Well, there might not be any in 2012-13, but here are my All Time Top Ten
10) 1958: Montreal And Boston
This was the only Final Series that the 5 in a row gang played that went longer than 5 games. The Bruins stayed right in there, winning games 2 and 4 to keep the Series tied. Game 5 was also tied going into OT, but that's were YOU-KNOW-WHO scored his sixth career playoff OT goal. In game 6, back home, Boston trailed 4-1 going into the third, with Maurice Richard notching his 11th marker of the playoffs. But goals by Johnson and Regan got the Bruins to within one, before Harvey scored an empty netter with exactly 1 minute left.
9) 1965: Montreal And Chicago
This one was almost as good as 1971, but three of the games were blowouts. Actually, it was John Ferguson's drubbing of Eric Nestrenko in game 5, that stands out. Nesterenko actually got the extra two in this bout! The Habs won this game 6-0 to go up 3-2 in the Series, but the Hawks down 1-0 after two in game 6, scored twice to send this Series to the limit. But any hope a Chicago Stanley Cup were dashed when Jean Beliveau scored the game winning goal just 14 seconds into game 7. Less than 5 minutes later, he set up Dick Duff for another tally and the route was on. Beliveau was named the first winner of the Conn Smythe award, for the playoffs Most Valuable Player.
8) 1980: New York and Philadelphia
This one only went six games, but it ended with some controversy. The first game of the Series went to overtime and Dennis Potvin won it with a power play goal. Hey, they're not supposed to call penalties in OT, right? The next four games were actually quite one-sided, but game 6, will never be forgotten. First, there was Potvin's goal, that tied the game at 1. He batted the puck in on a waist high pass from Mike Bossy that the Flyers thought should have been a high stick. Then there was the game's very next goal, by Duane Sutter, was at least 1, but more like 3, feet offside. The Flyers tied the game at the end of the period, but were down 2 as they entered the third period down two. But Bob Dailey and John Paddock tied the game and sent it into OT, where John Tonelli fed Bob Nystrom a beaut of a pass that he redirected past Pete Peters for the Stanley Cup winning goal. This was the first of four straight Stanley Cups for the Islanders, and also the last NHL game broadcast by CBS.
7) 1954: Detroit and Montreal
The Habs looked ready to win this. But, in overtime in game 7, Tony Leswick took a harmless shot that Doug Harvey tried to swat away and it ended up going in off him. The Habs were so mad they skated off the ice without shaking hands. Marguerite Norris became the first woman to get her name on the Stanley Cup. And the two teams met again the next two years, each winning one. Detroit and Montreal, one fierce rivalry!
6) 1945: Toronto and Detroit
Detroit couldn't buy a goal in the first 3 games as rookie goalie Frank McCool, whose career lasted just two seasons, shut 'em out. Then, winning 5-3 in game 4, it was Detroit and goalie Harry Lumley (a future Leaf, might I add) added two shutouts of his own. The Leafs suddenly found themselves looking at a reverse of 1942: On the wrong end of a blown 3-0 Series lead. Babe Pratt would notch the winner in game 7 (on Detroit ice) to avoid that. McCool would never play another playoff game.
5) 2009: Pittsburgh and Detroit
Detroit was up 2-0 and 3-2 in the Series, only to have the Pens, with a young Crosby and Malkin, come back both times. In game 7, it was the Red Wings who were down 2-0 in the third, but then Ericsson got one, Crosby got hurt and the Wings, "Turned It On", and threw everything but the kitchen sink at Pens goalie Mark Andre Fleury. The Pens got 1 shot on goal in the entire third period. But, aided but a crossbar hitting shot, nothing more got into the Penguins cage, including Nick Lindstrom's last minute final flail!
4) 1964 Toronto and Detroit
The Leafs were down 3-2 in the Series, and down a man, as Bob Baun broke his anke. But he came back on the ice in OT to win the game for the Leafs. Johnny Bower then blanked the Red Wings 4-0 to deny his old fishing pal, Gordie Howe, his best chance to win a Cup in the 60s.
3) 1951: Toronto and Montreal
This one was an easy one to call, game goes into overtime all five games. Although the Habs won only one, it was the immortal Richard who notched the winner. The Habs looked like they were going to send it back to Montreal in game 5, but the Leafs pulled their goalie and Sid Smith tied it. An then, in the extra frame, Bill Barilko's dramatic goal gave the Leafs the Stanley Cup.
Four months later, Barilko would die in a plane crash.
2) 1994: New York and Vancouver
The Rangers, seeking their first Stanley Cup in 54 years, went up 3-1 and it all seemed over. But then Kirk McLean, who battled Mike Richter to a stand still in this series, took over and got Vancouver back to a 7th game. The Rangers then took a 2-0 lead, only to see Trevor Linden tally one shorthanded. A goal by Messier should have ended the tension, but Linden again answered the call. Vancouver kept coming, but then time, the only thing that could stop the Canucks, ran out!
1) 1971: Montreal and Chicago
Such a shame that little to no television exists of this finals. You had it all, great goaltending from Dryden and Esposito (who would both go on to represent Canada in 1972), amazing clutch goals, from Jimmy Pappin in OT in game one, to Henri Richard scoring the tying and winning goal in game 7. You had a penalty shot. And you had the final game of the peerless Jean Beliveau!
10) 1958: Montreal And Boston
This was the only Final Series that the 5 in a row gang played that went longer than 5 games. The Bruins stayed right in there, winning games 2 and 4 to keep the Series tied. Game 5 was also tied going into OT, but that's were YOU-KNOW-WHO scored his sixth career playoff OT goal. In game 6, back home, Boston trailed 4-1 going into the third, with Maurice Richard notching his 11th marker of the playoffs. But goals by Johnson and Regan got the Bruins to within one, before Harvey scored an empty netter with exactly 1 minute left.
9) 1965: Montreal And Chicago
This one was almost as good as 1971, but three of the games were blowouts. Actually, it was John Ferguson's drubbing of Eric Nestrenko in game 5, that stands out. Nesterenko actually got the extra two in this bout! The Habs won this game 6-0 to go up 3-2 in the Series, but the Hawks down 1-0 after two in game 6, scored twice to send this Series to the limit. But any hope a Chicago Stanley Cup were dashed when Jean Beliveau scored the game winning goal just 14 seconds into game 7. Less than 5 minutes later, he set up Dick Duff for another tally and the route was on. Beliveau was named the first winner of the Conn Smythe award, for the playoffs Most Valuable Player.
8) 1980: New York and Philadelphia
This one only went six games, but it ended with some controversy. The first game of the Series went to overtime and Dennis Potvin won it with a power play goal. Hey, they're not supposed to call penalties in OT, right? The next four games were actually quite one-sided, but game 6, will never be forgotten. First, there was Potvin's goal, that tied the game at 1. He batted the puck in on a waist high pass from Mike Bossy that the Flyers thought should have been a high stick. Then there was the game's very next goal, by Duane Sutter, was at least 1, but more like 3, feet offside. The Flyers tied the game at the end of the period, but were down 2 as they entered the third period down two. But Bob Dailey and John Paddock tied the game and sent it into OT, where John Tonelli fed Bob Nystrom a beaut of a pass that he redirected past Pete Peters for the Stanley Cup winning goal. This was the first of four straight Stanley Cups for the Islanders, and also the last NHL game broadcast by CBS.
7) 1954: Detroit and Montreal
The Habs looked ready to win this. But, in overtime in game 7, Tony Leswick took a harmless shot that Doug Harvey tried to swat away and it ended up going in off him. The Habs were so mad they skated off the ice without shaking hands. Marguerite Norris became the first woman to get her name on the Stanley Cup. And the two teams met again the next two years, each winning one. Detroit and Montreal, one fierce rivalry!
6) 1945: Toronto and Detroit
Detroit couldn't buy a goal in the first 3 games as rookie goalie Frank McCool, whose career lasted just two seasons, shut 'em out. Then, winning 5-3 in game 4, it was Detroit and goalie Harry Lumley (a future Leaf, might I add) added two shutouts of his own. The Leafs suddenly found themselves looking at a reverse of 1942: On the wrong end of a blown 3-0 Series lead. Babe Pratt would notch the winner in game 7 (on Detroit ice) to avoid that. McCool would never play another playoff game.
5) 2009: Pittsburgh and Detroit
Detroit was up 2-0 and 3-2 in the Series, only to have the Pens, with a young Crosby and Malkin, come back both times. In game 7, it was the Red Wings who were down 2-0 in the third, but then Ericsson got one, Crosby got hurt and the Wings, "Turned It On", and threw everything but the kitchen sink at Pens goalie Mark Andre Fleury. The Pens got 1 shot on goal in the entire third period. But, aided but a crossbar hitting shot, nothing more got into the Penguins cage, including Nick Lindstrom's last minute final flail!
4) 1964 Toronto and Detroit
The Leafs were down 3-2 in the Series, and down a man, as Bob Baun broke his anke. But he came back on the ice in OT to win the game for the Leafs. Johnny Bower then blanked the Red Wings 4-0 to deny his old fishing pal, Gordie Howe, his best chance to win a Cup in the 60s.
3) 1951: Toronto and Montreal
This one was an easy one to call, game goes into overtime all five games. Although the Habs won only one, it was the immortal Richard who notched the winner. The Habs looked like they were going to send it back to Montreal in game 5, but the Leafs pulled their goalie and Sid Smith tied it. An then, in the extra frame, Bill Barilko's dramatic goal gave the Leafs the Stanley Cup.
Four months later, Barilko would die in a plane crash.
2) 1994: New York and Vancouver
The Rangers, seeking their first Stanley Cup in 54 years, went up 3-1 and it all seemed over. But then Kirk McLean, who battled Mike Richter to a stand still in this series, took over and got Vancouver back to a 7th game. The Rangers then took a 2-0 lead, only to see Trevor Linden tally one shorthanded. A goal by Messier should have ended the tension, but Linden again answered the call. Vancouver kept coming, but then time, the only thing that could stop the Canucks, ran out!
1) 1971: Montreal and Chicago
Such a shame that little to no television exists of this finals. You had it all, great goaltending from Dryden and Esposito (who would both go on to represent Canada in 1972), amazing clutch goals, from Jimmy Pappin in OT in game one, to Henri Richard scoring the tying and winning goal in game 7. You had a penalty shot. And you had the final game of the peerless Jean Beliveau!
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