Best playoff series ever?
- Thread starter Section311
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That's the one I instantly thought of.
The guy that said it was boring should get a lifetime ban to this, or any other hockey messageboard.
So much drama in that series:
- Carolina coming back to win game one
- Roloson getting knocked out of the series
- Conklin making the SCF's all-time greatest ****-up
- Edmonton getting down 3-1 in the series and looking finished
- Pisani's shorthanded breakaway OT goal in game five
- Torres injuring two Canes in game six
- Doug Weight sitting on the bench through the third period of game 6 with a seperated shoulder
- Edmonton's absolute domination in game six
- Erik Cole's comeback
Never seen a series with so many momentum shifts, so much drama.
sabrefan2930
Registered User
A major homer pick on my part, but I'm going to say Sabres-Sens 2006. The 4-1 result of the series, in my opinion, doesn't do justice to how exciting it was. It consisted of five one-goal games, three of them overtime games. In game one, the Sabres played catch-up with Ottawa five separate times and forced overtime with 10 seconds left. Ryan Miller made 43 saves to win game two. Game three was another OT game. The Sens won a tight game four to stay alive. The Pominville goal in game five's overtime was the only series-ending shorthanded OT goal in NHL history. It was by far my favorite playoff series of all time, and, in my opinion, it was the greatest five-game playoff series in NHL history.
Hab-a-maniac
Registered User
Lots o' homer picks here but also some great choices. Only classic series potential from 2008 would be the Flyers-Caps series. The rest could not live up to that one. As for all-time, let me break down what I think are the top 25 series played in the post-war era. From highlights, stories and facts about these series I have compiled a top 40 with the order going back in years and the placing in brackets. I haven't really seen a truly amazing series since the lockout ended other than a few.
2008 ECQF Caps-Flyers (39): Plenty of fast-paced action. There was a lot of goal scoring and emotion in the series and it was capped off in a superb, controversial game 7 that went to OT. Much like 1988, only the Flyers won it in sudden death. Game 1 was also a tremendous one capped off by a huge goal with little time left by Ovechkin.
2006 SCF Oilers-Canes (40): The series started off with the stunning game 1 where Edmonton got off to a 3-0 lead only to see it wasted and ultimately the game lost on a Ty Conklin gaffe with under a minute to go. The Oilers bounced back a bit from a drubbing in game 3 but Carolina seemed to have it won going home. When they got the overtime PP in a superb game 5, I thought it was over. Instead, Pisani scored one of the most unexpected and dramatic goals in a game 5 during the cup finals. His shorthanded winner set up an Oiler romp for game 6 and game 7 was a squeaker for Carolina, made to hold up by Cam Ward's acrobatic stops.
2003 WCSF Wild-Canucks (35): Series started off great with a thrilling comeback OT win for the Canucks then the Wild squared it before Vancouver won a couple close ones in Minny. That's when, like the first round, the Wild made the comeback with dominating wins in games 5 and 6 before erasing a 2-0 hole to beat the Canucks on their own ice in game 7 making them only the 2nd team to ever win two straight series coming from 3-1 down. Cloutier being a sieve was a big help to them too. Jovonoski was insane for the Canucks for most of the series but a collective effort gave the Wild the unexpected series win.
2002 WCF Avs-Wings (38): Emotion, slick and speedy play, bad blood, OT drama. Forsberg was the biggest single reason this got to game 7, not Roy's statue of libery which was dumb indeed but came in a game where the Wings got a shut out. This series was a thrill ride that may not have had the viciousness of the 96 and 97 series but it made up for it in pure hockey play. If the game 7 was a classic, this series goes up several notches in my books.
2002 ECQF Islanders-Leafs (17): Quite simply the most physical, intense series of the past decade. Both teams developed quite the hate but there was plenty of scoring done. The PS goal (forget who it was by) that won game 4 for the Isles was the most fantastic finish of any of the matchups. It was a homer series as no road team won even though the road teams weren't awful or anything. Plus, the Nassau Coliseum still has not been as loud as it was in this series, at least since 1993.
2002 ECSF Sens-Leafs (28): It started off in ugly fashion for the Leafs but the series became more even following the game 2 triple OT marathon. There was real guts n' glory on both sides, though mainly Toronto's since injuries were piling up. Game 5 had the controversy over Alfredsson's goal but the Leafs turned it around big time in a classic game 6 when elimination seemed certain. Sens fans will forever curse the name Ricard Persson after this one.
2000 SCF Stars-Devils (37): Other than game 1, this was as fine a goalie duel as you'll ever see. Games 5 and 6 were marathons but very entertaining for low scoring games of the era. The Devils were the victor in the end when Arnott scored in OT, but it was no fault of Belfour who prevented Jersey from stomping through Dallas in less than six.
1997 ECQF Sens-Sabres (31): A back-and-forth struggle in which the Sens tried to play the role of underdog and came very close. Add in Hasek's sudden departure with a groin injury that people questioned and a dramatic win in game 7 OT for the Sabres and it's a genuine classic defensive battle.
1997 WCQF Stars-Oilers (12): Cujo may have put up a dominating wall at the end of the '98 upset over the Avs but he started off the series as Forsberg's *****. In '97, he was huge the whole way. Edmonton split the first two but then got real serious on Dallas with the incredible comeback OT win in game 3 after trailing 3-0 with as many as 5 minutes left. They would put up 2 more OT victories, both in Dallas, thanks to Ryan Smyth and Todd Marchant but all because of Cujo keeping them in a series they had no business winning otherwise. His robbery saves, especially on Nieuwendyk in OT of game 7, were the stuff of legend. Cujo's far from the best goalie of his era IMO but he showed the ability to singlehandedly win series when his teams were outshot and outchanced. He never had a team good enough to give him a light workload until Detroit but it seems his whole career he has thrived on being busy and let up weak goals when not tested often.
1996 WCSF Blues-Wings (26): Though they had added big names through trade, the Blues were still a mediocre 2 games below .500 heading into the playoffs. They beat equally average Toronto and then managed to give Detroit a life-or-death struggle where Jon Casey turned back the clock to 1991 or something. There was plenty of tension and underdog heroics for the Blues in a series they were picked to get creamed in but they managed to come 1 goal from the biggest upset in playoff history (in terms of point disparity) until Stevie Y crashed the party with his oft-played long slapshot-under-the-bar winner.
1994 SCF Canucks-Rangers (3): Before game 5, this one seemed an exciting series albeit a brief conquest for the Rangers. But the Canucks had other plans. A goaltending showcase by Kirk McLean stole them game 1 but Richter was the better of the two in games 2-4 while McLean was victimized by plenty of flukey goals. McLean had a short breakdown in game 5 but outperformed a shaky Richter who kicked out rebounds like crazy in the craziest Cup final game and period (the third) ever. It was 1-0 going into the 3rd but wound up 6-3 as Vancouver blew a 3-0 lead, then rebuilt it by the end in a 12-14 minute flurry of 8 combined goals. Game 6 was a tremendous one for a 4-1 game as the Pacific Coliseum was defeaningly loud. Then game 7 was no waltz for the victorious Rangers who needed to stave off a bound and determined Trevor Linden before Richter made some amazing saves and got some help from his posts.
1994 ECF Rangers-Devils (8): Home ice seemed to matter little in this one as the Devils pulled two gutsy victories out at MSG and needed to be beaten once by double OT of game 7. The goalies were sharp but Messier made game 6 unforgettable with his "guarantee" and hat trick. Game 7 was a defensive struggle but became an epic when the Devils tied it with 6 seconds left. All this with the Rangers cup curse lingering over their heads. All the drama you could ask for!
1994 WCQF Canucks-Flames (10): The Canucks weren't dominated in the first four games but found themselves at a loss to neutralize a potent Flames attack. Then McLean turned into a wall, Bure woke up and the leaders of the Canucks rallied them to pull off the most hard-earned 3-1 series comeback ever. The Canucks chalked up 3 straight OT victories, two at the Saddledome, including the famous double OT breakaway winner by Bure that capped an excellent game that just for good measure was tied up with 3 minutes to go by Greg Adams. Amazing how narrow the margin between winning and losing can get because after going down 3-1, the Canucks reeled off 12 wins in their next 14 games before running into an opponent strong enough to fend off their heart of a champion mentality.
1993 CCF Leafs-Kings (5): This was a war on the ice if there ever was one. Each game was excellent and even game 1 had its luster despite being the most lopsided score of the series. Not a ton of fights, but they counted when they happened (McSorley vs. Clark set the battle lines late in a game 1 owned by the Leafs). The two teams played tight-checking (for 1993) hockey. Gretzky was matched by Gilmour through the first 5 games but always came up big when needed and then was the hero in games 6 and 7. Controversy always makes a series more memorable and there was plenty of that when Gretzky won game 6 in OT when he should've been in the box serving 4 minutes for cutting Gilmour with a high stick. Game 7 lived up to all the hype and expectations set by the first 6. When a series ends with 3 straight one-goal decisions (two in overtime), you can only imagine how nervous the feeling in the air was at the time.
1993 Norris DSF Leafs-Wings (21): The Leafs looked like practice dummies in games 1 and 2 and Felix Potvin was a sieve. But he tightened up, the Leafs vaunted checking returned and Dave Andreychuk took the reins goal scoring wise at Maple Leaf Gardens. Pat Burns was always a coach who proved less skill but more defensive prowess could win in the NHL before the trap came into effect. He proved it big time with the Leafs in '93. Detroit may have had their big scorers come through in game 6 at the Garden but they were still outworked at MLG and since Toronto summoned up some real workman-like effort in game 5 (coming from down 4-1 to win in OT) and game 7 (tying it late and winning it in OT), the Leafs grabbed the improbable win. Sure the Wings only had 2 more pts. in 92-93 but they had done it with skill, flash and a dominant offense plus a PP clicking at nearly 30% all season. This series was representative of the Wings sloppy playoff ways before Scotty Bowman took full effect on the personnel and execution of the team.
1993 Patrick DF Pens-Islanders (9): Sure statistically there have been bigger upsets but it is still incredible when you consider it was just the third series played by the Islanders since 1988, they had only 87 pts. and they had only beaten the notorious choker Caps (plus with OT magic needed) and furthermore Pittsburgh was two-time defending champs and had tossed aside much better teams before. Imagine if the Blue Jackets made the playoffs last year and beat the Wings in the 2nd round. That's the same thing. Healy was better than Barasso and that was the main factor but there were standout heroes for the Isles like Ray Ferraro, Brian Mullen, Uwe Krupp, Steve Thomas and David Volek (2 including the series winner in game 7).
Many of Pittsburgh's big guns didn't own the way they were expected to. Lemieux and Jagr had the pest Kasparitis all over thrm while the Pens defense got burned for their open style, one which the Pens had employed to success before. All this for NYI done without their leading scorer Pierre Turgeon who was at his all-time peak in 1993 and the Isles still scored a ton in the home games and withstood some Penguin magic in game 7 when it was tied up after a 3-1 lead with as many as approx. 3 minutes to play. The best Patrick Division final series ever perhaps.
1991 Adams DF Bruins-Canadiens (36): It was such an even series but came down to Moog besting Roy and Cam Neely being more lethal than any other player on the ice (I think he managed 7 or 8 goals in the series). The Habs stuck with a favoured Boston team with a couple OT wins but did not have the offensive depth to solve the Bruins tight defense and Andy Moog on a consistent basis, especially in Boston. After trading Chelios they had no star on D like Ray Bourque and Richer was no Cam Neely even if he did have a scorer's touch and was in the groove in the '91 playoffs. Plus Savard was on the decline and could not shine in a defense-first system like Burns's. The Habs showed fight though, nearly battling back to tie game 7 but ultimately not having the offensive thrust needed.
1991 Smythe DF Kings-Oilers (32): Here's one of those 6 game series that is so good, a 7th game risks spoiling it. Four of the games needed OT as the underdog Oilers matched the Kings offense tit for tat. Esa Tikkanen was a warrior/pest unlike anybody could be on the Kings and though they had their offensive weapons like Gretzky they lacked the goaltending, defense and checking experience of the Oilers. Tikkanen continued his inspired play with several goals in this series including an awesome end-to-ender and an OT winner in game 3's double OT (game 2 had also gone double OT before Peter Klima ended it). The Kings were forced to try to comeback in many games and though they had a great reg. season the signs for playoff disappointment were there when they nearly made a weak Canuck team look good in the 1st round before righting the ship. There would be none of that with Edmonton as Craig MacTavish scored the fourth OT winner of the series, also the series clincher, in game 6. The Kings dropped three straight series to the Oil in the early 90s, a major reason why they never tasted the cup in Gretzky's much focused upon time there.
1991 Smythe DSF Flames-Oilers (27): The Flames were heavy favourites, though no one discounted the Oilers could make a series of it. They did just that, even having a 3-1 series lead by playing top notch defense, holding the league's best offense to just 9 goals the first 4 games. Clutch veteran play by Anderson plus contributions from others, especially series MVP Esa Tikkanen (7 goals on the series, series winner and a hat trick in game 7), was what got the Oilers through. The Flames should have been able to conquer that having just won a cup with the same core of players but the big guns were silenced. Fleury didn't score a goal until his famous celebration OT winner in game 6. It seemed Vernon was up to Fuhr's challenge but then he had a weak game 7 and the Flames crushed all heightened expectations by blowing a 3-0 lead, needing to tie it late before losing in OT. Plus, there were a few wild brawls involving Dave Brown, who tried to demolish Jim Kyte in one of the games at Northlands Coliseum.
1990 Smythe DSF Jets-Oilers (30): Having taken a mere 1 out of 19 previous playoff games against Edmonton, including a dreadful 0-11 record in Edmonton, the Jets stunned and delighted fans when they took 3 of the first 4 and making everyone figure no cup for the Oilers when they exposed Bill Ranford in game 1 to the tune of 7-5. But Ranford kept improving game by game from that point right until being given the Conn Smythe. After a triumphant 4-3 OT win on a Dave Ellett point shot, the Jets seemed ready to finally beat the Oilers. But then, buoyed by Ranford as well as internal leadership from guys like Messier, the Oilers erased the deficit. Remember how they had won 4 cups already, they pulled out a couple one-goal victories before a resounding game 7 win at home. They never looked back and the Jets were never the same at least until 1992 when they looked on top of the mountain before blowing another 3-1 lead, this time to the Canucks (while getting outscored a whopping 21-5 in the process).
1989 Smythe DSF Canucks-Flames (19): It turned out to be a roadblock that was quite a test and/or scare for the cup champ Flames. They had shown playoff jitters in the past but a dominant regular season left no doubt to pundits that the Flames would waltz through everyone in the conference, especially their first round opponents Vancouver. Instead, the Canucks played spoiler and though they were shut out twice by Mike Vernon, converted on numerous PPs to stay neck-and-neck with Calgary. They were beaten resoundingly in game 2 and 3 after a surprise 4-3 OT win in game 1. But people were seeing shades of '82 as the Canucks battle back with wins in their next two home games (though a 4-0 loss at the Dome to Calgary in game 5).
Games 3-6 are remembered for 18-year old Trevor Linden emerging as a clutch playoff scorer as he scored several key goals including a beautiful one on a rush. The series tarted his legend in Vancouver and cemented Vernon's in Calgary as he singelhandedly kept them in game 7. Kirk McLean had been benched for Steve Weeks at times but in game 7 was at his best as the game stayed 3-3 through many highlight reels saves by him and even more from Vernon who robbed Petri Skriko, Tony Tanti and Stan Smyl on a breakaway before Joel Otto directed the puck (kicked some claim) in for the winner and the pivotal turning point in the Flames 89 cup run.
1988 Patrick DSF Caps-Flyers (34): The Capitals had been through so many bad years before finally becoming an elite team starting when Brian Murray became bench boss and Rod Langway was acquired in a trade. But they still were playoff "chokers." Losing to the dynasty-era Islanders in 1983 and 1984 wasn't so bad but they managed to let an inferior, yet grizzled Isles team in 85 beat them in a best-of-5 after a 2-0 series lead. They let underdogs beat them too, such as in 1986 with the Rangers and 1987 with the Isles when they blew a 3-1 series lead (for the first of three times). 1988 looked like another, this time to a team of rather even quality that, however, was coming off 2 cup final trips in 3 years. Down 3-1, it was time for the Caps own comeback. They had lost the two in Philly by one goal, including an OT defeat in game 4 at the Spectrum. But after a home win, they surprised by pasting Philly 7-2 in their own barn. Game 7 was a classic, winding up tied at 4 in OT before a breakaway by Dale Hunter sealed it. The Caps would get knocked by another dark horse in the next round but it was sweet relief for a team who had let too many opportunities slip away in the past, though it was not the last by any stretch.
1987 SCF Oilers-Flyers (1): The best playoff series ever? It's debatable but how can you argue with it? The Oilers and Flyers did not play a barnburner series with goals galore, but made up for that with some spirited, tight-checking and eventful play. The first two games were good entertainment but looked like the expected coronation of the Oiler machine back on top over a fallen group of wounded Flyers. It was not that way at all as the short-manned Flyers persevered to erase a 3-0 deficit in game 3 and make it a new series. They would lose game 4 which made everyone think it was over especially when it was 2-0 Edmonton. But the Flyers roared back to win 4-3. Everyone talks about 94 because of the history on the line, but this 1987 series was even more remarkable in how perseverant the underdog was in the face of a powerhouse team being pre-crowned the champions. The game 6 was a downright classic too as the Flyers trailed 2-0 going into the third before tying it and then getting the winner late on a long point shot by J.J. Daigneault. Game 7 saw the Flyers actually score first but it wasn't meant to be. Their offense could not muster up another comeback and Hextall's heroics weren't enough. Tremendous series though.
1987 Adams DF Nordiques-Habs (33): The Nordiques had a mediocre season that left people wondering where they were headed but then they upset the div. leading Whalers and jumped out to a 2-0 series lead on the Canadiens by winning at the Forum. They chased Roy out of the Habs #1 spot in a 7-5 opening win then used defense and goaltending for the game 2 victory of 2-1. But the Habs pounded the Nordiques in game 3 then got an OT goal from Mats Naslund on a low shot from outside the blueline that Mario Gosselin whiffed on. Game 5 was marred by controversy when an apparent go-ahead goal in the 3rd period by Alain Cote was wiped out on a bogus goalie interference call by (guess who) Kerry Fraser. The Habs got a winning goal with 2 minutes to play to take it 3-2. The Nordiques could have folded but did their own 2-0 third period rally with Peter Stastny tying it and Normand Rochefort giving them the lead to stay with under 4 minutes left. Game 7 was close most of the way until the Habs exploded to give them a big lead and a 5-2 win as Ryan Walter stood out again, his 5 goals on the series topping everyone else on either side. Another unexpectedly fierce and closely fought (except for game 3) Battle of Quebec.
1986 CCF Blues-Flames (29): After the Flames beat the Oilers, they were set to meet a lunch-pail Blues team that had been the best of a weak Norris, knocking off a decent North Stars team and a lousy Leaf team that came alive in the playoffs. After getting a surprising win in game 1, the Flames took the series lead back by winning a couple by a combined score of 13-5. Then the teams traded wins the rest of the way through close-checking matches except for the epic game 6. Game 6 was the Monday Night Miracle where a 5-2 Flame lead in the third was wiped out and then the Blues struck in OT to tie the series. They'd be shut down back in Calgary for most of game 7, losing 2-1 but gaining a lot of respect for taking the Flames the distance, playing 19 games which was then a record for most playoff games in a season without reaching the finals.
1986 Smythe DF Flames-Oilers (2): Lots of hatred going on in any Battle of Alberta series, but it was at its peak for this one. The Flames Mike Vernon accomplished the task of limiting the most lethal offense ever to under 3.5 goals per game on the series and he did it. The Flames entire lineup chipped in, not just in the defensive aspect. They managed a few clutch goals, some shorthanded even. Interestingly, the Flames won 3 of the games on Oiler ice, dropping 2 of the 3 home games. Gretzky recorded a hat trick in game 6 I believe, but was checked unbelievably well throughout most of the series. Of course, what series that ends with such a tragicomedic goal can be considered lame? This one had it all beforehand, but game 7 capped off the unbelievable upset which made not winning the cup in 86 easier to swallow in Calgary. Game 6 saw the Flames blow a 2-0 lead and lose and they did the same in game 7 but thanks to Steve Smith and Vernon, held on for the ultimate glory of interrupting what could have been an unparalleled dynasty for Edmonton.
1985 Adams DF Nords-Habs (14): The Nordiques and Canadiens once again fought tooth and nail and even though the fighting paled in comparison to the year before, it was just as tough. The Nordiques managed to get all the key goals the Canadiens couldn't, rustling up 3 OT victories including ones at the Forum in the opening game and closing game. Like the Flames in their div. final, Quebec went 3-1 on the road and though this wasn't an upset at the time, it certainly was the Nordiques finest hour in the NHL.
1984 Adams DF Nords-Habs (15): Not a 7 game series but it didn't have to be. The Canadiens came in riding Steve Penney who'd engineered a huge upset of the heavily favoured Bruins by only giving up 2 goals in the shocking 3 game sweep. He wasn't as big a wall against Quebec but he still managed a second shutout of the playoffs and finished the series with an active GAA of about 1.65 (this was 1984 here!) The games were not high scoring but the series saw the bad blood boil over into game 6 where the mother of all brawls erupted... twice! Lost in that was the Canadiens rallying from down 2-0 with five unanswered goals on five shots, the most exciting comeback in one playoff period during the Forum's history.
1984 Smythe DF Oilers-Flames (24): The Flames were the 2nd best team in the Smythe in 83-84, but that wasn't saying much since the Oilers finished a grand total of 42 pts. ahead of them. Nonetheless, the Flames weren't about to be brushed aside and humiliated like the year before's div. final when they were beaten 4-1 while surrendering a gaudy 35 goals. The Flames got a couple OT wins to keep pace with Carey Wilson scoring in game 2 and Lanny McDonald sending the series to an unexpected 7th and deciding game. The Flames had been down 3-1 but got back-to-back 5-4 wins and were in position in game 7, leading 4-3 in the 2nd period until two quick goals by Jari Kurri and Ken Linseman gave Edmonton the lead for good. Hard to fault Calgary for not denying the hungry Oilers but their comeback from down 3-1 set the Battle of Alberta up for what would be the best rivalry of the decade.
1982 Smythe DSF Kings-Oilers (23): A rare best-of-5 makes the cut only because what happened was so shocking and yet was not boring at all. The Kings had a miserable 63 pt. year, a 36 point drop from the year before (one of the lowest any team has fallen from one year to the next) and although their scoring was adequate, their D was a mess despite a healthy mix of youth and experience (guys like Larry Murphy, Jay Wells and Mark Hardy joined by vets like Dave Lewis, Rick Chartraw, Ian Turnbull and Jerry Korab- only the first two of those getting into the playoff lineups). Mario Lessard had a 2nd all-star team performance in 80-81 but stunk in 81-82 and the Kings used a goalie platoon but settled on Lessard to take on the Oilers, they of many smashed scoring records and 92-goal, 212-point phenom Gretzky. Despite Gretzky getting into the offense, the Kings surprisingly managed to beat the Oilers at their own game- scoring. It's odd how the two Oiler wins came in defensive 3-2 games (one which needed OT).
A wild, 10-8 win opened the series for Los Angeles but after losing the next and sitting trailing 5-0 into the 3rd of game 2, it seemed over. But the most amazing comeback perhaps in hockey history ensued and the Kings won 6-5 as we all know. After the Oilers calmed down for game 4, it seemed they'd be ok enough for game 5. After all, the Kings game 1 win had been their first in Edmonton all season (out of 5 visits) and the Kings had barely put up double digits in road wins. Yet, they jumped all over a sieve-like Grant Fuhr who had yet to find his game all series and were up 7-2 by the beginning of the 3rd before Edmonton tried in vain to comeback and fell 7-4, stunning the hockey world. It's still the biggest gap between the winner and loser in NHL history (48 bloody pts.! That's like last year's Detroit being upset by Los Angeles or something).
1979 SF Bruins-Habs (13): The first time anyone ever gave the Habs a challenge since 1975 was in this series. The Bruins fought tooth and nail with the Habs and it was a fantastic series that culminated in one of the more infamous games and incidents ever. Not many semi-final series are decided in sudden death of game 7 but this was one was. The home team won every game too.
1971 SCF Hawks-Habs (11): This was a roller coaster of emotions as the home team won every game but the last. The Habs magic was seemingly running thin when they dropped the first two but they battled back with two impressive wins led by Frank Mahovlich's big time goal scoring. After staying alive in game 6, the Habs seemed on the ropes in the immortal 7th game when down 2-0 halfway through. But then, a Jacques Lemaire shot from centre ice dipped and found a way through Tony Esposito, Henri Richard tied it and then Richard got the winning goal in the 3rd cutting in around a Hawk d-man (Bill White? Pat Stapleton?) to fire one over an outstretched Tony O. This coming after he ripped Al MacNeil, Habs head coach since Claude Ruel was fired earlier in the year, claiming he didn't like the French-Canadians on the team and that he was the worst coach he ever played for. Talk about drama.
1971 QF Bruins-Habs (7): Ken Dryden may have been behind a series involving the most GA in one playoff series by the Canadiens but considering it was against a team who had offensive power unprecedented before then, he stole the series. The Bruins were the better, more talented bunch but the Canadiens kept up with their offense thanks to an experienced group of scorers like Mahovlich, Beliveau and Richard alongside younger stars like Lemaire and Cournoyer. The game 2 comeback changed the series as the Habs rallied from down 5-1 at one point to win with 5 third period goals by a 7-5 score.
1971 SF Hawks-Rangers (22): A wild struggle that included a triple OT classic in game 6 won by the Rangers Pete Stemkowski, one of three OT games. Only a 7-1 game 4 win by Chicago wasn't close as two teams packed with all-stars (yet they both never won cups in this era) battled it to the bitter end. Chicago owning home ice for game 7 at Chicago Stadium proved crucial.
1964 SCF Wings-Leafs (16): A tremendous final as the Leafs battled back from down 3-2 to in the series. They managed to win the game 6 OT contest on a famous seeing-eye shot from Bobby Baun who had broken a bone in his leg earlier. The close series became more one-sided in game 7 at the Gardens where the Leafs skated to a 4-0 cup clinching win behind a stellar Johnny Bower.
1955 SCF Wings-Habs (25): The second straight seven game classic from these bitter 50s rivals, who owned the decade pretty much. The Canadiens were on the cusp of becoming dominant but still had some maturation to do for younger guys like Beliveau, Geffrion and Moore. The Wings had a solid combination of ruggedness and skill that made them a lights out team. The home team took each game.
1954 SCF Wings-Habs (4): An epic struggle between the best two 50s teams with the series and cup being decided off a Tony Leswick shot that hit Doug Harvey's glove and got past goalie Gerry McNeil. Every other game was as passionate and hard-fought as you could ask for from original 6 hockey.
1951 SCF Habs-Leafs (20): How does a five game cup final get classic status? Well, Maurice Richard carried the Habs in their effort but they managed to lose in a series where all five games went to OT. Five is the record for most OTs in a series and this one didn't even need 7, let alone 6. Of course, it all ended with the classic Bill Barilko winner as he dove to backhand a puck over a fallen McNeil. The Canadiens had engineered still one of the biggest upsets ever when they as a 65 pt. underdog (5 games below .500) needed 6 to beat the mighty Wings who had been the first team to earn 100 or more pts. in the reg. season. But Toronto had not been far behind and no Richard magic could change their destiny as 1951 cup champions, a position they would only dream of for the next 11 years, several of which saw the team really slump on the ice.
1950 SCF Wings-Rangers (6): The Rangers were the underdogs but managed to stretch it to 7 games mainly thanks to Chuck Rayner's goaltending. With the circus in town at MSG, the Rangers' home games were played in Toronto. With OT victories in games 4 and 5, the Rangers took a surprising lead before Detroit battled back with one goal wins including a game 7 OT nailbiter where Pete Babando became the hero.
2008 ECQF Caps-Flyers (39): Plenty of fast-paced action. There was a lot of goal scoring and emotion in the series and it was capped off in a superb, controversial game 7 that went to OT. Much like 1988, only the Flyers won it in sudden death. Game 1 was also a tremendous one capped off by a huge goal with little time left by Ovechkin.
2006 SCF Oilers-Canes (40): The series started off with the stunning game 1 where Edmonton got off to a 3-0 lead only to see it wasted and ultimately the game lost on a Ty Conklin gaffe with under a minute to go. The Oilers bounced back a bit from a drubbing in game 3 but Carolina seemed to have it won going home. When they got the overtime PP in a superb game 5, I thought it was over. Instead, Pisani scored one of the most unexpected and dramatic goals in a game 5 during the cup finals. His shorthanded winner set up an Oiler romp for game 6 and game 7 was a squeaker for Carolina, made to hold up by Cam Ward's acrobatic stops.
2003 WCSF Wild-Canucks (35): Series started off great with a thrilling comeback OT win for the Canucks then the Wild squared it before Vancouver won a couple close ones in Minny. That's when, like the first round, the Wild made the comeback with dominating wins in games 5 and 6 before erasing a 2-0 hole to beat the Canucks on their own ice in game 7 making them only the 2nd team to ever win two straight series coming from 3-1 down. Cloutier being a sieve was a big help to them too. Jovonoski was insane for the Canucks for most of the series but a collective effort gave the Wild the unexpected series win.
2002 WCF Avs-Wings (38): Emotion, slick and speedy play, bad blood, OT drama. Forsberg was the biggest single reason this got to game 7, not Roy's statue of libery which was dumb indeed but came in a game where the Wings got a shut out. This series was a thrill ride that may not have had the viciousness of the 96 and 97 series but it made up for it in pure hockey play. If the game 7 was a classic, this series goes up several notches in my books.
2002 ECQF Islanders-Leafs (17): Quite simply the most physical, intense series of the past decade. Both teams developed quite the hate but there was plenty of scoring done. The PS goal (forget who it was by) that won game 4 for the Isles was the most fantastic finish of any of the matchups. It was a homer series as no road team won even though the road teams weren't awful or anything. Plus, the Nassau Coliseum still has not been as loud as it was in this series, at least since 1993.
2002 ECSF Sens-Leafs (28): It started off in ugly fashion for the Leafs but the series became more even following the game 2 triple OT marathon. There was real guts n' glory on both sides, though mainly Toronto's since injuries were piling up. Game 5 had the controversy over Alfredsson's goal but the Leafs turned it around big time in a classic game 6 when elimination seemed certain. Sens fans will forever curse the name Ricard Persson after this one.
2000 SCF Stars-Devils (37): Other than game 1, this was as fine a goalie duel as you'll ever see. Games 5 and 6 were marathons but very entertaining for low scoring games of the era. The Devils were the victor in the end when Arnott scored in OT, but it was no fault of Belfour who prevented Jersey from stomping through Dallas in less than six.
1997 ECQF Sens-Sabres (31): A back-and-forth struggle in which the Sens tried to play the role of underdog and came very close. Add in Hasek's sudden departure with a groin injury that people questioned and a dramatic win in game 7 OT for the Sabres and it's a genuine classic defensive battle.
1997 WCQF Stars-Oilers (12): Cujo may have put up a dominating wall at the end of the '98 upset over the Avs but he started off the series as Forsberg's *****. In '97, he was huge the whole way. Edmonton split the first two but then got real serious on Dallas with the incredible comeback OT win in game 3 after trailing 3-0 with as many as 5 minutes left. They would put up 2 more OT victories, both in Dallas, thanks to Ryan Smyth and Todd Marchant but all because of Cujo keeping them in a series they had no business winning otherwise. His robbery saves, especially on Nieuwendyk in OT of game 7, were the stuff of legend. Cujo's far from the best goalie of his era IMO but he showed the ability to singlehandedly win series when his teams were outshot and outchanced. He never had a team good enough to give him a light workload until Detroit but it seems his whole career he has thrived on being busy and let up weak goals when not tested often.
1996 WCSF Blues-Wings (26): Though they had added big names through trade, the Blues were still a mediocre 2 games below .500 heading into the playoffs. They beat equally average Toronto and then managed to give Detroit a life-or-death struggle where Jon Casey turned back the clock to 1991 or something. There was plenty of tension and underdog heroics for the Blues in a series they were picked to get creamed in but they managed to come 1 goal from the biggest upset in playoff history (in terms of point disparity) until Stevie Y crashed the party with his oft-played long slapshot-under-the-bar winner.
1994 SCF Canucks-Rangers (3): Before game 5, this one seemed an exciting series albeit a brief conquest for the Rangers. But the Canucks had other plans. A goaltending showcase by Kirk McLean stole them game 1 but Richter was the better of the two in games 2-4 while McLean was victimized by plenty of flukey goals. McLean had a short breakdown in game 5 but outperformed a shaky Richter who kicked out rebounds like crazy in the craziest Cup final game and period (the third) ever. It was 1-0 going into the 3rd but wound up 6-3 as Vancouver blew a 3-0 lead, then rebuilt it by the end in a 12-14 minute flurry of 8 combined goals. Game 6 was a tremendous one for a 4-1 game as the Pacific Coliseum was defeaningly loud. Then game 7 was no waltz for the victorious Rangers who needed to stave off a bound and determined Trevor Linden before Richter made some amazing saves and got some help from his posts.
1994 ECF Rangers-Devils (8): Home ice seemed to matter little in this one as the Devils pulled two gutsy victories out at MSG and needed to be beaten once by double OT of game 7. The goalies were sharp but Messier made game 6 unforgettable with his "guarantee" and hat trick. Game 7 was a defensive struggle but became an epic when the Devils tied it with 6 seconds left. All this with the Rangers cup curse lingering over their heads. All the drama you could ask for!
1994 WCQF Canucks-Flames (10): The Canucks weren't dominated in the first four games but found themselves at a loss to neutralize a potent Flames attack. Then McLean turned into a wall, Bure woke up and the leaders of the Canucks rallied them to pull off the most hard-earned 3-1 series comeback ever. The Canucks chalked up 3 straight OT victories, two at the Saddledome, including the famous double OT breakaway winner by Bure that capped an excellent game that just for good measure was tied up with 3 minutes to go by Greg Adams. Amazing how narrow the margin between winning and losing can get because after going down 3-1, the Canucks reeled off 12 wins in their next 14 games before running into an opponent strong enough to fend off their heart of a champion mentality.
1993 CCF Leafs-Kings (5): This was a war on the ice if there ever was one. Each game was excellent and even game 1 had its luster despite being the most lopsided score of the series. Not a ton of fights, but they counted when they happened (McSorley vs. Clark set the battle lines late in a game 1 owned by the Leafs). The two teams played tight-checking (for 1993) hockey. Gretzky was matched by Gilmour through the first 5 games but always came up big when needed and then was the hero in games 6 and 7. Controversy always makes a series more memorable and there was plenty of that when Gretzky won game 6 in OT when he should've been in the box serving 4 minutes for cutting Gilmour with a high stick. Game 7 lived up to all the hype and expectations set by the first 6. When a series ends with 3 straight one-goal decisions (two in overtime), you can only imagine how nervous the feeling in the air was at the time.
1993 Norris DSF Leafs-Wings (21): The Leafs looked like practice dummies in games 1 and 2 and Felix Potvin was a sieve. But he tightened up, the Leafs vaunted checking returned and Dave Andreychuk took the reins goal scoring wise at Maple Leaf Gardens. Pat Burns was always a coach who proved less skill but more defensive prowess could win in the NHL before the trap came into effect. He proved it big time with the Leafs in '93. Detroit may have had their big scorers come through in game 6 at the Garden but they were still outworked at MLG and since Toronto summoned up some real workman-like effort in game 5 (coming from down 4-1 to win in OT) and game 7 (tying it late and winning it in OT), the Leafs grabbed the improbable win. Sure the Wings only had 2 more pts. in 92-93 but they had done it with skill, flash and a dominant offense plus a PP clicking at nearly 30% all season. This series was representative of the Wings sloppy playoff ways before Scotty Bowman took full effect on the personnel and execution of the team.
1993 Patrick DF Pens-Islanders (9): Sure statistically there have been bigger upsets but it is still incredible when you consider it was just the third series played by the Islanders since 1988, they had only 87 pts. and they had only beaten the notorious choker Caps (plus with OT magic needed) and furthermore Pittsburgh was two-time defending champs and had tossed aside much better teams before. Imagine if the Blue Jackets made the playoffs last year and beat the Wings in the 2nd round. That's the same thing. Healy was better than Barasso and that was the main factor but there were standout heroes for the Isles like Ray Ferraro, Brian Mullen, Uwe Krupp, Steve Thomas and David Volek (2 including the series winner in game 7).
Many of Pittsburgh's big guns didn't own the way they were expected to. Lemieux and Jagr had the pest Kasparitis all over thrm while the Pens defense got burned for their open style, one which the Pens had employed to success before. All this for NYI done without their leading scorer Pierre Turgeon who was at his all-time peak in 1993 and the Isles still scored a ton in the home games and withstood some Penguin magic in game 7 when it was tied up after a 3-1 lead with as many as approx. 3 minutes to play. The best Patrick Division final series ever perhaps.
1991 Adams DF Bruins-Canadiens (36): It was such an even series but came down to Moog besting Roy and Cam Neely being more lethal than any other player on the ice (I think he managed 7 or 8 goals in the series). The Habs stuck with a favoured Boston team with a couple OT wins but did not have the offensive depth to solve the Bruins tight defense and Andy Moog on a consistent basis, especially in Boston. After trading Chelios they had no star on D like Ray Bourque and Richer was no Cam Neely even if he did have a scorer's touch and was in the groove in the '91 playoffs. Plus Savard was on the decline and could not shine in a defense-first system like Burns's. The Habs showed fight though, nearly battling back to tie game 7 but ultimately not having the offensive thrust needed.
1991 Smythe DF Kings-Oilers (32): Here's one of those 6 game series that is so good, a 7th game risks spoiling it. Four of the games needed OT as the underdog Oilers matched the Kings offense tit for tat. Esa Tikkanen was a warrior/pest unlike anybody could be on the Kings and though they had their offensive weapons like Gretzky they lacked the goaltending, defense and checking experience of the Oilers. Tikkanen continued his inspired play with several goals in this series including an awesome end-to-ender and an OT winner in game 3's double OT (game 2 had also gone double OT before Peter Klima ended it). The Kings were forced to try to comeback in many games and though they had a great reg. season the signs for playoff disappointment were there when they nearly made a weak Canuck team look good in the 1st round before righting the ship. There would be none of that with Edmonton as Craig MacTavish scored the fourth OT winner of the series, also the series clincher, in game 6. The Kings dropped three straight series to the Oil in the early 90s, a major reason why they never tasted the cup in Gretzky's much focused upon time there.
1991 Smythe DSF Flames-Oilers (27): The Flames were heavy favourites, though no one discounted the Oilers could make a series of it. They did just that, even having a 3-1 series lead by playing top notch defense, holding the league's best offense to just 9 goals the first 4 games. Clutch veteran play by Anderson plus contributions from others, especially series MVP Esa Tikkanen (7 goals on the series, series winner and a hat trick in game 7), was what got the Oilers through. The Flames should have been able to conquer that having just won a cup with the same core of players but the big guns were silenced. Fleury didn't score a goal until his famous celebration OT winner in game 6. It seemed Vernon was up to Fuhr's challenge but then he had a weak game 7 and the Flames crushed all heightened expectations by blowing a 3-0 lead, needing to tie it late before losing in OT. Plus, there were a few wild brawls involving Dave Brown, who tried to demolish Jim Kyte in one of the games at Northlands Coliseum.
1990 Smythe DSF Jets-Oilers (30): Having taken a mere 1 out of 19 previous playoff games against Edmonton, including a dreadful 0-11 record in Edmonton, the Jets stunned and delighted fans when they took 3 of the first 4 and making everyone figure no cup for the Oilers when they exposed Bill Ranford in game 1 to the tune of 7-5. But Ranford kept improving game by game from that point right until being given the Conn Smythe. After a triumphant 4-3 OT win on a Dave Ellett point shot, the Jets seemed ready to finally beat the Oilers. But then, buoyed by Ranford as well as internal leadership from guys like Messier, the Oilers erased the deficit. Remember how they had won 4 cups already, they pulled out a couple one-goal victories before a resounding game 7 win at home. They never looked back and the Jets were never the same at least until 1992 when they looked on top of the mountain before blowing another 3-1 lead, this time to the Canucks (while getting outscored a whopping 21-5 in the process).
1989 Smythe DSF Canucks-Flames (19): It turned out to be a roadblock that was quite a test and/or scare for the cup champ Flames. They had shown playoff jitters in the past but a dominant regular season left no doubt to pundits that the Flames would waltz through everyone in the conference, especially their first round opponents Vancouver. Instead, the Canucks played spoiler and though they were shut out twice by Mike Vernon, converted on numerous PPs to stay neck-and-neck with Calgary. They were beaten resoundingly in game 2 and 3 after a surprise 4-3 OT win in game 1. But people were seeing shades of '82 as the Canucks battle back with wins in their next two home games (though a 4-0 loss at the Dome to Calgary in game 5).
Games 3-6 are remembered for 18-year old Trevor Linden emerging as a clutch playoff scorer as he scored several key goals including a beautiful one on a rush. The series tarted his legend in Vancouver and cemented Vernon's in Calgary as he singelhandedly kept them in game 7. Kirk McLean had been benched for Steve Weeks at times but in game 7 was at his best as the game stayed 3-3 through many highlight reels saves by him and even more from Vernon who robbed Petri Skriko, Tony Tanti and Stan Smyl on a breakaway before Joel Otto directed the puck (kicked some claim) in for the winner and the pivotal turning point in the Flames 89 cup run.
1988 Patrick DSF Caps-Flyers (34): The Capitals had been through so many bad years before finally becoming an elite team starting when Brian Murray became bench boss and Rod Langway was acquired in a trade. But they still were playoff "chokers." Losing to the dynasty-era Islanders in 1983 and 1984 wasn't so bad but they managed to let an inferior, yet grizzled Isles team in 85 beat them in a best-of-5 after a 2-0 series lead. They let underdogs beat them too, such as in 1986 with the Rangers and 1987 with the Isles when they blew a 3-1 series lead (for the first of three times). 1988 looked like another, this time to a team of rather even quality that, however, was coming off 2 cup final trips in 3 years. Down 3-1, it was time for the Caps own comeback. They had lost the two in Philly by one goal, including an OT defeat in game 4 at the Spectrum. But after a home win, they surprised by pasting Philly 7-2 in their own barn. Game 7 was a classic, winding up tied at 4 in OT before a breakaway by Dale Hunter sealed it. The Caps would get knocked by another dark horse in the next round but it was sweet relief for a team who had let too many opportunities slip away in the past, though it was not the last by any stretch.
1987 SCF Oilers-Flyers (1): The best playoff series ever? It's debatable but how can you argue with it? The Oilers and Flyers did not play a barnburner series with goals galore, but made up for that with some spirited, tight-checking and eventful play. The first two games were good entertainment but looked like the expected coronation of the Oiler machine back on top over a fallen group of wounded Flyers. It was not that way at all as the short-manned Flyers persevered to erase a 3-0 deficit in game 3 and make it a new series. They would lose game 4 which made everyone think it was over especially when it was 2-0 Edmonton. But the Flyers roared back to win 4-3. Everyone talks about 94 because of the history on the line, but this 1987 series was even more remarkable in how perseverant the underdog was in the face of a powerhouse team being pre-crowned the champions. The game 6 was a downright classic too as the Flyers trailed 2-0 going into the third before tying it and then getting the winner late on a long point shot by J.J. Daigneault. Game 7 saw the Flyers actually score first but it wasn't meant to be. Their offense could not muster up another comeback and Hextall's heroics weren't enough. Tremendous series though.
1987 Adams DF Nordiques-Habs (33): The Nordiques had a mediocre season that left people wondering where they were headed but then they upset the div. leading Whalers and jumped out to a 2-0 series lead on the Canadiens by winning at the Forum. They chased Roy out of the Habs #1 spot in a 7-5 opening win then used defense and goaltending for the game 2 victory of 2-1. But the Habs pounded the Nordiques in game 3 then got an OT goal from Mats Naslund on a low shot from outside the blueline that Mario Gosselin whiffed on. Game 5 was marred by controversy when an apparent go-ahead goal in the 3rd period by Alain Cote was wiped out on a bogus goalie interference call by (guess who) Kerry Fraser. The Habs got a winning goal with 2 minutes to play to take it 3-2. The Nordiques could have folded but did their own 2-0 third period rally with Peter Stastny tying it and Normand Rochefort giving them the lead to stay with under 4 minutes left. Game 7 was close most of the way until the Habs exploded to give them a big lead and a 5-2 win as Ryan Walter stood out again, his 5 goals on the series topping everyone else on either side. Another unexpectedly fierce and closely fought (except for game 3) Battle of Quebec.
1986 CCF Blues-Flames (29): After the Flames beat the Oilers, they were set to meet a lunch-pail Blues team that had been the best of a weak Norris, knocking off a decent North Stars team and a lousy Leaf team that came alive in the playoffs. After getting a surprising win in game 1, the Flames took the series lead back by winning a couple by a combined score of 13-5. Then the teams traded wins the rest of the way through close-checking matches except for the epic game 6. Game 6 was the Monday Night Miracle where a 5-2 Flame lead in the third was wiped out and then the Blues struck in OT to tie the series. They'd be shut down back in Calgary for most of game 7, losing 2-1 but gaining a lot of respect for taking the Flames the distance, playing 19 games which was then a record for most playoff games in a season without reaching the finals.
1986 Smythe DF Flames-Oilers (2): Lots of hatred going on in any Battle of Alberta series, but it was at its peak for this one. The Flames Mike Vernon accomplished the task of limiting the most lethal offense ever to under 3.5 goals per game on the series and he did it. The Flames entire lineup chipped in, not just in the defensive aspect. They managed a few clutch goals, some shorthanded even. Interestingly, the Flames won 3 of the games on Oiler ice, dropping 2 of the 3 home games. Gretzky recorded a hat trick in game 6 I believe, but was checked unbelievably well throughout most of the series. Of course, what series that ends with such a tragicomedic goal can be considered lame? This one had it all beforehand, but game 7 capped off the unbelievable upset which made not winning the cup in 86 easier to swallow in Calgary. Game 6 saw the Flames blow a 2-0 lead and lose and they did the same in game 7 but thanks to Steve Smith and Vernon, held on for the ultimate glory of interrupting what could have been an unparalleled dynasty for Edmonton.
1985 Adams DF Nords-Habs (14): The Nordiques and Canadiens once again fought tooth and nail and even though the fighting paled in comparison to the year before, it was just as tough. The Nordiques managed to get all the key goals the Canadiens couldn't, rustling up 3 OT victories including ones at the Forum in the opening game and closing game. Like the Flames in their div. final, Quebec went 3-1 on the road and though this wasn't an upset at the time, it certainly was the Nordiques finest hour in the NHL.
1984 Adams DF Nords-Habs (15): Not a 7 game series but it didn't have to be. The Canadiens came in riding Steve Penney who'd engineered a huge upset of the heavily favoured Bruins by only giving up 2 goals in the shocking 3 game sweep. He wasn't as big a wall against Quebec but he still managed a second shutout of the playoffs and finished the series with an active GAA of about 1.65 (this was 1984 here!) The games were not high scoring but the series saw the bad blood boil over into game 6 where the mother of all brawls erupted... twice! Lost in that was the Canadiens rallying from down 2-0 with five unanswered goals on five shots, the most exciting comeback in one playoff period during the Forum's history.
1984 Smythe DF Oilers-Flames (24): The Flames were the 2nd best team in the Smythe in 83-84, but that wasn't saying much since the Oilers finished a grand total of 42 pts. ahead of them. Nonetheless, the Flames weren't about to be brushed aside and humiliated like the year before's div. final when they were beaten 4-1 while surrendering a gaudy 35 goals. The Flames got a couple OT wins to keep pace with Carey Wilson scoring in game 2 and Lanny McDonald sending the series to an unexpected 7th and deciding game. The Flames had been down 3-1 but got back-to-back 5-4 wins and were in position in game 7, leading 4-3 in the 2nd period until two quick goals by Jari Kurri and Ken Linseman gave Edmonton the lead for good. Hard to fault Calgary for not denying the hungry Oilers but their comeback from down 3-1 set the Battle of Alberta up for what would be the best rivalry of the decade.
1982 Smythe DSF Kings-Oilers (23): A rare best-of-5 makes the cut only because what happened was so shocking and yet was not boring at all. The Kings had a miserable 63 pt. year, a 36 point drop from the year before (one of the lowest any team has fallen from one year to the next) and although their scoring was adequate, their D was a mess despite a healthy mix of youth and experience (guys like Larry Murphy, Jay Wells and Mark Hardy joined by vets like Dave Lewis, Rick Chartraw, Ian Turnbull and Jerry Korab- only the first two of those getting into the playoff lineups). Mario Lessard had a 2nd all-star team performance in 80-81 but stunk in 81-82 and the Kings used a goalie platoon but settled on Lessard to take on the Oilers, they of many smashed scoring records and 92-goal, 212-point phenom Gretzky. Despite Gretzky getting into the offense, the Kings surprisingly managed to beat the Oilers at their own game- scoring. It's odd how the two Oiler wins came in defensive 3-2 games (one which needed OT).
A wild, 10-8 win opened the series for Los Angeles but after losing the next and sitting trailing 5-0 into the 3rd of game 2, it seemed over. But the most amazing comeback perhaps in hockey history ensued and the Kings won 6-5 as we all know. After the Oilers calmed down for game 4, it seemed they'd be ok enough for game 5. After all, the Kings game 1 win had been their first in Edmonton all season (out of 5 visits) and the Kings had barely put up double digits in road wins. Yet, they jumped all over a sieve-like Grant Fuhr who had yet to find his game all series and were up 7-2 by the beginning of the 3rd before Edmonton tried in vain to comeback and fell 7-4, stunning the hockey world. It's still the biggest gap between the winner and loser in NHL history (48 bloody pts.! That's like last year's Detroit being upset by Los Angeles or something).
1979 SF Bruins-Habs (13): The first time anyone ever gave the Habs a challenge since 1975 was in this series. The Bruins fought tooth and nail with the Habs and it was a fantastic series that culminated in one of the more infamous games and incidents ever. Not many semi-final series are decided in sudden death of game 7 but this was one was. The home team won every game too.
1971 SCF Hawks-Habs (11): This was a roller coaster of emotions as the home team won every game but the last. The Habs magic was seemingly running thin when they dropped the first two but they battled back with two impressive wins led by Frank Mahovlich's big time goal scoring. After staying alive in game 6, the Habs seemed on the ropes in the immortal 7th game when down 2-0 halfway through. But then, a Jacques Lemaire shot from centre ice dipped and found a way through Tony Esposito, Henri Richard tied it and then Richard got the winning goal in the 3rd cutting in around a Hawk d-man (Bill White? Pat Stapleton?) to fire one over an outstretched Tony O. This coming after he ripped Al MacNeil, Habs head coach since Claude Ruel was fired earlier in the year, claiming he didn't like the French-Canadians on the team and that he was the worst coach he ever played for. Talk about drama.
1971 QF Bruins-Habs (7): Ken Dryden may have been behind a series involving the most GA in one playoff series by the Canadiens but considering it was against a team who had offensive power unprecedented before then, he stole the series. The Bruins were the better, more talented bunch but the Canadiens kept up with their offense thanks to an experienced group of scorers like Mahovlich, Beliveau and Richard alongside younger stars like Lemaire and Cournoyer. The game 2 comeback changed the series as the Habs rallied from down 5-1 at one point to win with 5 third period goals by a 7-5 score.
1971 SF Hawks-Rangers (22): A wild struggle that included a triple OT classic in game 6 won by the Rangers Pete Stemkowski, one of three OT games. Only a 7-1 game 4 win by Chicago wasn't close as two teams packed with all-stars (yet they both never won cups in this era) battled it to the bitter end. Chicago owning home ice for game 7 at Chicago Stadium proved crucial.
1964 SCF Wings-Leafs (16): A tremendous final as the Leafs battled back from down 3-2 to in the series. They managed to win the game 6 OT contest on a famous seeing-eye shot from Bobby Baun who had broken a bone in his leg earlier. The close series became more one-sided in game 7 at the Gardens where the Leafs skated to a 4-0 cup clinching win behind a stellar Johnny Bower.
1955 SCF Wings-Habs (25): The second straight seven game classic from these bitter 50s rivals, who owned the decade pretty much. The Canadiens were on the cusp of becoming dominant but still had some maturation to do for younger guys like Beliveau, Geffrion and Moore. The Wings had a solid combination of ruggedness and skill that made them a lights out team. The home team took each game.
1954 SCF Wings-Habs (4): An epic struggle between the best two 50s teams with the series and cup being decided off a Tony Leswick shot that hit Doug Harvey's glove and got past goalie Gerry McNeil. Every other game was as passionate and hard-fought as you could ask for from original 6 hockey.
1951 SCF Habs-Leafs (20): How does a five game cup final get classic status? Well, Maurice Richard carried the Habs in their effort but they managed to lose in a series where all five games went to OT. Five is the record for most OTs in a series and this one didn't even need 7, let alone 6. Of course, it all ended with the classic Bill Barilko winner as he dove to backhand a puck over a fallen McNeil. The Canadiens had engineered still one of the biggest upsets ever when they as a 65 pt. underdog (5 games below .500) needed 6 to beat the mighty Wings who had been the first team to earn 100 or more pts. in the reg. season. But Toronto had not been far behind and no Richard magic could change their destiny as 1951 cup champions, a position they would only dream of for the next 11 years, several of which saw the team really slump on the ice.
1950 SCF Wings-Rangers (6): The Rangers were the underdogs but managed to stretch it to 7 games mainly thanks to Chuck Rayner's goaltending. With the circus in town at MSG, the Rangers' home games were played in Toronto. With OT victories in games 4 and 5, the Rangers took a surprising lead before Detroit battled back with one goal wins including a game 7 OT nailbiter where Pete Babando became the hero.
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Hab-a-maniac
Registered User
Good series, but only game 1 and 3 captivated me and it was over too quickly to be a best ever candidate. See Toronto-Montreal in 1951 for greatest five game series plus the 1982 Habs-Nordiques, Kings-Oilers and Pens-Islanders as well as the 1984 Islanders-Rangers were much better as five game series because the best-of-5 format made those games more important. These series went the distance when they went to five, and isn't that more compelling?
Big Phil
Registered User
- Nov 2, 2003
- 31,703
- 4,146
I'd like to mention others, but 1984 is the first playoffs I had a concept of what was going on while I watched. Hazarding a guess on series I didn't watch at least part of is not in my nature.
But thanks for pointing out I'm not the oldest person on here, I was starting to worry.....
Well if it makes you feel better I was born in 1948 if that helps..................
I like the '71 series between Boston/Montreal as well. Man if there is ever a choke job a team did I would have to say Game #2 of that series. Boston goes up in the series 2-0 if they can hold onto a 5-1 lead but they couldnt. They lose 7-5. Eddie Johnston never got back in net in those playoffs.
a few years ago years ago in canada the show was called "hockey ; a people's game"
The Legends of Hockey series was the NHL's response to Ken Burns. Have you seen it? It is very well-done, and definately worth watching.
The other day I watched a couple of 'Top Ten' episodes on the NFL channel. . . I have never watched ten minutes of football in my life, but I found the format of this show really engaging and watched two full episodes. The NHL should definately rip this off; I would love to watch an hour-long program full of hall-of-famers and journalists debating a countdown of top clutch goalies, top open-ice hitters, top power-fowards, etc.
Buck Aki Berg
Done with this place
Legends of Hockey is probably the most brilliant and well-produced series created about anything, and a ton better than Hockey: A People's History. I'd love to see the league make NBC and/or Versus throw on an episode of that before every game, to make it really visible.
Kyle McMahon
Registered User
- May 10, 2006
- 13,301
- 4,354
Agree, Legends was superior. But you'd barely know it exists now if you didn't watch it ten years ago. It's really something the NHL should promote (maybe the HOF or TSN has the rights to it, but that can be worked around).
The Score used to play segments of Legends.
I feel that Legends of Hockey and Hockey: A People's History were trying to accomplish two different things. One was more about the individual and their impact on the game (Legends) while the other was a look at the history of the game in relation to Canada (Hockey).
Chili
En boca cerrada no entran moscas
- Jun 10, 2004
- 8,540
- 4,472
I could name 100 series and miss some great ones.
The entire 1971 playoffs was incredible, if they could make a dvd series of that playoff year it would be fantastic. I believe some here have stated though that alot of the tapes of those games are sadly lost forever.
The entire 1971 playoffs was incredible, if they could make a dvd series of that playoff year it would be fantastic. I believe some here have stated though that alot of the tapes of those games are sadly lost forever.
Steve Kournianos
@thedraftanalyst
This for the following reasons aside from the Rangers winning.
Before the Series:
1) It pitted the two best teams in hockey from that season, pointswise
2) The geographical proximity of the two teams and inter-Division rivals
3) They played in 1992 in a series with a lot of bad blood and Bernie Nicholls still held a big grudge against Smith for trading him to Edmonton
4) the weight of 1940
5) Stevens-Messier matchup everybody talked about.
During the series:
1) Three games went to overtime. Two of the games (game 1 and game 7) the Devils tied it up in the last minute, including Zelepukin's amazing goal with the rangers just 10 seconds away from winning.
2) Game 7 of the CF, which went to double OT, was arguably the best game I ever say two teams and two goalies play with so so much on the line. Kelly Hrudey's Game 7 in 1987 comes to mind, but that wast a CF
3) Messier in game 6, arguably the most clutch performance in the history of hockey. Side note to game 6 was the aforementioned Nicholls on a delayed penalty firing a puck at Glenn Anderson. Classic.
4) Martin Brodeur's introduction to the Grand Stage...Listen to all four broadcast teams during that series (CBC, Doc and McNabb, Thorne and Clement, and Rosen and JD)....they all said that kid would be great over and over again and boy were they were right
After the series:
1) The Rangers won the Cup in an equally dramatic 7-game series. Game 4 (the Bure penalty shot etc) is the best SCF game I ever saw
2) The Devils became the elite team of the Eastern Conference, and i don't care what Devils fans say, the loss to the rangers certainly motivated them and taught them that the Devils were in fact an elite team.
Dark Shadows
Registered User
Boston vs Montreal First round...........Trust me I TRIED so hard to find copies of that one. It was amazing.
njdevsfn95
Help JJJ, Sprite.
- Jul 30, 2006
- 31,348
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most Devils fans actually agree with this assessment. we just dont like the fact we had to lose first
Steve Kournianos
@thedraftanalyst
Has anybody mentioned the 1989 Smythe DSF?
Very memorable, chippy and underrated series.
Gretz makes his Kings playoff debut against the Oilers, who storm to a 3-1 lead before losing the next 3 and the series.
Very memorable, chippy and underrated series.
Gretz makes his Kings playoff debut against the Oilers, who storm to a 3-1 lead before losing the next 3 and the series.
Blackhawkswincup
RIP Fugu
My personel choice (even though the results sucked for my Hawks)
95 WC final
Game 1 Detroit 2 Hawks 1 (OT)
Game 2 Detroit 3 Hawks 2
Game 3 Detroit 4 Hawks 3 (OT)
Game 4 Hawks 5 Detroit 2
Game 5 Detroit 2 Hawks 1 (OT)
God that was a depressing series for my Hawks. So close. I think in 95 Hawks take cup over Devils if e get past the Red Wings.
Other series I have seen i would throw in with it
Lighting vs Flames 04
Red Wings v Avalanche 02
Stars v Avalanche 00
Stars v Avalanche 99
Stars v Red Wings 98
Rangers v Devils 94
Habs v Maple Leafs 93
Sabres v Habs 93
Hawks v Blues 90
95 WC final
Game 1 Detroit 2 Hawks 1 (OT)
Game 2 Detroit 3 Hawks 2
Game 3 Detroit 4 Hawks 3 (OT)
Game 4 Hawks 5 Detroit 2
Game 5 Detroit 2 Hawks 1 (OT)
God that was a depressing series for my Hawks. So close. I think in 95 Hawks take cup over Devils if e get past the Red Wings.
Other series I have seen i would throw in with it
Lighting vs Flames 04
Red Wings v Avalanche 02
Stars v Avalanche 00
Stars v Avalanche 99
Stars v Red Wings 98
Rangers v Devils 94
Habs v Maple Leafs 93
Sabres v Habs 93
Hawks v Blues 90
Blackhawkswincup
RIP Fugu
That was good but the Flames v Canucks 1st rounder is always remembered more
Blades of Glory
Troll Captain
Leafs-Isles from 2002 was epic. Neither team could win on the road, the home-ice advantage, especially in New York, was ridiculous.
I thought 1994 was the better seven-game Final.
I know Hextall won the Conn Smythe, but he didn't have a superhuman game ala McLean in game 1.
I'm torn about the 95 series you mention. That was more a case of Belfour vs Detroit. IIRC, Detroit had a decided advantage in everything that was not putting the puck in the net, and thus why Belfour's absolutely superhuman efforts ultimately weren't quite enough. Detroit had to do as much as they did to simply get the very few pucks past Belfour that they did. I don't recall the rest of the Hawks playing terribly well, but Belfour put on a performance for the ages that (myself included) gets lost in the discussion.
