Interesting coincidences in hockey history

[Burke's Evil Spirit]

I don't know if this is a "coincidence" per se but the 1982 Vancouver Canucks finished below .500, made the playoffs, and then played three teams *worse* than them on the way to getting blasted by the Islanders in the finals.

Even counting OTLs as losses, that will never, ever happen again.

 

[Canucks1096]

The 3 best teams in the mid to late 90s and early 2000s was Det, NJ and Col. Each of those 3 teams had at least a few players from The Moscow Ussr team in the late 80s.

Det The Russian 5
NJ Mogilny Malakhov
Col Gusarov Kamesky

Most of the Russians from the Ussr Moscow team that came to nhl won a cup except for Bure and few others.

 

[Wingsfan 4 life]

The three Denis was the first thing I thought of here.

Denis Savard, Denis Trembley and Denis Cyr all grew up in the same Verdun neighborhood and played for the same Verdun Leafs Pee-Wee team. They were also all born on the same date of the same year.

 

[iamjs]

The Pittsburgh Penguins lost to the Montreal Canadiens on the first and last games played at the Civic/Mellon Arena.

 

[LightningStorm]

Petr Sykora and Brian Rafalski only played in the finals with or against each other. Teammates on the Devils in 2000 and 2001, and Sykora was a Duck when they played the Devils in 2003. Then in 2008 and 2009 they played against each other with Rafalski in Detroit and Sykora in Pittsburgh.

 

[vadim sharifijanov]

The three Denis was the first thing I thought of here.

Denis Savard, Denis Trembley and Denis Cyr all grew up in the same Verdun neighborhood and played for the same Verdun Leafs Pee-Wee team. They were also all born on the same date of the same year.

wow, that’s something else.

brings to mind patrick roy and mario lemieux. both born on october 5, 1965, won the conn smythes in 91, 92, and 93.

Petr Sykora and Brian Rafalski only played in the finals with or against each other. Teammates on the Devils in 2000 and 2001, and Sykora was a Duck when they played the Devils in 2003. Then in 2008 and 2009 they played against each other with Rafalski in Detroit and Sykora in Pittsburgh.

i had to check to see if sykora even played in the ’09 finals. i had no memory of it.

but there he is, all six minutes, 31 seconds.

according to wikipedia:

He played in seven of the Penguins' 24 post-season games as the team returned to the Stanley Cup Finals against the Red Wings for the second straight year. Sýkora made his first appearance of the series in Game 6, but injured his right foot blocking a shot six minutes into the contest. Sidelined for the deciding Game 7, he forced his swelled foot into a skate to join the Penguins on the ice for their post-game celebration after defeating the Red Wings 2–1. Although Sýkora won the trophy with the Devils in 2000, he was unable to lift the Stanley Cup after a hit sent him to the hospital the night of the victory.

so another sykora coincidence: won two cups but was injured and out of the lineup when both finals ended.

 

[WildGopher]

The three Denis was the first thing I thought of here.

Denis Savard, Denis Trembley and Denis Cyr all grew up in the same Verdun neighborhood and played for the same Verdun Leafs Pee-Wee team. They were also all born on the same date of the same year.

Intrigued by these three kids born on Feb. 4th all being named Denis, I checked to see if that was possibly the feast day of a St. Denis. Turns out there is such a saint, a martyr and early bishop of Paris. But his day is celebrated Oct. 9, and there's no mention of a St. Denis in the church calendar for Feb. 4.

So I'm left with my alternate theory - that the milkman in that neighborhood of Verdun was named Denis and he went on a romantic tear while doing his route one day exactly 9 months before.

So maybe it's not as much of a coincidence as you think!

 

[WingsFan95]

One that sticks out for me is Patrick Roy and the Minnesota Wild.

In his last season as a player his team was seeded 3rd and in the 1st Round went up 3-1 against the Minnesota Wild only to lose in 7. In his first season as a coach, he would again face the Wilt in the 1st Round. His team wasn't up 3-1 but was up 3-2 and lost in 7 again.

Other notes on this:

2003 Game 7 was lost in OT after leading by 1 until 4:28.

2014 Game 7 was lost in OT after leading by 1 until 2:27.

OT in 03 lasted 3:25 while OT in 14 lasted 5:02.

Finally, given change in format and shootouts, by 2003 rules the Avalanche would have been 3rd seed and Wild the 6th in 2014.

 

[alko]

So I'm left with my alternate theory - that the milkman in that neighborhood of Verdun was named Denis and he went on a romantic tear while doing his route one day exactly 9 months before.

Do you have kids? Or better, did you made kids after you scheduled it? If yes, then you maybe know, that to make 3 kids in a same day to 3 separate women is very very unprobable. I dont say, there is 0 chance. But its very small.

 

[vadim sharifijanov]

Do you have kids? Or better, did you made kids after you scheduled it? If yes, then you maybe know, that to make 3 kids in a same day to 3 separate women is very very unprobable. I dont say, there is 0 chance. But its very small.

otoh not every pregnancy is exactly nine months so maybe denis just had a good month

 

[Noldo]

Brooks Laich assisted the last goal scored by Michael Nylander and the first scored by William Nylander.

 

[CDN24]

Every times Nick Lidstrom scored from the center ice (1st round of the playoffs; on the road), the Red Wings went on to win the Cup.

Every times the Wings eliminated the Avs in the playoffs, they went on to win the cup.

Have to think that if Det had went a little easier on Roy in Dec 95 they may have an extra cup win or 2. Their big night gave the Avs Roy and with Roy became their biggest rival in the WC for a decade.

 

[TheAngryHank]

Have to think that if Det had went a little easier on Roy in Dec 95 they may have an extra cup win or 2. Their big night gave the Avs Roy and with Roy became their biggest rival in the WC for a decade.

Or...
Avs fans can thank Detroit for their cups

 

[crobro]

The low number of American born players until 1980

 

[MuzikMachine]

The Penguins are up to 5 Stanley Cups - none of the cups have been won on home ice.

 

[Super Fadio Bro]

The Penguins are up to 5 Stanley Cups - none of the cups have been won on home ice.

And the one time they lost, the cup have been won at Pittsburgh.