Your favourite series?

[se7en*]

Or what do you think was the greatest series, which were written like a perfect script?? Do you know what I mean?

Mine are the 1987 Finals or the 1991 Smythe Division semis. Both featured truly amazing hockey.

Click to read more...

 

[Bring Back Bucky]

As an Oiler fan, I don't even want to start my rants about their great showdowns, it would bore you all to death.

Let me tell you, though, that the 1982 Quebec-Montreal best of five was some of the gutsiest, bloodiest and nastiest hockey I ever witnessed, and I would sit through any of those games again even if I had to watch them on the old black and white 13 inch tv i had in my bedroom back then. That was awesome hockey.

 

[hockeyfan125]

Calgary 1994 or Calgary 2004
St Louis 2003

From my lifetime anyways...

 

[acr*]

Bruins-Devils Wales Final in '88 had everything, close games, lopsided scores, "HAVE ANOTHER DONUT YOU FAT PIG", Scab Refs, Lou Lamorello coaching a game, Reggie Lemelin busting his head open with the top of the trophy...they don't get much funnier than that series

 

[Darz]

As a habs fan.....

1979 Montreal-Boston
1982 Montreal-Quebec ('84 and '93 series between the two should get mentioned as well)
1986 Montreal-Hartford
1989 Montreal-Philly
1993 Montreal-L.A.
2002 Montreal-Boston (as well as the 2004 series between the two)

 

[BuppY]

Ottawa- Toronto series have been great last few years.

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

As a hockey fan, the 1987 Finals was tremendous. As a Flyers fan, the 1974 Finals was beyond belief.

 

[Psycho Papa Joe]

1979 Habs/Bruins - the one team that actually gave the Habs a run in the late 70's
1986 Flames/Oilers - just huge. The greatest upset of my lifetime.
1994 Rangers/Nucks - One of the funnest finals I've ever witnessed.
1986 Habs/Whalers - Lemieux scores in OT in game 7 and Habs don't look back on the way to the cup.
1987 Oilers/Flyers - The Flyers of the mid to late 80's might be the best team I have ever seen that didn't win a cup. This is the closest they got and it was a great series.
1993 Kings/Leafs - Moohahaha:lol
1984 Habs/Nordiques - The brawl to end it all
1978 Leafs/Isles - in 1978 both teams were on the brink of greatness and had the ingredients to be a future cup champ IMO. Then the Leafs dismantled a team with great potential, and the Isles added the finishing touches in the next couple of years. For one moment in time, the Leafs were actually a step ahead.
1993 Habs/Nordiques - what a friggen comeback. Games 3 to 6 were the best I ever seen Roy play.
2004 Bolts/Flames - The best and funnest final in a long time.
1989 Flames/Nucks - Oh man the Nucks had them on the ropes and a bad call in OT let the future champs escape by the skin of their teeth

 

[Recast]

I liked the Colorado/Edmonton series when Edmonton won it in 7 games, the series that Marchant scored the OT goal in, the Habs/Kings series in the early 90's (for the cup), Anaheim/Detroit when Anaheim went on to the Finals among others. I haven't been a diehard hockey fan for very long (2-3 years), so I don't have a lot of "playoff experience". I've lived on the NHL Network for 2 years trying to get caught up

 

[Crosbyfan]

70-71 Montreal/Boston

Made Ken Dryden famous. I remember Montreal was down 5-1 one game before they launched a comeback. I remember praying for Montreal to tie it up and force overtime. It didn't get to overtime. Monteal won 7-5 and went on to win in 7 against the heavily favoured bruins.

 

[acr*]

70-71 Montreal/Boston

Made Ken Dryden famous. I remember Montreal was down 5-1 one game before they launched a comeback. I remember praying for Montreal to tie it up and force overtime. It didn't get to overtime. Monteal won 7-5 and went on to win in 7 against the heavily favoured bruins.

That was the fault of the coaching staff. They kept going with the Cheevers-Johnston-Cheevers-Johnston pattern despite the fact that Gerry Cheevers was on fire and had stolen game 1, then game 2 came and Johnston blew the big lead, which just set the Habs in motion.

I really hope I didn't get the goalies backwards, I wasn't alive at the time, but have heard all the stories.

 

[Big Phil]

That was the fault of the coaching staff. They kept going with the Cheevers-Johnston-Cheevers-Johnston pattern despite the fact that Gerry Cheevers was on fire and had stolen game 1, then game 2 came and Johnston blew the big lead, which just set the Habs in motion.

I really hope I didn't get the goalies backwards, I wasn't alive at the time, but have heard all the stories.

Yeah its true. Harry Sinden apparently promised Eddie Johnston he'd start game 2. He did start it but he should have been yankd before it got out of hand. But the Habs were a team of destiny that year, so I'm not sure if it mattered to have Cheevers in there or not.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

1993 Campbell Conference Finals
Toronto Maple Leafs (Norris Division)
vs.
Los Angeles Kings (Smythe Division)

So much drama involved in that series. People up north thought at that time Doug Gilmour was the best player in the world (at least in Don Cherry's mind). Bob McKenzie saying "Gretzky is playing like he has a piano on his back."
Everyone in Canada wishing to see a Maple Leafs vs. Canadiens Stanley Cup Finals match-up.

The big hit by McSorley on Gilmour and the infamous scrap that took place afterwards with Wendell Clark sticking up for his fallen teammate. Rookie goalie Felix Potvin playing out of his mind. Kelly Hrudey's "entertaining" unorthodox style of goaltending. And there were so many bone rattling hits. I believe it was Pat Burns or Barry Melrose who said that was the most physical seven game series they ever witnissed. I also forgot to mention both coaches nearly going at it during that series. So many varying factors played a part in making this one of the best playoff series in NHL history (at least in my mind).

The Leafs were also up 3 games to 2 with Game 6 going to overtime after the Kings blew a lead... and Gretzky wins the game in OT to send game 7 back to Toronto.
Wayne Gretzky has said many times that his performance in Game 7 against the Maple Leafs was probably the best game of his career.

That entire 7 game series must be released on DVD!

 

[2112]

1993 Campbell Conference Finals
Toronto Maple Leafs (Norris Division)
vs.
Los Angeles Kings (Smythe Division)

I agree, the 1993 playoffs were (for me) one of the greatest playoffs ever...

The Habs against Quebec (comeback) was a great series also. But the best one was the finals against L.A. ..the best player in the world against the best goalie in the world. It was quite the final, John LeClair's two OT goals , Desjardin's hat-trick, McSorely's stick....

I don't know if anyone has the Habs Video recap from the playoffs called "Champs". I used to watch that as a kid every day growing up in Montreal....I became a Habs fan ever since.

 

[IdiotsPickedMyName*]

For me it was when the sens beat the devils in 98 with Kerry Fraser as ref. I was at the game sitting right behind the devils net when goal 3 was scored there is a picture in the corel centre with me pointing and laughing towards the net with the goal light on. I will always remember that game.

 

[Jacques Plante]

I agree, the 1993 playoffs were (for me) one of the greatest playoffs ever...

The Habs against Quebec (comeback) was a great series also. But the best one was the finals against L.A. ..the best player in the world against the best goalie in the world. It was quite the final, John LeClair's two OT goals , Desjardin's hat-trick, McSorely's stick....

I don't know if anyone has the Habs Video recap from the playoffs called "Champs". I used to watch that as a kid every day growing up in Montreal....I became a Habs fan ever since.

LOL, I have that video too, and like you, have watched it many, many times. I now know everything about the '93 playofffs.

 

[reckoning]

Two that nobody mentioned yet:

Islanders/Rangers 1st rd`84:insane end-to-end action in final ot
Devils/Sabres 1st rd`94: Brodeur vs. Hasek for 7 great games

 

[The Legend]

Does anyone watch those "classic series" on NHL Network? I personally love the show, and it focuses on many of the series that you guys are talking about here.

 

[Lou is God]

1987 Canada Cup finals Between Canada and Russia. All the games ended in 6-5 and it was the best hockey I ever saw hands down.

Super Mario and The Great One were on the same line, it was great!

 

[Ross MacLochness]

I don't know if anyone has the Habs Video recap from the playoffs called "Champs". I used to watch that as a kid every day growing up in Montreal....I became a Habs fan ever since.

Beauty.

I know this video word for word.

That, or Rock'em Sock'em 7 before every one of my games.

 

[reckoning]

Does anyone watch those "classic series" on NHL Network? I personally love the show, and it focuses on many of the series that you guys are talking about here.

A couple of years ago i decided to subscribe to the NHL Network and was looking forward to their Classic broadcasts,perhaps getting the chance to see greats like Gretzky,Orr or Howe in their prime.
Do you know what their game was that day?

Columbus vs. Nashville from the 2000-01 season.

Boy,did that bring back memories.

 

[mcphee]

That was the fault of the coaching staff. They kept going with the Cheevers-Johnston-Cheevers-Johnston pattern despite the fact that Gerry Cheevers was on fire and had stolen game 1, then game 2 came and Johnston blew the big lead, which just set the Habs in motion.

I really hope I didn't get the goalies backwards, I wasn't alive at the time, but have heard all the stories.

That's the series I would mention also. You got the goalies right but it wasn't a case of Cheevers being on fire. Boston won G1 3-1 and Dryden held Mtl. in the game in a situation where Boston was a heavy favorite. Dryden sent the message that hmmm, maybe we have a series here after all. EJ had been promised G2 and the coaching staff felt they might do more damage than good changing things up. EJ was popular and going against their word might have backfired. At leats that's what Tom Johnson related to Red Fisher before G2. Johnston wasn't exactly a sieve in G2, though he didn't make the big saves. Once the momentum shifted, Boston didn't get it back. Both teams were loaded with HOF'ers but more of Boston's were in their prime, it might have been the best team not to win a cup when you look closely at them.

 

[LadyByngJeanRatelle]

Leafs - Isles (2002-03) - Most brutal series played in the 00's.
- Steve Webb running all over the place
- Tucker taking out Peca
- Webb taking out Sundin
- The Corson-Cairns-Tucker-Bates brawl at the end of game 6,
- Controversial Penalty shot to win game 4.
- Peca taunting Cujo, saying 'this might be his last game in Toronto'
- Yashin vs. Corson part 2
- The Pat Quinn infamous move of embarrassing Reichel by not putting him in the lineup and having Reichel have to leave the ice (looking very dejected I might add)

That series was entertainment.

 

[Chili]

70-71 Montreal/Boston

Made Ken Dryden famous. I remember Montreal was down 5-1 one game before they launched a comeback. I remember praying for Montreal to tie it up and force overtime. It didn't get to overtime. Monteal won 7-5 and went on to win in 7 against the heavily favoured bruins.

That's my choice as well.

The Bruins rewrote the record books that season smashing goals for and points records. I believe they had 7 of the top 10 or 11 scorers.

I remember the Habs scoring just before the end of the second period of game two to make it 5-2 Bruins (I believe Jean Beliveau scored that goal) and then scoring 5 unanswered in the third. Dryden was phenomenal that night.

The finals that same year between the Habs and Hawks was also an incredible tilt.

The Habs/Bruins 1979 and Rangers/Pens 1991 (or 1992?) are a couple of other memorable series.

 

[Dave is a killer]

Leafs - Isles (2002-03) - Most brutal series played in the 00's.
- Steve Webb running all over the place
- Tucker taking out Peca
- Webb taking out Sundin
- The Corson-Cairns-Tucker-Bates brawl at the end of game 6,
- Controversial Penalty shot to win game 4.
- Peca taunting Cujo, saying 'this might be his last game in Toronto'
- Yashin vs. Corson part 2
- The Pat Quinn infamous move of embarrassing Reichel by not putting him in the lineup and having Reichel have to leave the ice (looking very dejected I might add)

That series was entertainment.

agreed ... that was one of the best playoff series I've seen in a while