What are hockey's famous "Carlton Fisk" moments that didn't translate into winning?

[Big Phil]

Okay baseball fans, and even casual ones, you know about Carlton Fisk's famous home run in the bottom of the 12th inning in Game 6 of the 1975 World Series at Fenway Park. Walk off home run to win the game right off of the foul pole. Probably among the top 5 most famous home runs in baseball history just for its notoriety, although I think there are plenty of other home runs in baseball history that were more IMPORTANT to the context of winning. Here's why. Fisk's homerun is still a legendary moment, but it didn't change anything. The Red Sox lost Game 7 to the Reds in another close game. So in reality the Fisk home run just delayed a Reds win, and a Red Sox loss. If the Red Sox win, then the walk off home run is as important as David Freese's one in Game 6 in 2011. So what moments does hockey have like that? In other words, great moments in a series, or a game, that we all know about but still didn't translate into a victory.

Paul Kariya 2003 - He was drilled by Scott Stevens in Game 6 of the 2003 Cup final. He literally is shown "coming to" as he is laying on the ice as we see the fog come back on his visor. Then he comes back and scores a goal that seals the deal and makes it 4-1. All after that big hit. Great moment, but the Ducks lost Game 7, and the Cup.

Valeri Kamensky 1987 Canada Cup - Scored an impossible highlight reel goal in Game 2 of the Canada Cup final with a minute to go to tie the game against Canada. What ensued was double overtime and tons of chances for the Russians to win it but in the end Mario nets the winner and then Canada wins in Game 3. If the Russians win in Game 2, that Kamensky goal whether we Canadians like to admit it or not, is more revered.

Rene Robert's fog goal 1975 - A rare time you see Bernie Parent let in a soft goal. However, this one can be explained. Game 3 goes into overtime in a game in Buffalo that was so hot there was a fog over the ice. The game would have to stop just so the players could all skate around the ice to lift the fog. If the Flyers win this game they are up 3-0 in the series but Robert's goal gives the Sabres the win. They win Game 4 but then lose the next two to Philly and ultimately the Cup. Yet whenever we think about the 1975 final, we always think about this game first.

* - Plays such as the Yzerman goal in 1996 or Richard's famous dazed goal in 1952 or Morrow's 1984 overtime winner aren't what I was looking for because while those teams didn't win the Cup, they did win their series.

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[The Panther]

One goal I've never liked is Theoren Fleury's famous game six OT winner in Edmonton. Not only did Fleury go overboard with the hot-dogging in celebration, but the Oilers won the series 48 hours later.

 

[Big Phil]

Yes good one! I can't believe I drew a blank on that one. Every hockey fan has seen the play where Fleury is gliding across the ice after the goal. I know you are an Oilers fan, so I can understand why you wouldn't like that. But yeah, it is famous, but it changed nothing.

 

[WaltPoddubny]

Doug Wickenhesier in the Monday Night Miracle.

 

[MaxV]

- Well if you are going to mention Kamensky’s game 2 goal, you might as well mention Semak’s game 1 goal also.

- I remember the 2008 SC finals between Pens and Wings. Game 5 in particular, Pens forced game 6 with several such moments. Talbot’s equalizer with 34 seconds left, Fleury’s awesome skate save on a 2-on-1 in OT and Sykora’s goal in 3rd OT are all moments that kept them alive in the series. That was an incredible game. Pens showed a ton of heart and while it was a little too late in that series, they certainly carried that into the future.

 

[Big Phil]

Doug Wickenhesier in the Monday Night Miracle.

Yes, very good one. It epitomizes what this thread asked about. I can't believe I forgot about it.

- Well if you are going to mention Kamensky’s game 2 goal, you might as well mention Semak’s game 1 goal also.

- I remember the 2008 SC finals between Pens and Wings. Game 5 in particular, Pens forced game 6 with several such moments. Talbot’s equalizer with 34 seconds left, Fleury’s awesome skate save on a 2-on-1 in OT and Sykora’s goal in 3rd OT are all moments that kept them alive in the series. That was an incredible game. Pens showed a ton of heart and while it was a little too late in that series, they certainly carried that into the future.

Fair enough. Fleury was spectacular in 2008 and what people remember the most is him letting in a soft goal to Zetterberg in the clinching game.

That Semak goal was perfectly placed too. Even Game 1 was such a wonderfully played game that you never wanted to see end.

 

[mrhockey193195]

Great one with the Fleury goal. How about the last minute of game 6 of the 94 finals, and the famous picture of McLean and Linden? It wasn't one "moment" like a goal or a save, so not sure if it counts, but is certainly something that a lot of people remember.

 

[YEM]

Keith Primeau continuing his amazing playoff in '04, tying up game 6 vs. Tampa with a minute left in the game, Flyers lose a nail-biter in game 7

 

[reckoning]

1976: Darryl Sittler ties a NHL playoff record by scoring 5 goals in a brawl-filled Game 6 of the Toronto-Philadelphia quarter-final, equalling the series at 3-3. Philadelphia goes on to trounce Toronto 7-3 in Game 7.

1989: Game 5 of the Patrick Division Final, Mario Lemieux has what I consider to be the best game of his career with 5 goals and 3 assists, to give Pittsburgh a 3-2 series lead against Philadelphia. Then the Flyers go on to win Games 6 and 7 to take the series. Lemieux is a combined minus-6 over those two games.

 

[vadim sharifijanov]

kirk mclean’s 52 save game to steal game one of the 94 finals

 

[solidmotion]

toews vs canucks—ties the game shorthanded in a pretty incredible effort with under 2 minutes left. burrows scores just over 5 minutes into overtime.

 

[eli4spetterss0n]

Matt Cooke ties the game 5 seconds left. Gelinas goes on to win it for the Flames in OT

 

[Big Phil]

Great one with the Fleury goal. How about the last minute of game 6 of the 94 finals, and the famous picture of McLean and Linden? It wasn't one "moment" like a goal or a save, so not sure if it counts, but is certainly something that a lot of people remember.

I am almost positive that is, or was, someone's profile picture on here for a very long time. But yeah, we all know the picture. Just elation, and exhaustion on Linden's face. It was hard to dislike the 1994 Canucks, which is strange because I didn't cheer for the 2011 Canucks for one round.

 

[Johnny Engine]

When Adam Foote scored to put Canada up 2-1 in the 1996 World Cup Final, it had "heartwarming narrative" written all over it. Rugged, dependable good guy who most people wouldn't have had making the team before the tournament scores the big one to win it? You'd never hear the end of it. But then the Americans blew the game wide open, so it's just another goal now.

 

[c9777666]

Game 7, 1993 Patrick Division Finals.

Penguins score twice late to tie the game....

but then they got Volek'd

 

[Flamer12]

Wendel Clark's hat trick against the Kings in game 6. Came off the bench for the extra man and tied the game up in last minute with an incredible wrist shot. Then, the high stick, The Great One scores in overtime, and good night.

 

[GMR]

Valeri Zelepukin's goal to tie game 7 in 1994 is a good one. If Jersey wins that game and ultimately the Cup, maybe he'd be more recognizable name like Matteau ended up being.

 

[McGarnagle]

This game was insane, back and forth, tempers flaring, remarkable finish and it pretty much reawakened the dormant Bruins' franchise and was their first real demonstration to the hockey world of what would develop into the core that made them one of the most dangerous clubs from 2009-2014.

They got absolutely destroyed in game 7 two nights later.

 

[McGarnagle]

Also, I think Tucker's hit on Kapanen is more well-known than Roenick's goal to eliminate the Leafs like 40 seconds later.

 

[LeafsNation75]

Game 6 of the 2002 Easter Conference Finals with the Leafs facing elimination Mats Sundin ties the game at 1-1 and sends it to overtime, however the Leafs ended up losing and the Hurricanes went onto the Stanley Cup Finals.

 

[Michael Farkas]

Not a great, great moment...but I think the goal gets some series iconic-ism if they win the series...

Subban's one time laser in game 7 of the 2011 ECQF vs Boston...just about derailed (and should have derailed, with Kostitsyn's chance later, a lollipop that beat Thomas and hit the post, as I recall) a Cup win...

 

[LeafsNation75]

Is it fair to include when Boston came back from 4-1 down against Toronto in the 3rd period of Game 7 in 2013? I know that night they ended up winning the series, however in the end they lost to Chicago in the Stanley Cup Final and had they won the Cup that year I think the Leafs collapse gets talked about even more, if that was even possible.

 

[blood gin]

Rangers Islanders in 1984. Game 5 (decisive game) and the Rangers tie it on a very controversial likely high stick, only to have Morrow finish them on a screened trickler

Hanlon made an incredible save on Bob Bourne earlier as well

 

[Normand Lacombe]

Oilers-Flyers, Game 6 of the 1987 Cup. Facing a 2-1 deficit in the 3rd period, Brian Propp ties the game with a wrist shot past Grant Fuhr. About a minute later, little used JJ Daigneault finds himself on the ice for a rare shift. Daigneault sends a shot towards Fuhr that somehow finds the back of the net to give the Flyers the lead. Daigneault's goal sends the Spectrum into the loudest frenzy that anyone has ever heard. The Flyers survive a late rush from Edmonton to tie the series. Back in Edmonton for Game 7, the Oilers win 3-1 to take home their 3rd Cup in 4 years.

 

[JonathanK]

Regular season, so of no particular consequence, however the one that comes to mind instantly for me is the insane Ales Hemsky goal after Patrik Stefan whiffed on an empty net. Dallas went on to win in either OT or a shootout, I cannot recall which one.