In Game 1, the 4th-seeded ’88-’89 Whalers took a 5-3 lead into the third period on the back of three goals in the second, including power play goals from Ray Ferraro and Jody Hull. Joel Quenneville and Stew Gavin scored just five seconds apart early in the third for the top-seeded ’85-’86 Whalers to tie the game. The ’88-’89 Whalers retook the lead in the final minute thanks to a goal from Carey Wilson and then Randy Ladouceur added an empty-netter. The lower seed took the opening game 7-5 in an incredibly even game. It was not quite the same story in Game 2. By the time the Game 2 was over, the ’85-’86 Whalers outshot the ’88-’89 Whalers 2-to-1. However, the ’85-’86 Whalers needed a PP goal from Ulf Samuelsson to tie the game halfway through the third. The game went into overtime and John Anderson won it for the ’85-’86 Whalers just over a minute in.
In Game 3, the ’88-’89 Whalers scored three goals in the second period to take a 4-3 lead into the third period. However, the ’85-’86 Whalers scored three in the third, including a shorthanded goal from Sylvain Turgeon that helped them win by a score of 6-5. The ’85-’86 Whalers finally had a decisive win on the scoreboard in Game 4. Francis posted two goals and two assists for four points as the top seed took Game 4 by a final of 5-2. The ’85-’86 Whalers took a 4-3 lead into the third period thanks to a goal from Turgeon late in the second. They then opened a 6-3 lead early in the third, but the ’88-’89 Whalers fought all the way back to tie it at six. Paul Lawless then scored for the ’85-’86 Whalers with four and a half minutes remaining and it became the game and series winner as the top seed took Game 5 by a score of 7-6 and the series four games to one.
| 1st Period | 2nd Period | 3rd Period | Overtime | Total | |
| ’88-’89 Whalers | 2 | 3 | 2 | — | 7 |
| ’85-’86 Whalers | 2 | 1 | 2 | — | 5 |
GAME SUMMARY: ’88-’89 HAR – 7 ’85-’86 HAR – 5 (1-0 ’88-’89 HAR)
STARS OF THE GAME:
1st Star: C – Carey Wilson (’88-’89 HAR) – 2 G 1 A 3 P +3 6 S
2nd Star: LW – Don Maloney (’88-’89 HAR) – 0 G 3 A 3 P +3 4 S
3rd Star: RW – John Anderson (’88-’89 HAR) – 2 G 0 A 2 P +1 6 S 4 PIM
| 1st Period | 2nd Period | 3rd Period | Overtime | Total | |
| ’88-’89 Whalers | 0 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 6 |
| ’85-’86 Whalers | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 7 |
GAME SUMMARY: ’85-’86 HAR – 7 ’88-’89 HAR – 6 (OT) (1-1)
STARS OF THE GAME:
1st Star: RW – John Anderson (’85-’86 HAR) – 2 G 2 A 4 P +2 7 S
2nd Star: RW – Kevin Dineen (’85-’86 HAR) – 3 G 0 A 3 P +2 6 S 6 PIM
3rd Star: LW – Sylvain Turgeon (’85-’86 HAR) – 2 G 1 A 3 P Even 9 S 2 PIM
| 1st Period | 2nd Period | 3rd Period | Overtime | Total | |
| ’85-’86 Whalers | 2 | 1 | 3 | — | 6 |
| ’88-’89 Whalers | 1 | 3 | 1 | — | 5 |
GAME SUMMARY: ’85-’86 HAR – 6 ’88-’89 HAR – 5 (2-1 ’85-’86 HAR)
STARS OF THE GAME:
1st Star: LW – Sylvain Turgeon (’85-’86 HAR) – 1 G 3 A 4 P +2 9 S
2nd Star: C – Ron Francis (’85-’86 HAR) – 2 G 0 A 2 P +1 6 S
3rd Star: C – Ray Ferraro (’85-’86 HAR) – 2 G 0 A 2 P +1 4 S
| 1st Period | 2nd Period | 3rd Period | Overtime | Total | |
| ’85-’86 Whalers | 1 | 3 | 1 | — | 5 |
| ’88-’89 Whalers | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | 2 |
GAME SUMMARY: ’85-’86 HAR – 5 ’88-’89 HAR – 2 (3-1 ’85-’86 HAR)
STARS OF THE GAME:
1st Star: C – Ron Francis (’85-’86 HAR) – 2 G 2 A 4 P +3 7 S
2nd Star: G – Mike Liut (’85-’86 HAR) – W 2.00 GAA .957 SV% (45 SV’s)
3rd Star: LW – Sylvain Turgeon (’85-’86 HAR) – 1 G 1 A 2 P +3 5 S
| 1st Period | 2nd Period | 3rd Period | Overtime | Total | |
| ’88-’89 Whalers | 2 | 1 | 3 | — | 6 |
| ’85-’86 Whalers | 2 | 2 | 3 | — | 7 |
GAME SUMMARY: ’85-’86 HAR – 7 ’88-’89 HAR – 6 (4-1 ’85-’86 HAR)
STARS OF THE GAME:
1st Star: C – Ron Francis (’85-’86 HAR) – 2 G 1 A 3 P Even 6 S 2 PIM
2nd Star: RW – Kevin Dineen (’88-’89 HAR) – 2 G 2 A 4 P -2 5 S 6 PIM
3rd Star: LW – Sylvain Turgeon (’85-’86 HAR) – 1 G 2 A 3 P Even 8 S
The reigning representatives now head to the 2015 Hartford Whalers Qualifying Final and they will face either the 6th-seeded ’90-’91 Hartford Whalers or the 7th-seeded ’79-’80 Hartford Whalers.
