Huge plays that are forgotten that happened before a famous play

[Big Phil]

The NFL network did a "Top 10" list on this very topic. I liked it as I do with many of their "Top 10s". It was funny, because we tend to remember those "Sportscenter" type of moments and forget the ones in between. Even in that segment there were people that couldn't remember who the one was that caught the game winning touchdown for the Giants in that Super Bowl with the Tyree helmet catch (it was Plaxico Burress). But that's just the thing, we forget big plays that are crucial to a team winning, especially when they are overshadowed. Here is one not on the list for the NFL top 10 before I go onto the NHL. Tom Brady very nearly was picked off in the end zone by the Falcons in the Super Bowl a couple years ago in overtime, one play before they ran it in. Watch it. That famous comeback, all the drama that ensued was almost squandered by an errant throw. Did Pete Carroll and Russell Wilson teach the Patriots nothing two years earlier? Anyway, no one remembers that. No one ever brings it up. Ever. But it happened. Here are the NHL's versions of forgotten plays.

Serge Savard 1979 - We all know Rick Middleton's skill level. Well, Game 7 overtime he is doing his thing and Boston is playing pretty good I thought in the overtime. Middleton is breaking down the right wing and tries to pull a between the legs move on Savard. He did this a million times and it almost worked this time and he'd have walked right in alone on a shaky Dryden (at least for that game). Savard picks the puck clean and throws it immediately to Rejean Houle who tips it to Mario Tremblay to Lambert and the rest is history. None of that happens without the Savard defensive play.

Scott Niedermayer 2010 Olympics - We all remember Crosby's goal. He rushes in, then shoots and loses it and we even remember Iginla's assist to him, just reaching as he is falling. What we forget - and believe me, I've tried to remind people of this - was Niedermayer almost becoming in the Steve Smith/Tommy Salo category by coughing the puck up right at the hashmark just SECONDS before the goal is scored. He is being chased by Joe Pavelski and I am not saying Pavelski is not quick, but Niedermayer is still faster, yet he makes a careless pass across the ice to what would have been his defensive partner in Shea Weber. It never got there, Pavelski intercepts it and immediately rifles the puck at Luongo who made a sharp save. 15 seconds later Canada scores. I have always said that Niedermayer made me nervous because as fast as he was he was always too laid back and never used it as much as he should have.

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[brachyrynchos]

Not huge, but game 2016 playoffs game 6 Washington vs Pittsburgh.
Caps came back to force OT, a little more than 2 and a half minutes in, a scramble in front of the Caps net, Holtby out of position. Jay Beagle makes a huge save and prevents the goal. 4 minutes later Nick Bonino scores the game winner.

 

[MaxV]

- Phil Esposito’s goal-line save on Petrov in Summit Series gets overshadowed imo.

- 1987 CC final has a bunch of them. Kamensky’s goal, Fuhr’s save, etc.

 

[MaxV]

- Paul Henderson’s game 7 goal. Obviously, everyone remembers his game 8 goal, but had the previous game ended in a tie, it would have had a far lesser impact.

 

[VMBM]

- Phil Esposito’s goal-line save on Petrov in Summit Series gets overshadowed imo.

It was Yuri Blinov; Petrov set him up nicely though... and a great fake by Blinov (fooled Dryden completely).

Espo's big defensive effort should be more famous, I agree.

 

[NyQuil]

The play before the play I always remember is the big hit laid on Joni Pitkanen (?) by a Leaf only to have Roenick score the OT winning goal for the Flyers seconds later to eliminate them from the playoffs.

Pitkanen IIRC was crawling to the bench, clearly concussed.

 

[Blackhawk93]

The play before the play I always remember is the big hit laid on Joni Pitkanen (?) by a Leaf only to have Roenick score the OT winning goal for the Flyers seconds later to eliminate them from the playoffs.

Pitkanen IIRC was crawling to the bench, clearly concussed.

It was Sami Kapanen who had been hit by Darcy Tucker.

 

[Nerowoy nora tolad]

It was Sami Kapanen who had been hit by Darcy Tucker.

Every time I watch video of that I legit have no idea how Kapanen didnt die on that play

 

[NyQuil]

It was Sami Kapanen who had been hit by Darcy Tucker.

You are right!

I knew it was a Finn.

 

[Big Phil]

It was Yuri Blinov; Petrov set him up nicely though... and a great fake by Blinov (fooled Dryden completely).

Espo's big defensive effort should be more famous, I agree.

And that would have made it 6-3 if I remember correctly at that time of the game. How does Canada come back from that? I don't think they do as it was the 2nd period. Of all the talk about Phil Esposito and even the things he did in 1972 even I sometimes forget just how big that play was. Dryden was completely out of it on that play and that was just highway robbery by Espo.

Every time I watch video of that I legit have no idea how Kapanen didnt die on that play

I thought it was a sign that Toronto would win. One of the biggest hits of all-time, I think. I don't know how it didn't result in an eventual Leaf goal. Tucker wasn't out of position, he literally took Kapanen out of position and to the bench. Maybe they got too excited about it afterwards? Because I had a bad feeling as soon as I saw Roenick breaking in on that 2-on-1.

 

[BigBadBruins7708]

Tim Thomas in 2011, game 5 2OT against Montreal.

Makes a 2 on 1 save that shouldnt be possible in the 2nd OT...3 minutes later, Horton scores the game winner and the Bruins take a crucial 3-2 series lead.

If Thomas doesn't get this, it's 3-2 Montreal heading to Montreal for game 6...the butterfly effect is pretty far reaching:

Canucks have a Cup
Julien 100% gets fired if Montreal wins

 

[LeafsNation75]

Game 2 of the 2002 Eastern Conference Semi-Finals between the Leafs and Senators was in 3OT. Alexander Mogilny was skating down into the Senators end and gets a good shot on net that's saved by Patrick Lalime and the whistle is blown. Right off the next face off the Leafs win the draw and Gary Roberts scores to give the Leafs a 3-2 win and tie the series at 1-1. If Mogilny never gets that chance and Lalime does not freeze the puck, chances are Roberts does not score right after that.

 

[c9777666]

Game 7, Canucks/Flames 1994:

Before Pavel Bure’s goal vs Calgary AND Kirk McLean’s save, Greg Adams tied the game with under 4 minutes left in regulation.

Calgary led most of that game in regulation and Vancouver would not have had 2 iconic franchise moments had the game ended in regulation

 

[scott clam]

everything Kovalev did in game 6 vs New Jersey in '94

 

[c9777666]

Game 5 of the Rangers/Islanders first round series in 1984, with a memorable overtime, had THREE such moments before the moment.

We all remember Ken Morrow’s goal, but there were also these things:

You had Billy Smith making a point blank save about 20-25 seconds before Morrow scored (7:16 of this clip)



Before that, at 3:47 of the same clip, Glen Hanlon made a ridiculous glove save on Bob Bourne.

And before THAT, late in regulation, Don Maloney scored a very controversial goal that, under today’s rules or if HFBoards existed in ‘84, might have basically gotten its own thread:

 

[Sentinel]

This thread screams "Coffey breaks up the Soviet 2 on 1, and Tonelli scores right after to eliminate USSR in 1984 CC".

 

[VMBM]

This thread screams "Coffey breaks up the Soviet 2 on 1, and Tonelli scores right after to eliminate USSR in 1984 CC".

Forgotten play? I don't think so.

 

[Big Phil]

Game 5 of the Rangers/Islanders first round series in 1984, with a memorable overtime, had THREE such moments before the moment.

We all remember Ken Morrow’s goal, but there were also these things:

You had Billy Smith making a point blank save about 20-25 seconds before Morrow scored (7:16 of this clip)



Before that, at 3:47 of the same clip, Glen Hanlon made a ridiculous glove save on Bob Bourne.

And before THAT, late in regulation, Don Maloney scored a very controversial goal that, under today’s rules or if HFBoards existed in ‘84, might have basically gotten its own thread:

Yes that is correct. Maloney's goal, even just looking at the replays they offered in 1984 was clearly high. There was no video replay then of course but if there was it is called back. The save Smith made was on Bob Brooke. It was a clutch save that just epitomized how exciting that game really was.

Here is something to ponder. Imagine the Rangers win and we have the hindsight to see that Maloney's stick was high. What a way to end the dynasty. Not like the Oilers didn't deserve it in 1984, but there might be some of that "Oh, well, they never played the Islanders in 1984" type of thinking. Luckily we never had that and it was a true passing of the torch from a head to head combat.

 

[Rebels57]

The play before the play I always remember is the big hit laid on Joni Pitkanen (?) by a Leaf only to have Roenick score the OT winning goal for the Flyers seconds later to eliminate them from the playoffs.

Pitkanen IIRC was crawling to the bench, clearly concussed.

That was Sami Kapanen, not Pitkanen.

Darcy Tucker crushed Kapanen and instead of staying down, he fought like hell to get into the vicinity of the bench where he was actually pulled in by the stick of Keith Primeau.

The Flyers had a 2 on 1 right after with Recchi and LeClair, Recchi fired it wide and the 2 of them went off for a change for Roenick and Amonte. Sundin went back the other way and tried to go 1 vs 2 but the play was broken up and the puck sent back up the ice where Roenick scooped it up and went in on the 2 v 1 with Amonte and roofed it.

Possibly my favorite sequence of hockey ever and an incredible ending to an absolute war of a series.

 

[NyQuil]

That was Sami Kapanen, not Pitkanen.

Keep reading the thread.

 

[Rebels57]

Keep reading the thread.

Pitkanen did assist the Roenick GWG though!

 

[LuckyPierre]

Ryan Miller's save on Jason Spezza in sudden death OT during game 5 of the ECF.

Alfredsson scored shortly thereafter to win the series, but that save on Spezza kept the series alive, and was absolutely ridiculous.

 

[blood gin]

Right before Dale Hunter won it in overtime of Game 7 in 1988, Pete Peeters stopped somebody on a breakaway or a partial breakaway

 

[blood gin]

- Paul Henderson’s game 7 goal. Obviously, everyone remembers his game 8 goal, but had the previous game ended in a tie, it would have had a far lesser impact.

To me it's kind of strange that they agreed to ties in this series. Why not treat it like a playoff series with sudden death OT until we get a winner

 

[MaxV]

To me it's kind of strange that they agreed to ties in this series. Why not treat it like a playoff series with sudden death OT until we get a winner

It was supposed to be just an exhibition.