10 craziest Stanley Cup playoff Game 7s of the past 10 years

10 craziest Stanley Cup playoff Game 7s of the past 10 years

Elimination games have a specific brand of intensity. But there's something about a team's desperation in an NHL Game 7 that puts it above all the others. A good chunk of them go into overtime, too, further enhancing the mood.

Some of these games end in triumph, while others in flames. Literally.

MORE: 10 longest overtime games in NHL history

Here are some of the most heart-stopping, anxiety-inducing, don't-grip-your-beer-cup-too-hard Game 7s.

1
April 26, 2012: Devils 3, Panthers 2 (2OT)

The only thing more exciting than a double overtime goal is a double overtime goal by a rookie.

New Jersey had a 2-0 lead heading into the third period, but Florida retaliated with two of their own.

Adam Henrique, in his first NHL Game 7, scored less than four minutes into the final frame, making it his second goal of the game.

2
April 30, 2014 Wild 5, Avalanche 4 (OT)

The tension was ratcheted up majorly when injury forced Wild goaltender Darcy Kuemper from the ice.

With eight minutes to go, Ilya Bryzgalov stepped between the pipes, but fortunately, only had to make one save to get the win.

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Minnesota's Jared Spurgeon scored with 3:30 left in the third frame to tie the game at four and send it to overtime.

Nino Niederreiter took it from there, scoring at the 5:02 mark of overtime. He ended the game with two goals and an assist.

3
April 28, 2010: Canadiens 2, Capitals 1

The final score can be deceiving sometimes, and this game is no exception.

Although the No. 8 Canadiens defeated the No. 1 Caps, they were outshot 42-16, outhit 27-13 and trailed 34-31 in faceoff wins. Their win is largely due to goalie Jaroslav Halak, who had 42 saves. Halak'd even has its own entry in Urban Dictionary.

The game wasn't without controvery, either. Maxim Lapierre crashed into Capitals goalie Semyon Varlamov, pushing the puck into the net. No goal was called, and neither was there a penalty.

4
June 1, 2014: Kings 5, Blackhawks 4 (OT)

Chicago outshot the Kings 41-32, but it didn't stop L.A. from heading to the Stanley Cup Final for the second time in three years.

Trailing in the first two stanzas, the Kings mustered a third period goal for a trip to overtime. Alec Martinez scored his lone goal of the game at 5:47.

After the win, the Kings were maintained perfection in elimination games. The game at United Center became the Hawks only series loss between the 2013 and 2015 seasons.

5
June 15, 2011: Bruins 4, Canucks 0

Helping his team to win the Bruins their first Stanley Cup since 1972, Tim Thomas pulled off a shutout against the Canucks — President's Cup winners who were coming into the playoffs hot. Thomas, who became the oldest Conn Smythe Trophy honoree that year, had 37 saves and Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand had two goals a piece.

But even more heart-racing than the game itself were the happenings in Vancouver afterward when the friendly British Columbia city showed its teeth.

Over 20,000 Canadians took part in rioting and looting — setting the city and two police cars ablaze. Four people were stabbed.

6
May 13, 2009: Penguins 6, Capitals 2

The Penguins punched their ticket to the Eastern Conference finals for the second consecutive year after stomping the Capitals 6-2. 

A four-goal surge — two courtesy of Sidney Crosby — from Pittsburgh forced Capitals head coach Bruce Boudreau to yank goalie Semyon Varlamov in favor for Jose Theodore. Washington's offense struggled as well, shutting down the powerful Alex Ovechkin on the most promising of breakaways.

MORE: Watch Gerrit Cole harass the Capitals

7
April 28, 2009: Capitals 2, Rangers 1/Hurricanes 4, Devils 3

It was better to have two TV sets next to each other on this late April night, since two incredible games finished within minutes of each other.

First off, the Capitals barely escaped elimination. Sergei Fedorov scored with five minutes left in regulation, with his team outshooting the opposition 24 to 15 and out-hitting them 46 to 30.

As for the sixth-seeded Canes, they scored twice in final 80 seconds to wrap up a win. Jussi Jokinen ripped a one-timer and Eric Staal wristed one past Martin Brodeur within 48 seconds of each other.

8
May 14, 2010: Flyers 4, Bruins 3

They say the three-goal lead is one of the most dangerous in the league for a reason.

The Bruins were about to turn a stagecoach into a Flyers-orange pumpkin. They led 3-0 in the series, then 3-0 in Game 7. 

But Philadelphia wasn't going to roll over so soon. With goals from four different Flyers, the squad overcame the defecit to take the game 4-3 in regulation.

9
May 13, 2013: Bruins 5, Maple Leafs 4

Remember that elusive three-goal lead we talked about? Yeah.

The Leafs overcame a 3-1 series deficit and were on their way to wrapping up the series, thanks to a 4-1 lead heading into the third period.

The Bruins responded with three goals of their own, two of which came without goalie Tuukka Rask in favor of the extra attacker. Patrice Bergeron scored in overtime to shred all of Toronto's hopes in one of the worst collapses you'll ever see.

10
May 25, 2017: Penguins 3, Senators 2 (2OT)

The Senators had the defending champions on the ropes in the Eastrern Conference finals thanks to Craig Anderson's otherworldly showing in Game 6. Then in Game 7, Ryan Dzingel's overtime-forcing goal with 5:19 remaining in the third period brought about a team of destiny feel.

Chris Kunitz had other ideas.

It took two seesaw overtimes which mirrored the series, but the wily old vet eventually potted the winner — his second goal of the game — 5:09 into the second to send the Penguins back to the Stanley Cup Final, which they'd win in six games over the Predators.