If you have been following this blog, you know I have done a 25 Greatest Moments for each round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and I will continue that with I believe are the 25 Greatest Moments to occur in the Stanley Cup Finals.
I hope you enjoy.
25. 2013-17 Seconds
Down 2-1 with under two minutes left in Game 6, the Chicago Blackhawks pull goalie Corey Crawford for an extra attacker in hopes of scoring the game-tying goal.
The Blackhawks get that goal when left winger Bryan Bicknell scores with 76 seconds left to tie the game 2-2.
Then just 17 seconds later, the Blackhawks score again as Chicago center David Bolland scored on a rebound off a Johnny Odunya shot off the post for what would be the game-winning and series-winning goal as the Blackhawks’ 3-2 victory earned them their 2nd Stanley Cup in four years.
24. 2004-The Phantom Goal
With about seven minutes left in the third period of Game 6, Calgary Flames left winger Martin Gelinas has a puck go off his skate which is stopped by Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin.
However, television replays appeared to show that the puck crossed the red line for would be the tie-breaking goal to give Calgary a 3-2 lead, but the officials do not call for a video review and play continues as the game would not end until 33 seconds into the second overtime period when Lightning right winger Martin St. Louis scores the game-winner for a 3-2 win, forcing a Game 7 back in Tampa Bay which the Lightning would win to claim their first Stanley Cup.
23. 1989-Lanny’s Last Laugh
In the final game of his 17-year career, Flames right winger Lanny McDonald scores a goal early in the second period of Game 6, to give Calgary a lead they would never give up as the Flames win the game 4-2 to win not only the team’s first Stanley Cup, but McDonald’s first as well.
22. 1974-Broad Streets Bullies Breakthrough
The Philadelphia Flyers make history as they become the first non Original Six team to win the Stanley Cup as they defeat the Boston Bruins in six games, seven years after the entered the league.
21. 1996-Roy and Vanbiesbrouck Duke It Out
A goaltending duel for the ages breaks out in Game 4 as Colorado Avalanche goalie Patrick Roy and Florida Panthers John Vanbiesbrouck do not allow a single goal through five periods of hockey.
The scoreless deadlock ends 4:31 into the third overtime period when Avalanche defenseman Uwe Krupp’s shot from the blue line gets past Vanbiesbrouck that not only gives Colorado a 1-0 victory, but also clinches the team’s first Stanley Cup.
In all, Vanbiesbrouck stopped 55 of 56 shots while Roy stopped all 63 shots he faced.
20.1954-With A Little Help From a Glove
Red Wings left winger Tony Leswick shoots the puck that bounces off the glove of Canadiens defenseman Doug Harvey and into the net for the game-winning goal 4:28 into overtime of Game 7 to give Detroit a 2-1 victory and their third Stanley Cup in five years.
It is the second and (so far) last time a Game 7 of a Stanley Cup Finals has been decided in overtime.
Tony Leswick is lifted up in the air after scoring the goal that won the 1954 Stanley Cup for the Detroit Red Wings.
19. 2018-Holtby's Save
With a little over two minutes to go in regulation of Game 2, the Washington Capitals lead 3-2 when it appeared that the Vegas Golden Knights were set to tie the game when Knights right winger Alex Tuch had the puck on his stick with a wide open net only for Capitals goalie Brandon Holtby reach back and made a spectacular stick save to stop the shot and allow for Washington to win the game 3-2 as the Caps would win the next three games to win their first Stanley Cup in team history.
18.2003-Off The Floor And On The Board
Things were looking good for the Anaheim Mighty Ducks to force a Game 7 as they held a 3-1 lead early in the second period of Game 6 until their captain, Paul Kariya, is leveled by New Jersey Devils defenseman Scott Stevens, on a hit that leaves Kariya motionless on the ice and fog to fill up his visor.
Kariya leaves the game but returns several minutes later to score a back-breaking goal with 2:45 left in the second period as the Ducks would go on to win 5-2 to force that Game 7, which they would lose 3-0, but Kariya's goal is what is remembered most from this Stanley Cup Finals thanks in large part to Gary Thorne’s call
17. 1988-The Game That Didn’t Count
Just seconds after Oilers right winger Craig Simpson scored with 3:37 left in the second period of Game 4 of the Finals with the Boston Bruins to tie the game 3-3, the lights go out at the Boston Garden thanks to a transformer explosion.
Workers can not get the lights back on so the game is cancelled and Game 4 is moved to Edmonton where the Oilers win 6-3 to clinch their fourth Stanley Cup in five years.
16. 1951-The All-Overtime Finals
All five games of the Stanley Cup Finals between the Montreal Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs end in overtime, with the Leafs winning four of them to win their fourth Stanley Cup in five years as Toronto defenseman Bill Barilko scores the goal wins the Leafs the Cup 2:53 into overtime of Game 5.
Tragically Barilko is killed in a plane crash four months later and the wreckage of that plane would not be found for 11 years, which ironically is the next time the Maple Leafs would win the Stanley Cup.
15. 1990-Kilma’s Killshot
After sitting on the bench since the second period, Oilers left winger Petr Klima ends the longest game in Stanley Cup Finals history as his wrist shot beats Bruins goaltender Andy Moog for the game-winning with 4:47 left in the third overtime period, to give Edmonton a 3-2 win and a 1-0 series lead in a game that ends at 1:23 am eastern time and last almost 5 ½ hours, which includes a 25-minute delay for another power outage at the Boston Garden.
The Oilers would go on to win the series in five games for the team’s fifth Stanley Cup in seven years.
14. 1993-Marty McSorley’s Stick
Trailing in the series 1-0 and down 2-1 with 1:45 left in Game 2, Montreal Canadiens head coach Jacques Demars asked for the referees to measure the stick of Los Angeles Kings defenseman Marty McSorley.
The refs measure the stick and deem it to be illegal, resulting in a two-minute unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for McSorley and a power play for the Canadiens.
Demars decides to pull his goaltender, Patrick Roy, for an extra attacker, giving the Canadians a 6-on-4 advantage, which the Canadiens capitalize on as Montreal defenseman Eric Desjardins scores to tie the game with 1:13 left in regulation to force overtime, where Desjardins would score the game-winning goal just 51 seconds into the extra period to give the Canadiens a 3-2 win and even the series 1-1.
The Kings never recover from the illegal stick as the Canadiens would win the next three games to win the team’s 24th Stanley Cup.
13. 2010-Where's The Puck?
In overtime of Game 6, Chicago Blackhawks right winger Patrick Kane fires a shot towards Philadelphia goaltender Michael Leighton, then starts to celebrate as if he has scored the game-winning goal, though the light to signify a goal has been scored has not been turned on.
However, Kane is right as the puck is found to be stuck in the padding of the net of the Flyers’ goal, giving Chicago a 4-3 win and clinching their first Stanley Cup in 49 years.
12. 1991-Le Magnifique
Pittsburgh Penguins superstar Mario Lemieux scores the greatest goal of his illustrious career in Game 2 of the Finals against the Minnesota North Stars(now Dallas Stars).
Pittsburgh Penguins superstar Mario Lemieux scores the greatest goal of his illustrious career in Game 2 of the Finals against the Minnesota North Stars(now Dallas Stars).
With the Penguins leading 2-1 and five minutes left in the second period, Lemieux takes a pass from Phil Borque at the Pittsburgh blue line and proceeds to skate toward the Minnesota zone with two defenders, Shawn Chambers and Neil Williamson, in front of him.
Lemieux skirts the puck in between the legs of Chambers and skates around him to get the puck back on his stick, then got goalie Jon Casey to commit to his left side, leaving the right side of the net open, where Lemieux fired a backhander that went into the net as Mario was falling down.
The spectacular goal lifted the Penguins to a 4-1 win as Pittsburgh would go on to win its first Stanley Cup as they defeated the Stars in six games.
11. 1975-The Fog and Bat Game
Perhaps the most bizarre game in NHL history is played in Game 3 of the ‘75 Finals between the Philadelphia Flyers and Buffalo Sabres as a heavy fog develops over the ice of Buffalo Municipal Auditorium, thanks to hot temperatures in Buffalo and no air conditioning in the building.
If that wasn’t strange enough, a bat flies into the middle of the arena, which is killed when Sabres center Jim Lorentz swats it with his stick.
As for the game, the Sabres win 5-4 in overtime on Rene Robert’s goal with 91 seconds left in the extra period, though the Flyers would go on to win the series in six games for their second straight Stanley Cup.
10. 1971-Cardiac Canadiens
In the unaccustomed role of underdog, the Montreal Canadiens, with rookie Ken Dryden(who had only played six games prior being named the Habs’ starting goalie for the playoffs), come back from a 0-2 series deficit to force a Game 7, where they fall behind 2-0, only to score three unanswered goals, the last coming courtesy of Montreal center Henri Richard, 2:34 into the third period to give the Canadiens a 3-2 lead.
Dryden would stop all 12 Chicago shots in the third period as the Canadiens won their 18th and most unlikely Stanley Cup in the team’s glorious history.
The Montreal Canadian players and coaches surround the Stanley Cup after their upset of the Chicago Blackhawks in the 1971 Finals.
9. 2009-Fluery’s Dive
Leading 2-1 over the Detroit Red Wings in Game 7, the Pittsburgh Penguins have to fight off one last face off in their own zone with 6.5 seconds in regulation.
But Detroit’s Henrik Zetterburg wins the faceoff and fires a shot towards the Penguins’ net that is stopped by Pittsburgh goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury, only to have bounce to Red Wings defenseman Nikolas Lidstorm with the puck on his stick and a wide open net in front of him.
However, Fleury is able to get back in time and dives in front of Lidstrom's shot to make the save as the clock ticks to zero to preserve the win for the Penguins as they become the first professional sports team to win a championship with a Game 7 road victory since the 1979 Pittsburgh Pirates of Major League Baseball.
8. 2001-Bourque Finally Wins The Cup
After spending 20 ½ seasons in Boston, Bruins defenseman Ray Bourque is traded to the Colorado Avalanche during the 2000 season in hopes of winning the Stanley Cup.
While Colorado fails to win the cup in 2000, the Avalanche come back the next year to win the Cup as they defeat the New Jersey Devils in seven games to give 5-time Norris Trophy winner(award for best defenseman) his first and only Stanley Cup as Bourque would retire in the offseason.
7.1928-Coach Patrick Plays Goalie
In Game 2, the New York Rangers’ goaltender, Lorne Chabot, is hit in the left eye with a puck on a shot by the Montreal Maroons’ Mels Stewart, causing him to leave the game.
With no backup goaltender, 44-year-old coach Lester Patrick gets off the bench inserts himself into the game as the Rangers new goaltender.
Patrick does alright for himself as he allows only one goal as the Rangers win 2-1 in overtime as New York center Frank Boucher scores the game-winning goal 2:05 into the extra period to even the series 1-1.
Patrick goes back to the bench as coach as the Rangers hire another goaltender, Joe Miller, for the rest of the series as Miller posts two shutouts to lead New York its first Stanley Cup as they defeat the Maroons 3 games to 2(it was a best-of-five series).
Lester Patrick traded in his suit for pads as the Rangers head coach took over as goaltender in Game 2 of the 1928 Finals.
6. 1950-Babando’s Game 7 Winner
For the first time in Stanley Cup Finals history, a Game 7 goes into overtime as the Detroit Red Wings and New York Rangers go into the extra period tied 3-3.
It takes more than one overtime period as the game goes into a second overtime period when Detroit center George Gee wins a faceoff in the Rangers’ zone and passes it back to left winger Pete Babando, who fires a backhander that beats New York goaltender Charlie Rayner, 8 ½ minutes into the second overtime period, to give the Red Wings a 4-3 win and the first of four Stanley Cups in six years.
5. 1999-Hull in the Crease
The Dallas Stars and Buffalo Sabres are deadlocked in a 1-1 marathon in Game 6 of their series when Dallas right winger Brett Hull gets the puck back after Sabres goaltender Dominik Hasek blocks his initial shot to end the second longest game in Stanley Cup Finals history and clinch the Stars their first ever Stanley Cup
However, replays show that Hull’s skate was in the goaltender's crease before he had possession of the puck, which in 1999 was illegal, and meant the goal should not count.
But the officials ruled it a ‘good’ goal, much to the dismay of the Sabres and their fans, as the rule was eliminated in the offseason.
4. 1994-Rangers End Curse
The New York Rangers end 54 years of frustration as they win their first Stanley Cup since 1940 as they defeat the Vancouver Canucks in an epic seven-game series.
The Rangers build a 3-1 series lead only to have the Canucks come back to win the next two games to force a Game 7 back in New York, where the Rangers win 3-2 after fighting off three faceoffs at their end of the ice in the final 37 seconds of the game.
Mark Messier can not contain his excitement as he holds the Stanley Cup, ending a 54-year drought for the New York Rangers.
3. 1964-Baun’s Broken Leg Game Winner
With the game tied 3-3 in Game 6, Maple Leafs defenseman Bobby Baun blocks a shot from Red Wings legend Gordie Howe, that hits Baun in his right ankle, causing a hairline fracture.
Baun is taken off the ice on a stretcher, but with his team facing elimination, Baun encourages the team doctors to freeze his leg to numb the pain so he could back out.
The doctors honor Baun’s request and not only does Baun return to the game, he scores the game-winning goal 1:43 into overtime to give Toronto a 4-3 win and force a Game 7 back in Toronto.
Despite the broken ankle, Baun would play Game 7 as the Leafs would easily defeat the Red Wings 4-0 to win their third Stanley Cup in a row.
2. 1942-Toronto Turnaround
It looked the Detroit Red Wings had the Stanley Cup all but in their hands as they held a 3-0 series lead over the Toronto Maple Leafs and had a 3-2 lead in the third period of Game 4 following left winger Carl Liscombe’s goal with 4:18 gone in the final period.
But the Maple Leafs begin an historic comeback as they would score two minutes late to tie the game, then would get another goal by left winger Nick Metz with 6:15 left in the third, for a 4-3 win to stave off elimination.
After an 9-3 win in Game 5 and goaltender Turk Broda’s Game 6 shutout, the Leafs forced a Game 7 back in Toronto.
Down 1-0 as the third period began, the Leafs would score three unanswered goals for a 3-1 victory to complete their comeback from a 0-3 series deficit becoming the first team in professional sports history to accomplish this feat.
1. 1970-Soaring Orr
Trying to win their first Stanley Cup in 29 years, the Boston Bruins are forced to go to overtime in Game 4 against the St. Louis Blues as the Bruins hold a 3-0 series lead.
But in the early seconds of the extra period, the Bruins drive the puck towards the Blues’ net in hopes of scoring the game and series-winning goal.
That is when Bruins center Derek Sanderson fires a pass to defenseman Bobby Orr, who shoots the puck in between the legs of Blues goalie Glenn Hall, for the Cup-clinching goal just 40 seconds into overtime for the 4-3 Boston win.
As the puck goes into the net, Orr begins to jump, with his skate getting caught in the stick of Blues defenseman Noel Picard, sending Orr into a Superman pose four feet off the ice.
The image of Orr flying through the air after his Cup-winning goal has become one of the most famous images in sports history.
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