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The Stanley Cup playoffs are primetime for the NHL’s unforgettable moments where teams become dynasties while players emerge as legends.
Occasionally, these playoff upsets grab hold of fans’ attention and stand the test of time as some of the most memorable moments in NHL history.
Here is a look at the top five Stanley Cup playoff upsets of all time, featuring one of the most iconic games.
Top five Stanley Cup playoff upsets of all time
#1: The Miracle on Manchester
The Miracle on Manchester occurred in game three of the first round in the 1982 playoffs. The game featured a showdown between a young Wayne Gretzky and the Edmonton Oilers against the Los Angeles Kings.
The Oilers were quickly emerging as one of the league’s dominant forces, entering the series as favorites to take the first-round series. With the series tied one game apiece, game three would put the winner in the driver’s seat of the best-of-five series.
The Oilers entered the third period with a 5-0 lead. The game seemed well in hand until the miracle happened. The Kings scored five unanswered goals to send the game into overtime.
The crowd at The Forum erupted as the Kings capped off a 6-5 comeback victory. The Kings would ultimately eliminate the Oilers, taking the series 3-2.
The comeback was dubbed the Miracle on Manchester as The Forum was located on Manchester Boulevard in Inglewood, California.
#2: 1975 NHL Quarter Finals
The 1975 NHL Quarter Finals featured the New York Islanders and the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Pens entered the series as favorites over the Islanders. Pittsburgh took the first three games, building a seemingly insurmountable 3-0 series lead.
That’s when the tide turned.
Despite being the underdogs, the Islanders won the next three games, setting up game 7 in Pittsburgh. New York won a thrilling, 1-0 game, with Ed Westfall scoring the lone marker at 14:42 of the third period. Isles’ netminder Glenn Resch made 30 saves for the shutout.
Unfortunately, the Islanders were eliminated by the eventual Stanley Cup champion Philadelphia Flyers.
#3: 2010 Eastern Conference Semi-Finals
The Boston Bruins faced the Flyers in the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals with the latter heading into the series as the favorites to advance to the Finals. However, the Flyers found themselves in a 0-3 hole heading into game 4.
The Flyers rallied to even the series at 3. Game 7 was set for Boston. The Bruins jumped out to a 3-0 lead before the Flyers stormed back to the game. At 12:52 of the third, Simon Gagné scored the game-winner for the Flyers.
Flyers’ goalie Michael Leighton, a relative unknown at the time, made 22 stops for the win. However, the Flyers would lose to the Chicago Blackhawks in the Stanley Cup Final.
#4: 2023 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals
The Boston Bruins ended the regular season as Presidents’ Trophy champions and were heavily favored to beat the Florida Panthers, who had barely made it into the Stanley Cup playoffs.
After the first four games, it looked like the Panthers didn’t stand a chance. However, they would flip the script. Down 3-1 in the series, the Panthers took games 5 and 6 to force a game 7.
In a high-strung overtime, Carter Verhaeghe scored at 8:35, leaving the heavily favored Bruins on the ice.
The Panthers went on to make an unlikely playoff run, reaching the Stanley Cup Finals, losing to the Vegas Golden Knights.
#5: 2003 Western Conference Quarter Finals
The Colorado Avalanche entered this series as an offensive powerhouse. Meanwhile, the Minnesota Wild had earned their club’s first playoff berth.
As expected, the Avs jumped out to a commanding 3-1 lead in the series. But then, the Wild rallied, winning three consecutive games to take the series in seven.
The Wild's victories were close, with three straight 3-2 wins, including back-to-win overtime wins. The comeback was especially significant as the Wild beat an Avs team that featured future Hall of Famers Patrick Roy and Joe Sakic.
