2004 Stanley Cup playoffs
The 2004 Stanley Cup playoffs for the National Hockey League began on April 7, 2004, following the 2003–04 regular season.This was the last time until 2019 that both Southern California teams, the Los Angeles Kings and Anaheim Ducks, missed the playoffs.The two conference winners then advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals, where home ice advantage was awarded to the team that had the better regular season record.The Tampa Bay Lightning entered the playoffs as the Eastern Conference regular season and Southeast Division champions with 106 points.The Boston Bruins entered the playoffs as the Northeast Division champions, earning the second seed in the Eastern Conference with 104 points.The Philadelphia Flyers entered the playoffs as the Atlantic Division champions, earning the third seed in the Eastern Conference with 101 points.[17] Danny Markov scored the series winning goal at 14:37 of the third period in game five as the Flyers defeated the Devils with a 3–1 victory.[22] Tie Domi scored the game-winning goal in game five and Ed Belfour posted his third shutout of the series in yet another 2–0 Toronto victory.[24] In game seven, Ottawa goaltender Patrick Lalime gave up two goals to Joe Nieuwendyk before being pulled after the first period and replaced by backup Martin Prusek, as Toronto earned a series-clinching 4–1 win.The Red Wings entered the playoffs as the Presidents' Trophy winners, the Western Conference regular season and Central Division champions, with 109 points.The Predators qualified as the eighth seed earning 91 points (losing the tiebreaker to St. Louis by having fewer wins) during the regular season.[30] Nashville struck twice in the first period of game three and Tomas Vokoun made 41 saves in the Predators first playoff victory in franchise history.[33] Detroit scored two goals 30 seconds apart in game six and Curtis Joseph posted a shutout as the Red Wings closed out the series with a 2–0 win.San Jose entered the playoffs as the Pacific Division champions, earning the second seed in the Western Conference with 104 points.Chris Osgood was equally strong in net for the Blues, but allowed a goal to Niko Dimitrakos in the first overtime.[39] Shortly after the series, St. Louis left winger Mike Danton, was arrested, charged and convicted in a conspiracy to murder his agent, David Frost.The Vancouver Canucks entered the playoffs as the Northwest Division champions, earning the third seed in the Western Conference with 101 points.The Flames eliminated the Canucks in seven games and won their first playoff series since winning the Stanley Cup in 1989.[61] Philadelphia goaltender Robert Esche made just one save in the game while earning the victory, he was replaced by Sean Burke at the start of the second period due to injury.Miikka Kiprusoff made 28 saves and Marcus Nilson scored the game-winning goal 2:39 into overtime as the Flames took the opening game of the series 2–1.[63] The Red Wings bounced back with a 5–2 victory in game two led by Steve Yzerman's two goals in the second period.With just 47 seconds left in the first overtime Flames forward Martin Gelinas scored on Curtis Joseph and Calgary won their second-straight 1–0 game.San Jose defeated Colorado in six games as the Sharks advanced to the conference finals for the first time in franchise history.[70] In game two, Marleau scored late in the second period to put the Sharks up for good as they defeated the Avalanche in a 4–1 victory.San Jose scored three times in just over ten minutes in the second period of game six to eliminate the Avalanche in a 3–1 win.[78] Keith Primeau scored the game-winning goal shorthanded in game four as the Flyers claimed a 3–2 victory that tied the series.The Flames eliminated the Sharks in six games and they became the first Canadian team to qualify for the Stanley Cup Finals in a decade.[83] Calgary goaltender Miikka Kiprusoff made 49 saves and Steve Montador won game one for the Flames with a goal at 18:43 of the first overtime period, giving them a 4–3 victory.[85] Sharks goaltender Evgeni Nabokov posted a 34 save shutout and Alex Korolyuk scored two goals late in third period in a 3–0 win in game three.[88] Martin Gelinas scored his third consecutive series-winning goal for the Flames in game six giving Calgary a 3–1 victory.
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