GAME 7 Best & Worst(Anti-Climatic)

[Ferjo]

The one I can really recall thinking that it was the worst game 7 I had ever seen was 2006, Flames Ducks in the first round. I recall it being a pretty decent series, then came game 7 in Calgary, and the Flames probably should have just stayed home and Anaheim took it 3-0 in the most boring fashion imaginable.

edit, just saw it mentioned already

 

[JT Dutch*]

That series only went six games.

... You're right. Well, in that case, the 1993 NDF game 7 was pretty anti-climactic if I remember correctly.

 

[arrbez]

... You're right. Well, in that case, the 1993 NDF game 7 was pretty anti-climactic if I remember correctly.

That game was a walk, but man, Clark decapitating Cujo was so epic it almost makes up for it.

I'm just gonna post this here, because I find it equal parts awesome and hilarious (Down Goes Brown is cool with his stuff being posted around)

Imagine you're Curtis Joseph.

It's May of 1993. You're the toast of the hockey world, after leading the Blues to a shocking round one sweep over the heavily-favored Blackhawks, and following that up with several spectacular games against the Leafs.

But now it's game seven, and you've run out of magic. The Leafs have jumped out to a 4-0 lead after one period, the Gardens is rocking, and you know that your dream season is about to come to a crushing end. Also, Mike Foligno recently roundhouse kicked you in the head. So these are tough times.

But take comfort. At least you know that now, at probably the lowest point of your career, things can not possibly get any OH SWEET JESUS HERE COMES WENDEL CLARK.

I think we all remember what happened next.



A few thoughts:

Let's face it, we all know Wendel did that on purpose.

On a related note, this was the only actual slapshot Wendel took in his entire NHL career.

If you listen closely, I think you can actually hear Cujo's goalie mask say "**** this, I quit" as it leaps off of his head and makes a break for the exit.

Joseph's attempt to shrug it off as no big deal is actually sort of badass, or at least it would have been if Curt Giles hadn't completely ruined it by rushing over to give him a hug.

My favorite part of the entire sequence is the MLG crowd reaction: an excited buzz as they realize Clark has a chance at a hat trick, followed by momentary confusion when they see that he didn't score, followed by delirious cheers when they realize he's chosen to murder the other team's goalie instead.

I assume this incident was meant as a warning to Kelly Hrudey to not make any saves against Clark in round three -- a warning he wisely took to heart.

http://www.downgoesbrown.com/2008/11/wendel-moment-12-see-kids-this-is-what.html

 

[vikash1987]

Friday, May 27, 1994
Madison Square Garden, New York
New York Rangers vs. New Jersey Devils

In my opinion, the greatest Game 7 in playoff history

 

[McRpro]

As an Oilers fan, game 7 1997 Stars VS Oilers is still #1.

"Marchant rushing to center and down the wing. It is Marchant....... Scores!!! Marchant scores! And the Edmonton Oilers, are gonna move on!"

Still gives me chills....

 

[agentblack]

As an Oilers fan, game 7 1997 Stars VS Oilers is still #1.

"Marchant rushing to center and down the wing. It is Marchant....... Scores!!! Marchant scores! And the Edmonton Oilers, are gonna move on!"

Still gives me chills....

This was a good one, and I think its the game that cujo absolutely robbed Nieuwendyk (spelling?) classic upset.

Lame(ish)
2001 Avs def. Kings 5-1, started off good, but then avs pp came alive, at the time as an Avs fan I loved, but in retrospect kind of a let down esp after LA's dramatic game 5&6 wins

 

[Jaysfanatic*]

greats:

1993: tor-det
1993: tor-lak
1994: nyr-njd
2006: car-buf
2009: car-njd

worst:
1993: tor-stl
2001: njd-tor
2003: phi-tor
2003: njd-ana
2010: det-phx

Hmm, two that the Devils lose is great, two that the Devils win are worst. There's no bias there, at all. None.

 

[TheDevilMadeMe]

I thought 2001 NJ Tor was a great game

I can see 2003 being bad for non Devils fans. Anaheim crapped the bed in all 4 games at NJ and really had no chance in any of them.

 

[arrbez]

Hmm, two that the Devils lose is great, two that the Devils win are worst. There's no bias there, at all. None.

...says the obviously impartial "Devilsfanatic"?

1994: Double-OT winner
2009: Winning team was losing with 80 seconds remaining in their season, they win in regulation

2001: A 5-1 game where the winning team allowed 16 shots
2003: A boring 3-0 shutout

Was he wrong?

 

[tony d]

Best: 1994 East Final between the Rangers and Devils
Worst: 2003 Stanley Cup Final between the Ducks and the Devils

 

[seventieslord]

...says the obviously impartial "Devilsfanatic"?

1994: Double-OT winner
2009: Winning team was losing with 80 seconds remaining in their season, they win in regulation

2001: A 5-1 game where the winning team allowed 16 shots
2003: A boring 3-0 shutout

Was he wrong?

LOL, thank you.

I was like..... "what?"

 

[Big Phil]

2009: car-njd

That was so awesome. Down a goal on the road in game 7 in the third period with 90 seconds to go and we score two goals to win.

Talk about snatching victory from the jaws of defeat. I'll never forget the shot by Staal and the close up reaction right away of Brodeur after the goal. He looked to defeated and it was weird seeing a legend like Brodeur with that kind of slumped look.

Best: 1994 East Final between the Rangers and Devils
Worst: 2003 Stanley Cup Final between the Ducks and the Devils

A lot of us are saying Anaheim/NJ in 2003. That was just a really bad game - and series. Game 7 made it look like no one wanted to win. No team was trying to score, but rather trying not to make a mistake. There was little forechecking, little excitement and it was classic Devils hockey. Even the Rupp goals were just anti-climactic.

How about the Colorado at Dallas 1999 one? A 4-1 win for Dallas and just typical Stars hockey at the time. They played a similar game to New Jersey at the time (which made the 2000 final painful to watch).


One of the best no one mentioned was 1971 Cup final with Montreal and Chicago. The first time since 1945 that a road team won the Cup in Game 7 and it didn't happen until Pittsburgh in 2009 again. The 2-0 lead for Chicago, then the center ice goal that dipped on Esposito. Then the two Henri Richard goals in the 3rd period.

Not sure if it was mentioned, but I thought the 1985 Game 7 with Quebec and Montreal was epic. Peter Stastny scoring the overtime goal in the Forum. Nice touch on a classic rivalry

 

[arrbez]

Not sure if it was mentioned, but I thought the 1985 Game 7 with Quebec and Montreal was epic. Peter Stastny scoring the overtime goal in the Forum. Nice touch on a classic rivalry

I was too young for the real Quebec-Montreal rivalry (Quebec was in full rebuild mode when I started watching hockey). Can't wait till they get a team back!

 

[agentblack]

A lot of us are saying Anaheim/NJ in 2003. That was just a really bad game - and series. Game 7 made it look like no one wanted to win. No team was trying to score, but rather trying not to make a mistake. There was little forechecking, little excitement and it was classic Devils hockey. Even the Rupp goals were just anti-climactic.

And to cap it off the crowd mercilessly booed Giguere, Im sure opposing conn smythe winners have been booed before but damn your team just won the cup. Ill never forget the classless reaction by that crowd.

How about the Colorado at Dallas 1999 one? A 4-1 win for Dallas and just typical Stars hockey at the time. They played a similar game to New Jersey at the time (which made the 2000 final painful to watch).

Oh yes i remember, esp. since games 1-5 were great then 6 & 7 came it was like watching a louder regular season game.

 

[TheDevilMadeMe]

I would have booed Giguere after he was awarded the trophy too. The guy sucked in the finals, which is what NJ fans paid closest attention to for obvious reasons.

 

[agentblack]

I would have booed Giguere after he was awarded the trophy too. The guy sucked in the finals, which is what NJ fans paid closest attention to for obvious reasons.

Well let me just say they award the conn smythe to MVP of the entire playoff season not just the finals and if he really "sucked" as bad as you say, it wouldnt have gone to game 7 in the first place.

 

[RorschachWJK]

Best: the one where Oilers are down by a couple goals and Esa Tikkanen starts yelling like the devil at everybody during a timeout, then goes out and scores a hattrick including OT game winner. Talk about ****ing clutch! If you talk the talk, you better walk the walk and I can't think of a better example of this.

Worst: there's no such thing.

 

[TheDevilMadeMe]

Well let me just say they award the conn smythe to MVP of the entire playoff season not just the finals and if he really "sucked" as bad as you say, it wouldnt have gone to game 7 in the first place.

Yes, I'm well aware why giguere win the smythe - he was godlike in the first two rounds of the playoffs and very good in the third.

He was terrible in the finals when the Devils got traffic in front of the net - which they were able to do in all 4 home games.

By normal Smythe standards (where the early rounds count more than later rounds as the hype machine builds - see Toews last year ), Giguere was the correct choice. I still would have booed.

 

[Sadekuuro]

They played a similar game to New Jersey at the time (which made the 2000 final painful to watch).

Stylistically ugly, yes, but the goaltending in that series was awesome.

 

[agentblack]

Best: the one where Oilers are down by a couple goals and Esa Tikkanen starts yelling like the devil at everybody during a timeout, then goes out and scores a hattrick including OT game winner. Talk about ****ing clutch! If you talk the talk, you better walk the walk and I can't think of a better example of this.

Worst: there's no such thing.

Yeah! I think thats the 91 game 7 against CGY, great f***in game, Game 6 was almost better actually because of the goaltending, if you guys get a chance watch em on NHL vault.

 

[andreydali19]

'96. Wings/Blues.

 

[Rhiessan71]

Blues/Leafs game 7 from '93 comes to mind for the worst.

Was a good back and forth series and then the Leafs just blew them out 6-0 in game 7.


The best....hmmmm.....prolly Canucks/Rags in '94 or Flames/Lightning in '04

 

[Big Phil]

Hmm, two that the Devils lose is great, two that the Devils win are worst. There's no bias there, at all. None.

Did you happen to catch Game 7 of the 2003 Cup final? Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.........

 

[Kyle McMahon]

Blues/Leafs game 7 from '93 comes to mind for the worst.

Was a good back and forth series and then the Leafs just blew them out 6-0 in game 7.


The best....hmmmm.....prolly Canucks/Rags in '94 or Flames/Lightning in '04

Flames/Lightning, really? The shots were something like 16-14 in that game. Khabibulin's save on Leopold late in the third was about all I remember that was a moment of drama. As an Oilers fan, at least I can view the contract we gave Khabby as a thank you for denying the Flames the Cup!

 

[TheDevilMadeMe]

Flames/Lightning, really? The shots were something like 16-14 in that game. Khabibulin's save on Leopold late in the third was about all I remember that was a moment of drama. As an Oilers fan, at least I can view the contract we gave Khabby as a thank you for denying the Flames the Cup!

Flames hockey = zzzzz.

Oh wait, they're from Canada... It wasn't boring, just a hard fought defensive struggle!