What is the greatest NHL game of all-time?

[blood gin]

I'd be curious what would get voted the greatest regular season game of all time. From a pure entertainment value. Doesn't have to be one with a lot at stake.

 

[rfournier103]

I'd be curious what would get voted the greatest regular season game of all time. From a pure entertainment value. Doesn't have to be one with a lot at stake.

Gretzky’s 50th goal in 39 games vs. the Flyers gets my early vote.
I’m sure @The Panther can give us the date.

 

[GMR]

I'd be curious what would get voted the greatest regular season game of all time. From a pure entertainment value. Doesn't have to be one with a lot at stake.

Well, I mentioned one earlier. The Fight Night at the Joe. That was entertaining on many levels. High scoring game. Famous brawl involving multiple Hall of Fame players. I believe it was a nationally televised game as well.

 

[blood gin]

Well, I mentioned one earlier. The Fight Night at the Joe. That was entertaining on many levels. High scoring game. Famous brawl involving multiple Hall of Fame players. I believe it was a nationally televised game as well.

Yes I remember that. And it made the national news too

 

[shadow1]

There are lots of great games that happened before my time. One of the best I've seen on replay is Penguins @ Capitals, Game 4 in 1996. Mario gets tossed, Barrasso gets hurt, Wregget save on Joe Juneau penalty shot in double OT, and the game goes until the dying seconds of the 4th OT.

Best game I've seen is Kings @ Hawks, Game 7 in 2014. Two battle born champions go back in forth, with Alex Martinez winning it in overtime. The Kings just wouldn't die in that game.

 

[c9777666]

I’ll go old school.

Game 7 of the 1950 + 1954 Cup Finals

The ultimate in tension and glory and stakes: game 7 OT for the Cup

 

[Taro Tsujimoto]

Sabres/Senators, Game 1, 2006:

 

[blood gin]

Sabres/Senators, Game 1, 2006:

Good find

 

[SlickHands]

The Brawl in Hockeytown. Being in my teens at the time, and suffering through the early years of the Russian Five and that era, it was the most hyped I've been after a game.

 

[Scintillating10]

Mine be '71 Playoffs. Canadiens score 5 in third period for dramatic comeback against Bobby Orr and the Big, Bad Bruins

 

[tailgunner]

there is no debate here at all, quite clearly it is the 94 ECF game 7...nothing else even remotely compares

 

[LuckyPierre]

Sabres/Senators, Game 1, 2006:

Senators fan - I don't think I'll ever get over the rollercoaster that was that game. Each period there were storylines. Every goal had a counterpunch, it seemed.

 

[double5son10]

Mine be '71 Playoffs. Canadiens score 5 in third period for dramatic comeback against Bobby Orr and the Big, Bad Bruins

Same series, but I'd probably go w/ Game 7. Dryden derailed a potential dynasty w/ a legend making performance..

 

[Spirit of McMullen]

I'd be curious what would get voted the greatest regular season game of all time. From a pure entertainment value. Doesn't have to be one with a lot at stake.

From a NJD fan standpoint and a game/games that changed and defined the fortunes of an entire franchise, the infamous "Mickey Mouse", 13-4 game in Edmonton 11/19/83. Gretzky with 8 points, Kurri with 5 goals.

Aside from Gretzky's misconstrued "Mickey Mouse" comments, the Oilers just put on a clinic. Made it look so easy. Remember this game very well. It was a turning point in effect for the NJD team/franchise, although it wasn't rapid. They would be in Game 7 of the Conference Finals four seasons later. Those 1988 Finals almost were Wayne Gretzky, meet Mickey Mouse!

The rematch in NJ that January was probably the most exciting, if not insane, regular season game I've ever attended as a young teenager. Everybody came in Mickey Mouse ears, signs, posters and booed the heck out of Gretzky every time he touched the puck. Devils lost 5-4, but I remember the place went absolutely bonkers when after being down 5-2, they scored 2 goals in the 3rd and had the Oilers on their heels until the end.

That was the Mario Lemiuex draft season and there were rumors the Devils were on the verge of relocating to Saskatoon. Can't find anything on that, but I did find old articles about the Blues being another team rumored to be moving there as well in 1983. All-Star Game was also in NJ at the end of January, so it was kind of a crazy 2-month time.

If it wasn't for that initial 13-4 game in Edmonton, it's most likely that owner John McMullen wouldn't have made a determined and methodic search for respect & stability, culminating in hiring Lou Lamoriello in 1987.

Superstars, goals, points, a pathetic franchise in it's 3rd location and Mickey Mouse. Doesn't get any more exciting than that.

 

[Big Phil]

I'd be curious what would get voted the greatest regular season game of all time. From a pure entertainment value. Doesn't have to be one with a lot at stake.

Since memorable games are born in the playoffs it has to be the Motown Brawl in 1997. Honestly, I gained a ton of respect for the Red Wings when that happened. They all won their fights too. Larionov bloodied up Forsberg, McCarty did the same to Claude, Shanny clotheslined Roy, Vernon got the edge over Roy. Oh, and the Wings won the game in overtime too. There was hate, animosity and sort of a turning point of which team was going to take over for the next few years. For regular season games I can't imagine a more famous one.

 

[Big Phil]

Just another regular season game not mentioned, it is a classic, not "edge of your seat type" but famous because we all know it. Sittler's 10 point night. Not that it was anything special going into that night. Just a regular Boston-Toronto game at the Gardens on Saturday night. Even after the first period, no big deal. Sittler had a couple of assists. Nothing crazy here. Then 5 points in the 2nd period and then a hat trick in the 3rd. 10 points. It gets a little exciting once he is chasing the record of 8. So I don't know if it a "greatest" game because from quality alone it isn't, heck the game was 11-4!

I often wonder, what changes if Orr is in the line up? Or Cheevers?

 

[HF007]

Canucks Hawks Game 7 2011

 

[frisco]

Going to make a regular season contribution here. Nov 2008(can't recall exact date-too lazy to look it up.) Pitt at Detroit. Red Wings go up 5-2 early in third, Pens tie it late at 6 to send it to OT, and score in OT for the win.

Yeah, this for a regular season game is as good as it gets. Especially, considering it was pretty hyped as a Stanley Cup rematch from the previous spring.

My Best-Carey

 

[Scintillating10]

Same series, but I'd probably go w/ Game 7. Dryden derailed a potential dynasty w/ a legend making performance..

Game 7 against the Black Hawks was a great game also

 

[justafan22]

It's not a historical game at all, but simply based on pace, one of the better playoff games since the lockout.

Hawks-Kings Game 5: One of the Greatest Hockey Overtimes Ever Played

 

[blood gin]

Since memorable games are born in the playoffs it has to be the Motown Brawl in 1997. Honestly, I gained a ton of respect for the Red Wings when that happened. They all won their fights too. Larionov bloodied up Forsberg, McCarty did the same to Claude, Shanny clotheslined Roy, Vernon got the edge over Roy. Oh, and the Wings won the game in overtime too. There was hate, animosity and sort of a turning point of which team was going to take over for the next few years. For regular season games I can't imagine a more famous one.

That is a good one and also it got the NHL a lot of national exposure. Nightly news shows all over America featured the game and highlights from it

I also recall a Devils Oilers game from 2000 or 2001. Devils in Edmonton. Very exciting game. 4-4 went into OT. The crowd at Edmonton gave a standing ovation to both teams in the waning seconds of overtime. I remember Emrick acknowledging it

 

[blood gin]

This was actually the one. Magnificent regular season game

New Jersey Devils at Edmonton Oilers Box Score — March 17, 2001 | Hockey-Reference.com

Scoring Summary

1st Period
02:07	EDM	Mike Comrie (6) Anson Carter and Ryan Smyth
12:48	EDM	Jason Smith (5) Igor Ulanov and Georges Laraque
2nd Period
14:27	EDM	Mike Grier (16) Todd Marchant
18:10	NJD	John Madden (22) Brian Rafalski and Turner Stevenson
3rd Period
01:14	NJD	Patrik Elias (30) Petr Sykora and Colin White
04:26	EDM	Tom Poti (12) Mike Comrie and Ryan Smyth
06:08	NJD	PP — Randy McKay (20) Alexander Mogilny and Petr Sykora
08:42	NJD	Bobby Holik (13)
12:35	EDM	Todd Marchant (12) Mike Grier and Ethan Moreau
16:04	NJD	Patrik Elias (31) Petr Sykora
1st OT Period
04:51	NJD	Patrik Elias (32)

[TBODY] [/TBODY]
[TBODY] [/TBODY]

 

[Hextallent63]

The Smythe-Division Semi-Final, Game #7 between the Flames and the Canucks. It was absolutely ridiculous end to end hockey. As a Canuck fan the overtime was as nail-biting as I've ever felt (and that includes the Game #7 Cup final versus New York). And the end? Geezus.......Smyl stoned by Vernon alone. The Flames win it finally and then went on to win the Cup. But nothing topped that game and series for me. I knew I wouldn't see anything as exciting the rest of the playoffs.

Have a look at the overtime

I was a hockey fan by then but watching pure athletic straight up reflex goalies like Vernon Richter Casey ranford beaupre and tererri made me fall in love with hockey. If your a younger fan of the NHL YouTube or Google highlight reals of goalies of this era. There amazing.

 

[Terrier]

I'd be curious what would get voted the greatest regular season game of all time. From a pure entertainment value. Doesn't have to be one with a lot at stake.

For me, Habs-Bruins on Feb 9, 2011 comes to mind.

 

[frisco]

December 27, 2000. Mario comes out of retirement. Electric atmosphere with the anticipation after 3.5 years off. #66 comes down from the rafters. Pens scores on first shift with Lemieux getting an assist. He adds a goal and another assist (Jagr 2-2) as Pittsburgh pummels a pretty good Toronto team 5-0. For a regular season games that was special. One of my most memorable games, regular or playoffs, ever.

My Best-Carey