What is "The Game" in hockey?

[Pominville Knows]

I’d say Miracle On Ice

It was not on live in the US i believe, though. Can't be good anyways.

 

[Fixxer]

For recent times in the NHL, it's the dueling hat tricks between Ovechkin and Crosby IMO. That game was crazy.

It was during the playoffs too.

 

[DannyGallivan]

Was it the best game ever played? No. For that, maybe look towards Red Army vs. Montreal on New Year’s Eve or Fight Night at the Joe.

Overrated game. Montreal totally dominated every facet of that game and should have won by about eight goals. That was the one game where I could buy that Tretiak was a top 10 goalie of all time... he was amazing in it. Meanwhile, Dryden let in two weak goals and faced only 11 shots the entire game. It was exceptionally thrilling and exceptionally frustrating if you were a Canadian/Habs fan. All three games in the final of the '87 Canada Cup were superior.

Other great games...
Game 8 in '72 (obviously)
Canada's overtime win against the Soviets in the semi's of the '84 Canada Cup
Game seven of the Montreal/Chicago final in '71 (NHL)
Game seven of the Montreal/Boston semi final in '79 (NHL)

 

[VMBM]

Overrated game. Montreal totally dominated every facet of that game and should have won by about eight goals. That was the one game where I could buy that Tretiak was a top 10 goalie of all time... he was amazing in it. Meanwhile, Dryden let in two weak goals and faced only 11 shots the entire game. It was exceptionally thrilling and exceptionally frustrating if you were a Canadian/Habs fan. All three games in the final of the '87 Canada Cup were superior.

13 shots actually. And I'd question that statistic too a little bit (seemed to be a couple of more); not that the Habs weren't dominating clearly (as acknowledged).

 

[DannyGallivan]

13 shots actually. And I'd question that statistic too a little bit (seemed to be a couple of more); not that the Habs weren't dominating clearly (as acknowledged).

Although I was just a kid, that was one of the most frustrating games - if not THE most frustrating game - I ever saw in my life.

 

[brachyrynchos]

Didn't the OP specifically go out of his way to specify that only NHL games were under consideration here?



Probably some overlap with this thread :

What is the greatest NHL game of all-time?

You're right, and hey...thanks for not only pointing me in the direction of a more appropriate thread but for the respectful response as well. I appreciate that. Cheers.

 

[Big Phil]

No read the whole thing as evidenced by my post. Try doing the same.

Sorry Canadiens1958, you should have read everything. While I always love talking about international hockey and those iconic games, and we still can here, it is the NHL I am specifically thinking about.

 

[Big Phil]

Game 7 1994 Rangers vs Vancouver

Not bad. Messier accepting the Cup with his emotions is up there as a great moment. Great game too, great series, great overall postseason and sadly since the lockout happened right after that perhaps hockey has never been like June 1994 since.

When we talk about iconic moments, I think the Bobby Orr cup clincher is right there.

But if we want to talk about an entire game that still stands the test of time as an iconic game, I gotta go with the OP.

The 79 semi final game 7 between the habs and bruins had every ingredient you would look for.

The Orr one is a good one. Not so much a duel between two teams, it was lopsided. But it might classify as "the Goal" outside of Henderson's.

 

[JianYang]

Not bad. Messier accepting the Cup with his emotions is up there as a great moment. Great game too, great series, great overall postseason and sadly since the lockout happened right after that perhaps hockey has never been like June 1994 since.



The Orr one is a good one. Not so much a duel between two teams, it was lopsided. But it might classify as "the Goal" outside of Henderson's.

Sure, I got the feeling that we looking at the NHL only, and not international events.

 

[quoipourquoi]

Just realized Game 5 of the 2000 Stanley Cup Finals is on YouTube. Guess I’ll be setting aside 3 hours this week. That game was awesome.

 

[psycat]

Maybe Gretzky's last game? Statue of liberty game? Lemieux comeback?

I don't know, probably rather bad answers but just adding to the already mentioned ones.

 

[Pominville Knows]

Maybe Gretzky's last game? Statue of liberty game? Lemieux comeback?

I don't know, probably rather bad answers but just adding to the already mentioned ones.

Lemieux's comeback was very anticipated and he sure delivered.
Gretzky's last game was a poorly played drag of a sentimentality.

 

[quoipourquoi]

Statue of liberty game?

Outside of that play and the stick measurement, I don’t know. Game 1 of the series was awesome. Then I’d go Game 6 from 1996, Game 4 from 1997, Game 3 from 1999, and Game 4 from 2000 for the other series between Detroit and Colorado.

 

[JianYang]

Lemieux's comeback was very anticipated and he sure delivered.
Gretzky's last game was a poorly played drag of a sentimentality.

Mario's comeback was amazing. That first game back only added to his legend. He was too good at hockey.

I know that penguin team had holes, but man, they had some great talent. Kovalev, straka, Lang, jagr, Mario. It was must watch tv for me.

 

[Prsut18]

I know this is not so important for many of you, as it is in my country, but I´d like to add two games in WC in Stockholm 1969, where Czechoslovakia defeated SSSR both times (2:0, 4:3) ...it was shortly after Czechoslovakia was invaded by Soviet army and beginning of the dark times of totality... those two games had HUGE impact on all the society here.. even those who didn´t care about hockey before at all... it was revenge for all the bad things happened .. it was only a game, but it ment LOT for the whole country

 

[DannyGallivan]

Mario's comeback was amazing. That first game back only added to his legend. He was too good at hockey

It was amazing.

 

[The Panther]

I know this is not so important for many of you, as it is in my country, but I´d like to add two games in WC in Stockholm 1969, where Czechoslovakia defeated SSSR both times (2:0, 4:3) ...it was shortly after Czechoslovakia was invaded by Soviet army and beginning of the dark times of totality... those two games had HUGE impact on all the society here.. even those who didn´t care about hockey before at all... it was revenge for all the bad things happened .. it was only a game, but it ment LOT for the whole country

That's fascinating.... Thanks for sharing!

 

[VMBM]

I know this is not so important for many of you, as it is in my country, but I´d like to add two games in WC in Stockholm 1969, where Czechoslovakia defeated SSSR both times (2:0, 4:3) ...it was shortly after Czechoslovakia was invaded by Soviet army and beginning of the dark times of totality... those two games had HUGE impact on all the society here.. even those who didn´t care about hockey before at all... it was revenge for all the bad things happened .. it was only a game, but it ment LOT for the whole country

The Soviet Union vs Czechoslovakia rivalry is historically really underrated imo. There is this somewhat deluted notion that the Soviets were just destroying the opposition in Europe, but it wasn't univocally so; CSSR was a very difficult opponent for them especially in 1968-78, and it could be said that they often even had the upper hand in 1969-1972 and again in 1976-77 or so. Damn, a book should be written about the rivalry; there are still a few key players alive from both sides and all (anyone interested???!).

Some other classic games between the Soviets and the Czechoslovaks:

1972 WHC, second round, CSSR 3 USSR 2
1976 OG, USSR 4 CSSR 3
1977 WHC, medal round, CSSR 4 USSR 3
1978 WHC, medal round, USSR 3 CSSR 1

 

[TomP24684]

Henderson scores for Canada

 

[Staniowski]

Some of the NHL games that I remember, that also might have some significance:

Game 7 of Habs - Bruins, 1979
Game 3 of Islanders - Oilers, 1984 (symbolic start of Oilers dynasty)
Easter Epic, 1987 (first 4th overtime game for decades)
Game 7, Oilers - Flyers, 1987
Game 7, Oilers - Flames, 1984
Game 7, Oilers - Flames, 1986
Game 3, Devils - Red Wings, 1995 (symbolic spark of DPE, though it would be a couple more years)
Lemieux's return

 

[Voight]

Game 8 of the 72 Summit Series?

I get American/European fans probably could care less about it, but Henderson goal is talked about to this day and at the time it had a huge impact even outside of hockey. A Western country beating the USSR at the height of the Cold War? Huge.

Similarly the Miracle on Ice was big, especially because it was the US beating the USSR that time.