2009 Stanley Cup Finals
The 2009 Stanley Cup Finals was the championship series of the National Hockey League's (NHL) 2008–09 season, and the culmination of the 2009 Stanley Cup playoffs. It was contested between the Eastern Conference champion Pittsburgh Penguins and the Western Conference champion Detroit Red Wings. It was Detroit's 24th appearance in the Finals and Pittsburgh's fourth appearance in the Finals. This was a rematch of the previous year's Stanley Cup Finals where Detroit had defeated Pittsburgh in six games. This time, Pittsburgh defeated Detroit in seven games to win their third Stanley Cup in franchise history. Pittsburgh's Evgeni Malkin would win the Conn Smythe Trophy as the Most Valuable Player of the 2009 playoffs, becoming the first Russian-born player to win the trophy. Until 2021, this was the last time the finals were played entirely in the Eastern Time Zone.
| 2009 Stanley Cup Finals | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Location(s) | Pittsburgh: Mellon Arena (3, 4, 6) Detroit: Joe Louis Arena (1, 2, 5, 7) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Coaches | Pittsburgh: Dan Bylsma Detroit: Mike Babcock | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Captains | Pittsburgh: Sidney Crosby Detroit: Nicklas Lidstrom | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| National anthems | Pittsburgh: Jeff Jimerson Detroit: Karen Newman | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Referees | Paul Devorski (1, 3, 5, 7) Dennis LaRue (1, 3, 5) Bill McCreary (2, 4, 6, 7) Marc Joannette (2, 4, 6) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dates | May 30 – June 12, 2009 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| MVP | Evgeni Malkin (Penguins) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Series-winning goal | Maxime Talbot (10:07, second, G7) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hall of Famers | Red Wings: Chris Chelios (2013; did not play) Marian Hossa (2020) Nicklas Lidstrom (2015) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Networks | Canada: (English): CBC (French): RDS United States: (English): NBC (1–2, 5–7), Versus (3–4) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Announcers | (CBC) Jim Hughson and Craig Simpson (RDS) Pierre Houde and Benoit Brunet (NBC/Versus) Mike Emrick and Eddie Olczyk (NHL International) Dave Strader and Joe Micheletti | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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