Blown chances to score a goal to win a huge game

[Ofuzz]

That would have just tied the game, but yeah, total heartbreaker.

To answer the OP... how about Stan Smyl not cashing in on a breakaway in Game 7 overtime vs. Calgary in '89?



Calgary came back moments later with Joel Otto "kicked in" the winning goal. The Flames went on to win their only Stanley Cup.

This was the first one I thought of when reading the title of this thread. Stan fired it right into his glove. Damn

 

[The Panther]

To answer the OP... how about Stan Smyl not cashing in on a breakaway in Game 7 overtime vs. Calgary in '89?



Calgary came back moments later with Joel Otto "kicked in" the winning goal. The Flames went on to win their only Stanley Cup.

Depressing result (I had been cheering for Van in that series), but man, if you go back and watch that entire overtime now, it's amazing.... End-to-end chances, both teams just going for it, all out. No "sit back and wait for a power-play because the coach will bench me if I express my natural talent" like in today's game.

That Smyl save was exciting, but as someone mentioned he basically fired it right into Vernon's glove. I like the save Vernon made on Tony Tanti just before (?) that, because Tanti wound up and really fired a laser that was labelled, but Vernon got it somehow.

(Tanti, a 40-goal scorer, wasn't what you call a playoff stud for the Canucks -- 18 playoff games, 1 goal.)

EDITED TO ADD: I found the clip of Tanti in overtime:


And btw, if you watch the highlights of that overtime, about 5 minutes before Stan Smyl's partial breakaway he makes a great move from the side of the net, fools Vernon completely... and hits the post.

 

[Big Phil]

Oh you wanted pure choke jobs? Yeah then doesnt count. Just a bad time to not pull off the penalty shot. I think there was a bigger miss in game 7 that series by a canucks player but I cant for the life of me remember who.

I would say on a penalty shot that a "choke job" would have been Joe Juneau's in 1996. Bure at least made an incredible move that required an incredible save by Richter. Juneau skated in, had all the time in the world to settle the puck if he wanted to and didn't and then basically shot it right at Wregget.

 

[Randy Marsh]

2010 SCF - Jeff Carter late in Game 6 against the Blackhawks. He lifts the puck, there is a game 7.

 

[Filthy Dangles]

2010 SCF - Jeff Carter late in Game 6 against the Blackhawks. He lifts the puck, there is a game 7.

This chance?



He did elevate it, Niemi made a decent blocker save.

 

[mrhockey193195]

Rick Nash hitting Slava Voynov’s shaft with a wide open net in 20t of the Cup finals



Still stings as a Ranger fan. Could have turned the series around.

In fairness, I don't think Nash should get a ton of flack for that. Great desperation play by Voynov, and a little bit of luck going the Kings way. There wasn't anything Nash should have done "better" on that play.

What hurts a lot is the fact that a lot of Kings players said (perhaps hyperbolically) that if they lost game 5, they probably would have lost the series. They were exhausted. At the very least, you back the Rangers to win game 6 at home and force a game 7 in LA.

 

[Big Phil]

It didn't work out negatively in the end, but does anyone remember the gold medal game in 2010 when Canada had a 2-1 lead and Crosby had a breakaway from right about his own blue line? I mean, this was going to be the icing on the cake, Crosby being the one to ice it. It was going to be poetic. It isn't like Crosby doesn't have good speed, but Patrick Kane raced back frantically and just before Sid got a shot away on Miller in close Kane stripped him of the puck. I never thought Kane was slow, but man, I didn't realize he had that sort of speed if needed be.

Worked out in overtime for Crosby though. But if Canada loses that play is probably remembered a lot better.

 

[c9777666]

Habs have a 2-on-1 in OT in a tied 2-2 series. If they score that, they're up 3-2 with 2 match points against Boston.

 

[justafan22]

In fairness, I don't think Nash should get a ton of flack for that. Great desperation play by Voynov, and a little bit of luck going the Kings way. There wasn't anything Nash should have done "better" on that play.

What hurts a lot is the fact that a lot of Kings players said (perhaps hyperbolically) that if they lost game 5, they probably would have lost the series. They were exhausted. At the very least, you back the Rangers to win game 6 at home and force a game 7 in LA.

Didn't Kreider have a breakaway in OT where he just shot the puck wide?

 

[EpochLink]

Joe Nieuwendyk missed chance against Cujo in game 7 from 1997.
He had an open cage and Joseph pulled out a miracle and robbed it.

If Dallas sealed the deal, who knows what would've happened..

 

[Normand Lacombe]

In the 1992 Adams Division semifinal, Hartford had numerous chances to eliminate Montreal in game 7. Yvon Corriveau of Hartford had three opportunities to eliminate the Habs.

During a 2 on 1 with former Hab, Andrew Cassels, Corriveau, streaking down the left side, took Cassels' pass and appeared set to fire a one timer. But Corriveau had trouble controlling the puck for a second before shooting. That second enabled Roy to position himself to make the pad save.

On an another opportunity, luck was on Roy's side. Cassels found Corriveau in the slot and Corriveau's shot deflected of Roy's arm and hit the crossbar.

Finally, Corriveau was sprung on a breakaway in OT and shot the puck wide.

Game 7 highlights begin at 41:04.

 

[The Panther]

Joe Nieuwendyk missed chance against Cujo in game 7 from 1997.
He had an open cage and Joseph pulled out a miracle and robbed it.

If Dallas sealed the deal, who knows what would've happened..

Still probably the single greatest save in Oilers' history, maybe the greatest I've ever seen.

 

[EpochLink]

Still probably the single greatest save in Oilers' history, maybe the greatest I've ever seen.

Probably one of my all time favorite series to watch for me, a Canucks fan.
The 'spoiler Oilers' from that era were a fun group

 

[Big Phil]

Joe Nieuwendyk missed chance against Cujo in game 7 from 1997.
He had an open cage and Joseph pulled out a miracle and robbed it.

If Dallas sealed the deal, who knows what would've happened..

Good one.................that play is mostly thought of as being a great clutch save but no one ever mentions that it was a yawning cage with the goalie out of position.

I have always wondered the split second fear Cujo must have had when he tried to clear that puck away with his stick, missed it and then saw Nieuwendyk with the wide open net. It must have been..........."Oh please God no...........oh, thank God.........just breathe."

 

[Eisen]

worst NHL penalty shot i ever seen

 

[shadow1]

Maybe not so much a blown chance as much as it was a great save, but...



I've always thought about this moment. If Roloson doesn't make that great save, the Prime Joe Thornton-lead Sharks take a 3-0 series lead against the Oilers and probably move past Anaheim to make it to the SCF.

The Sharks would at least have had a fighting chance against Carolina, and maybe Joe Thornton and company win the Stanley Cup.

 

[Star Ocean]

Daniel Alredsson double OT vs Canada world cup 1996. Had an empty net.

 

[EpochLink]

Good one.................that play is mostly thought of as being a great clutch save but no one ever mentions that it was a yawning cage with the goalie out of position.

I have always wondered the split second fear Cujo must have had when he tried to clear that puck away with his stick, missed it and then saw Nieuwendyk with the wide open net. It must have been..........."Oh please God no...........oh, thank God.........just breathe."

Also, you think Detroit that year would’ve made it to the finals if they didn’t face Dallas?

 

[NHL WAR]

Matt Frattin hit the post in the first couple minutes of OT in the infamous Leafs-Boston Game 7 of 2013.

 

[Filthy Dangles]

Matt Frattin hit the post in the first couple minutes of OT in the infamous Leafs-Boston Game 7 of 2013.

also had a chance to seal the game late in the 3rd

 

[GlitchMarner]

This doesn't entirely fit the premise, but I want to mention that Tuch had a great chance to tie game two of the 2018 SCF but was denied by Holtby. If he had scored and VGK had gone on to win game two, there might have been a different 2018 Cup Champion.

 

[NHL WAR]

also had a chance to seal the game late in the 3rd

I'll take your word for it... still to soon for me to rewatch that game.

 

[CharlestownChiefsESC]

In fairness, I don't think Nash should get a ton of flack for that. Great desperation play by Voynov, and a little bit of luck going the Kings way. There wasn't anything Nash should have done "better" on that play.

What hurts a lot is the fact that a lot of Kings players said (perhaps hyperbolically) that if they lost game 5, they probably would have lost the series. They were exhausted. At the very least, you back the Rangers to win game 6 at home and force a game 7 in LA.

I alluded to this in the ref thread. If the refs dont make that terrible call in Game 2 and that phantom call on Zucc in Game 5 the Rangers go home with a chance to win the cup in Game 6 on Garden Ice vs an LA team that maybe wouldnt have had the gas in the tank. That was also the same day as the first US world cup game (A 2-1 win vs Ghana). What a day that could have been.

 

[Uncle Rotter]

1994 Olympic Final. Petr Nedved has Salo beat in the shootout and misses (1:33.00)

 

[c9777666]

Mark Messier missing a wide open net in OT of the famous ‘82 Miracle on Manchester