The 2022-23 NHL regular season is entering its final stage, and you can already bet on the winner of the Stanley Cup with BetVictor sportsbook.
There have been many glorious moments in the history of the Stanley Cup, and we will look back at the Top 10 among them.
Top 10 memorable moments in NHL playoff history
10. Martinez scores to lead the Kings to the Stanley Cup
The Los Angeles Kings and the New York Rangers made it to the Stanley Cup in 2014. The Kings had a 3-1 lead going into Game 5 in LA. The Rangers refused to go down in a game full of intensity. It ended 2-2 in regulation and was tied until Alec Martinez scored in the 94th minute of the game to seal the deal for the Kings.
9. Bobby Orr’s flying goal
After dominating the late 1920s and the 1930s, the Boston Bruins had to wait three decades to win the next Stanley Cup. The year was 1970 when the Bruins returned to the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time since 1958. They were major favorites in the series against St. Louis and were able to sweep the Blues. Game 4 of the series went to overtime, and 40 seconds into it, Bobby Orr scored against the Blues veteran Hall of Fame goalie Glenn Hall. St. Louis’ defenseman Noel Picard tripped Orr, creating probably the most famous picture in NHL history of Orr celebrating the goal and winning the Stanley Cup.
8. Brett Hull’s OT goal to win it for the Dallas Stars
It was Game 6 of the 1999 Stanley Cup Finals, with the Dallas Stars leading the series 3-2 against the Buffalo Sabres. It was Brett Hull’s first season with the Stars after he played the previous 11 with the St. Louis Blues. No one expected him to become a hero, but he did exactly that. The game finished 1-1 in regulation, and both teams struggled to score until Hull hit the net in the third overtime to lead the Stars to their only Stanley Cup win.
7. The Dueling hat-tricks
It was the 2009 Playoffs, and the Washington Capitals and the Pittsburgh Penguins collided in the second round. It was the matchup between two of the best players in the league at the time, Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby. The two superstars, who, by the way, are still in the league, put on a show scoring hat-tricks for their teams. Ovechkin was the real hero scoring twice in three and a half minutes in the third period to give the Caps a 4-3 win.
6. Bobby Nystrom wins it for the Islanders
It was Game 6 of the 1980 Stanley Cup Finals. The New York Islanders had a 3-2 series lead over the Philadelphia Flyers. The game was tied after regulation, and Bobby Nystrom was the hero in one of the greatest moments in the Islanders’ history. Seven minutes into the overtime, Nystrom backhanded the puck into the goalie Pete Peeters’ net after a pass from John Tonelli. That was the first-ever Stanley Cup for the Islanders and the first of four consecutive titles.
5. Mark Messier’s hat-trick
It was the 1994 Eastern Conference Finals between local rivals New Jersey Devils and New York Rangers. The Devils were 3-2 up in the series, and Rangers captain Mark Messier publicly guaranteed that his team would win Game 6. Messier kept his word and scored a hat-trick in the third period to lead the Rangers to a 4-2 win. The Rangers went on to win Game 7 of the series and then defeated the Vancouver Canucks to win the Stanley Cup.
4. The Bruins’ comeback win in 2013
It was Round 1 of the Eastern Conference Playoffs in 2013, and the series between the Boston Bruins and the Toronto Maple Leafs went into the decisive Game 7. The Leafs went into the final period with a 4-1 lead, and it seemed like they were already through to the next round. Then, a miracle happened. Nathan Horton scored for the Bruins in the middle of the period to make it 4-2, and the Bruins pulled out the goalkeeper with two minutes remaining. Milan Lucic and Patrice Bergeron scored in a 30-second span to send the game to overtime, where Bergeron scored again for the Bruins, who became the first NHL team to win Game 7 of a Stanley Cup Playoff series after trailing by three goals in the third period.
3. Miracle on Manchester
One of the most famous games in NHL history occurred in the 1980 post-season. It was Game 3 of the best-of-five series between the Los Angeles Kings and the Edmonton Oilers that took place at the Forum, which was situated on Manchester Boulevard. The Oilers, led by Wayne Gretzky, went into the third period with a 5-0 lead, but the Kings were not ready to give up. Los Angeles scored five unanswered goals in the third period to send the game to overtime, where Daryl Evans scored the game-winning goal for the Kings.
2. Patrick Kane leads the Blackhawks to the trophy
The goal of the 2010s decade brought the Stanley Cup title to Chicago after 49 years. It was the final series between the Blackhawks and the Philadelphia Flyers, with the Hawks going into Game 6 with a 3-2 lead. The game went into overtime, and we witnessed one of the most bizarre endings of an NHL game. Patrick Kane took a swing from the angle, and the puck disappeared. Everyone was wondering what had happened, but Kane started celebrating the goal that brought the Blackhawks their first title after 49 years.
1. The 17 seconds
It was the 2013 Stanley Cup between the Boston Bruins and the Chicago Blackhawks. The Hawks led 3-2 in the series going into Game 6. Boston was determined to take the series to the decisive game, and they were doing a good job leading by 2-1 with less than two minutes left in the game. Then, one of the greatest and fastest comebacks in NHL history happened. First, Blackhawks forward Bryan Bickell tied the game with 1:16 left, and then, 17 seconds later, Dave Bolland scored the game-winner for the Blackhawks, who won their second title in four seasons.
