs rolled up halfway up his forearm, Kevin Lowe made sure people did not forget.
After a scoreless opening frame, Glenn Anderson needed just 1:17 in the second period to put the Oilers ahead, scoring on a graceful solo effort to put Edmonton up by one. The goal stood as Anderson's 10th of the playoffs after recording 72 points (34G, 38A) in 73 games during the regular season.
Eight minutes later, Anderson was at it again, setting up Craig Simpson with a gorgeous behind-the-back feed in the Bruins zone. Simpson found himself all alone with Bruins netminder Andy Moog, beating him clean with a backhand to score Edmonton's last championship-winning goal to date. The tally was Simpson's 16th goal and 31st point of the post-season (22 games), capping off an incredible individual performance during the 1990 playoffs.
Steve Smith and Joe Murphy added third period goals while Bill Ranford stopped 29 of 30 shots en route to a 4-1 victory for the blue and orange.
Ranford's spectacular playoff performance landed him the Conn Smythe Trophy as Playoff MVP, supporting a .912 Sv% and 2.52 GAA in the post-season. The Brandon, MB native was the eighth goaltender in NHL history to win the Conn Smythe, defeating his former club in the Boston Garden.

Alongside alternate captains Kevin Lowe and Jari Kurri, Mark Messier was the first to grasp the 34-pound trophy. It was the team's last date with greatness as the blue and orange were swarmed in a sea of black and yellow.
The retro royal blues makes its return to Edmonton, with the Oilers wearing the jerseys four times throughout the season. Each occasion involves a former Smythe Division opponent, beginning tonight against the Los Angeles Kings.