'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAQAAAQABAAD/2wCEAAMDAwMDAwQEBAQFBQUFBQcHBgYHBwsICQgJCAsRCwwLCwwLEQ8SDw4PEg8bFRMTFRsfGhkaHyYiIiYwLTA+PlQBAwMDAwMDBAQEBAUFBQUFBwcGBgcHCwgJCAkICxELDAsLDAsRDxIPDg8SDxsVExMVGx8aGRofJiIiJjAtMD4+VP/AABEIAAcACgMBIgACEQEDEQH/xABaAAEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABwgQAAAGAgMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABAgMEBQYSETFBAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABEQACAwAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQIRQf/aAAwDAQACEQMRAD8AxNjWFRp0ixj10pL6V0C3G3HU6mcnjYvD1IRjoADJUkGn/9k='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The NHL's Stanley Cup trophy is among the most sought-after prize in professional sports. Teams have to battle for months to have a shot at lifting the crown. Reaching the playoffs is the first step towards capturing the coveted cup.
Several memorable and unforgettable moments have occurred during the NHL playoffs in previous years.
This article will look at the top five moments from the NHL playoffs.
#5 The unexpected comeback by the Toronto Maple Leafs
One of the greatest comebacks in NHL history occurred in the 1942 Stanley Cup Finals between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Detroit Red Wings. With four games remaining, the Maple Leafs were 3-0 down.
Leafs fans had already given up hope, but little did they know what was about to unfold. The Toronto Maple Leafs won the next four games to win the Stanley Cup for the fourth time.
#4 Buffalo Sabres 'bat' curse
The Buffalo Sabres faced off against the Philadelphia Flyers in the 1975 Stanley Cup finals. The third game was played in Buffalo's dense fog.
One of the strangest moments of the game was the occurrence of the flying bat, which was eventually killed by Sabres forward Jim Lorentz. The Sabres lost the series, and the killing of the bat was dubbed "the curse of defeat" by Sabres fans.
#3 Mario Lemieux, the one-man show
In 1989, the Pittsburgh Penguins faced the Philadelphia Flyers in Game 5 of the Patrick Division final. Mario Lemieux produced what was arguably the best individual offensive performance in NHL history.
Lemieux went on to score a hat-trick at 6:55 of the first period and finished with eight points and five goals to help the Penguins defeat the Flyers 10-7.
#2 Mark Messier steals the show with a hat-trick
During the 1994 Eastern Conference Finals, the New York Rangers trailed the New Jersey Devils 3-2. Rangers defenseman Mark Messier boosted the team's confidence ahead of Game 6 of the series.
"I know we're going to go in and win Game 6 and bring it back here for Game 7," Messier said on May 24, according to the New York Daily News. "We have enough talent and experience to turn the tide. That's exactly what we're going to do in Game 6."
During Game 6, Mark Messier scored a hat trick to help his team avoid elimination. The Rangers eventually won the Eastern Conference championship.
They went on to win the Stanley Cup after defeating the Vancouver Canucks in Game 7 to end a 54-year drought. Messier's motivational speech is still remembered by Rangers and Devils fans.
#1 The battle that lasted 176 minutes
Prior to the arrival of the conferences on March 25, 1936, the Montreal Maroons faced the Detroit Red Wings in the first semifinal of the NHL. The fans who had come to watch the game were ultimately exhausted as the game lasted 176.30 minutes.
Mud Bruneteau scored in sixth overtime for the Red Wings at 16:30, giving them a 1-0 series lead.
The game began at 8:30 p.m. and ended at 2:25 a.m., making it the NHL's longest OT game. The Wings went on to win 3-0.
The Detroit Red Wings eventually won the Stanley Cup by a three-game margin against the Toronto Maple Leafs, clinching their first title.
