NHL’s Highest-Scoring Playoff Games – The Hockey Writers Hockey History Latest News, Analysis & More

Early in the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs, teams already combined for 12 and 11 goals in one game. As surprising as those scores are, they failed to crack the top 10 in the highest-scoring playoff games. These recent contests didn’t even make it into the top 14 spots since the cut-off begins at 14 combined goals, last achieved in 2022.

Related: Top 10 Highest-Scoring NHL Games of the Modern Era

If there is one thing to take away from the list of participants in these high-scoring affairs, it is that some of the game’s greatest skaters have had some magical moments in these games, whether it’s scoring five goals or collecting eight points. Interestingly, the same teams and superstars show up numerous times, so if you are a fan of the Edmonton Oilers and Los Angeles Kings, this list is for you.

Edmonton Oilers (6) vs. Colorado Avalanche (8)

Game 1 – Western Conference Final – May 31, 2022

It is only fitting that the Oilers’ first game in the Western Conference Final during the Connor McDavid era ended in a wild 8-6 shootout. Unsurprisingly, McDavid tied Cale Makar with three points (each had a goal and two assists) as the series opened with the host Colorado Avalanche prevailing after almost blowing a 7-3 second-period lead.

In the first third-round meeting between the two franchises, this win gave the Avalanche all the momentum they needed to sweep Edmonton and win the Stanley Cup a few weeks later.  The Oilers got goals from six different players and points from 13 skaters. J.T. Compher had two goals, and 12 Colorado skaters had a point. The contest featured only two powerplay goals, and the Avalanche outshot the Oilers 47-37.

Washington Capitals (4) vs. New Jersey Devils (10)

Game 3 – Division Finals – Apr. 22, 1988

In the second round of the 1988 Stanley Cup playoffs, the Washington Capitals and New Jersey Devils were tied 1-1 in their series until the home team embarrassed the visitors with a 10-4 victory at Brendan Byrne Arena. In addition to 14 goals on the scoreboard, the two teams combined for 231 penalty minutes. New Jersey opened the scoring, building a 2-0 lead, while holding the Capitals off at 4-3 and 5-4 before finishing the night with five consecutive goals.

Related: 10 NHL Players with the Most Stanley Cups

With so many future Hall of Famers in the contest, it was no surprise to see Larry Murphy get two goals and Mike Gartner chip in one for Washington, while Mike Johnson led all skaters with a four-goal performance for the Devils. Patrik Sundstrom set a Devils’ record with eight points (three goals and five assists). Brendan Shanahan had 10 penalty minutes, while David Maley (22) and Ken Daneyko (21) led the Devils in infractions, while Dale Hunter had 32 penalty minutes for the Capitals.

Edmonton Oilers (6) vs. Chicago Blackhawks (8)

Game 4 – Campbell Conference Final – May 12, 1985

When the Oilers met the Chicago Blackhawks in the 1985 Campbell Conference Championship, little did anyone know that this series would end as the highest-scoring playoff series of all time. After an Oilers 11-2 win in Game 1, the teams combined for 10 goals in Game 2 (Edmonton 7-3) before Chicago got back into the series with a 5-2 win in Game 3. As expected, the teams continued to score at an unbelievable pace in Game 4, with the Blackhawks tying the series at two games a piece with an 8-6 win.

Although Wayne Gretzky opened the scoring, Chicago went ahead 2-1 and never gave up its lead. The Oilers tied the game at 2-2 and 3-3, but that was as close as they could come to taking a lead. Mark Messier (Edmonton) and Steve Larmer (Chicago) had two goals. Gretzky, Denis Savard, and Troy Murray had three points, while the teams combined for just 60 shots.

Detroit Red Wings (5) vs. Chicago Blackhawks (9)

Game 1 – Division Semifinals – Apr. 10, 1985

The Blackhawks appear on the list again. This time, they played another game during the 1985 playoffs, in which the two teams combined for 14 goals. In the opening game of the Divisional Semifinals against the Detroit Red Wings, Chicago jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first period, heading into intermission up 4-1. Despite getting two goals in the second period, the Red Wings couldn’t slow down the Blackhawks, who got four more to build an 8-3 lead before finishing the night with a 9-5 win.

Eddie Olczyk led all scorers with two goals while tying Savard and Larmer with three points. Hall of Famers Stever Yzerman (goal) and Darryl Sittler (assist) had points for the Red Wings, while Doug Wilson collected two helpers for the home team. The two clubs combined for 81 shots, with Chicago scoring on both powerplay opportunities, while Detroit went 0-for-4. Ultimately, the Blackhawks swept the series in three games, outscoring their opponent 23-8.

Chicago Blackhawks (6) vs. Boston Bruins (8)

Game 2 – Semifinals – Apr. 21, 1974

Anytime a fan attends a Blackhawks playoff game, they have a chance to witness one of the highest-scoring contests of all time. In the franchise’s third entry on the list, Chicago was on the road against the Boston Bruins at Boston Garden. In the final four, these two Original Six franchises met in a six-game series, with the Bruins winning to advance to the Stanley Cup Final. After just combining for six goals in Game 1, these two teams collected 14 in Game 2.

Once Johnny Bucyk opened the scoring just over six minutes into the game, the teams traded goals, altering leads before Chicago tied the contest at 5-5 just five minutes into the third period. However, Boston tallied the next three goals to go up 8-5 en route to an 8-6 final. Bucyk had four points, including a hat trick, while Bobby Orr and Carol Vadnais each had three helpers. Dennis Hull had two goals for Chicago, while Hall of Fame Tony Esposito had just 27 saves in the defeat.

Edmonton Oilers (6) vs. Calgary Flames (9)

Game 1 – Western Second Round – May 18, 2022

Earlier on the list, the Oilers played against the Avalanche in a 14-goal game in the 2022 Western Conference Final. However, it was a rough run for their goalies in 2022, as the first game of the Battle of Alberta featured 15 goals, with the Calgary Flames picking up a 9-6 win in Game 1. Interestingly, it was the Flames’ only win of the series, combining for just 11 goals in the next four games.

At home in the Saddledome, Calgary jumped out to a 3-0 lead, holding off McDavid and the Oilers to build up a 6-2 lead in the second period, only to watch their lead slip away with Kailer Yamamoto tied it at 6-6 less than two minutes into the third period. The Flames rallied, and Matthew Tkachuk completed his hat trick in the final minutes to secure a 9-6 win. Several players, including Johnny Gaudreau, Rasmus Andersson, Andrew Mangiapane, and Draisaitl, had three points, while McDavid led all skaters with four points with a goal and three helpers.

Calgary Flames (6) vs. Los Angeles Kings (9)

Game 6 – Division Semifinals – Apr. 29, 1993

The Flames are back on the list, thanks to their 15-goal game in the Division Semifinals in 1993 against the Kings. On the verge of eliminating Calgary in Game 6, Los Angeles scored nine goals for the second consecutive game, overcoming a Flames team who won Game 2 by a 9-4 score. To survive another night, Greg Paslawski opened the scoring, giving the visitors a 1-0 lead, before Gretzky tied it, while Gary Roberts restored Calgary’s one-goal lead (2-1), their last advantage of the contest. Despite tying it at 4-4, the Kings kept scoring, eventually skating into the Campbell Conference Final with a 9-6 win.

Hall of Famer Jari Kurri led all players with four points (one goal, three assists), while Gretzky had three points. Only Tomas Sandstrom scored more than one goal while finishing the night with two points with Mike Donnelly. In the loss, Roberts and Theo Fleury each had a goal and two assists, while Joel Otto, Al MacInnis, and Trent Yawney had two points. There were 12 powerplays in the game, with Calgary going 2-for-6 and Los Angeles going 1-for-6.

Chicago Blackhawks (5) vs. Edmonton Oilers (10)

Game 5 – Campbell Conference Final – May 14, 1985

After scoring a combined 14 goals in Game 4 of their 1985 Campbell Conference Final series, the Blackhawks and Oilers upped their totals with 15 goals in Game 5. With the series tied at 2-2, the pivotal Game 5 took place at Northlands Coliseum, with Edmonton grabbing a series lead with 10 goals on 51 shots in a 10-5 victory. Surprisingly, Chicago earned a 3-2 and 4-3 lead before the eventual Stanley Cup champions got goals from Kurri, Gretzky, Messier, and Paul Coffey to put the game and series out of reach.

Coffey led all skaters with six points, including five assists, while Kurry had five points, and Gretzky had four. Meanwhile, Savard had four points (one goal, three assists) for the Blackhawks. The two teams combined for 142 penalty minutes, with 16 power plays. Chicago scored all their goals on the man advantage, going 5-for-9, while the hometown Oilers had just two powerplay goals, finishing 2-for-7, while doubling up the Blackhawks in shoots 51-23.

Minnesota North Stars (9) vs. Boston Bruins (6)

Game 2 – Preliminary Round – Apr. 9, 1981

In 1981, the Minnesota North Stars (now Dallas Stars) advanced to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time in franchise history. After securing third place in the Adams Division, they drew the Bruins, who also had 87 points. Surprisingly, the North Stars swept Boston in three games, picking up a 9-6 win in Game 2 at Boston Garden. Despite being outshot 40-32, Minnesota took advantage of the Bruins’ aggressive play (40 penalty minutes) to score three powerplay goals.

Even though Brad Park gave the home team a 1-0 lead, the North Stars scored three straight goals on two separate occasions to break a 3-3 tie and eventually escape with a 9-6 victory. Al MacAdam and Steve Payne had two goals apiece for Minnesota, while Tim Young had five points (one goal, four assists), and Dino Ciccarelli had four (one goal, three helpers). Park had four points for Boston, while Keith Crowder had two goals, and Don Marcotte had a goal and an assist.

Chicago Blackhawks (8) vs. Montreal Canadiens (7)

Game 5 – Stanley Cup Final – May 8, 1973

The highest-scoring game in the Stanley Cup Final took place on May 8, 1973, at the Montreal Forum, between two Original Six franchises, the visiting Blackhawks and Montreal Canadiens. With a chance to win the Stanley Cup on home ice, Chicago spoiled the party with an 8-7 win in a series featuring several future Hall of Famers, including Stan Mikita, Henri Richard, Yvan Cournoyer, Frank Mahovlich, Serge Savard, Guy Lafleur, Larry Robinson, Jacques Lemaire, and netminders Esposito and Ken Dryden.

Related: Top 10 Longest Stanley Cup Playoff Streaks

Mikita led all players in the Game 5 win with four points (two goals and two assists), while all but four Blackhawks had at least one point. Claude Larose and Mahovlich had three points apiece for the home team, and Murray Wilson was the only other skater with more than a point, finishing with two helpers. In one of the cleanest games on this list, the two teams combined for just 14 penalty minutes, with each club going goalless on their one powerplay opportunity.

Calgary Flames (4) vs. Los Angeles Kings (12)

Game 4 – Division Semifinals – Apr. 10, 1990

The Flames and Kings are already on this list, with a 14-goal game in 1993, but that contest had nothing on Game 4 of the Division Semifinals in 1990, which Los Angeles won by a score of 12-4. In the first period, the Kings jumped out to a 4-0 lead in front of their fans at The Great Western Forum. By the eighth minute of the second period, it was 7-0 in favor of the Kings before the Flames got on the board, scoring all four of their goals in the middle frame. Los Angeles scored three more in the third to set a franchise for most goals in a playoff game.

For the visitors, Roberts, Otto, and Sergei Makarov each had two points, but those totals don’t compare to the damage done by the Kings’ forwards. Tony Granato, Sandstrom, and Gretzky each had five points, while Todd Elik and Dave Taylor had four. Meanwhile, Rob Blake, Steve Duchesne, Luc Robitaille, and Jay Miller collected two points apiece. The Flames fell apart with 29 penalty minutes, allowing the Kings to net two powerplay goals. Surprisingly, Los Angeles found the back of the net 12 times on just 30 shots, finishing the net with a shooting percentage of 40.

Los Angeles Kings (3) vs. Edmonton Oilers (13)

Game 2 – Division Semifinals – Apr. 9, 1987

The Kings and Oilers occupy six spots on this list, but their intertwined playoff histories make them two of the top three in the highest-scoring Stanley Cup Playoff games of all time. In 1987, the two Western Conference teams combined for 16 goals, becoming only the second set of teams to score more than 15 in a game. They came within two lamplighters of their shared NHL record of 18 from 1982.

In the first period, the Oilers jumped out to a 3-0 lead before the Kings got on the board and finished the first period with a 6-1 advantage. Although Los Angeles netted two goals in the second period, it wasn’t enough to overcome Edmonton, who picked up three more goals to head into intermission with a 9-3 lead. During the final period, the Oilers collected four goals, with Kurri finishing his hat trick and picking up his fourth goal of the contest.

Edmonton’s powerplay percentage was 71.4% as they finished the night 5-for-7, while Los Angeles ended their night 2-for-3 on the man advantage. Bernie Nicholls and Bobby Carpenter had two points a piece for the Kings, while Gretzky led all scorers with seven points thanks to a goal and six helpers. Kurri, as mentioned, had four goals, while Messier and Kent Nilsson each had two lamplighters. Only two forwards for Edmonton didn’t have points, while four defensemen missed the scoresheet in one of the most lopsided victories in playoff history.

Philadelphia Flyers (7) vs. Pittsburgh Penguins (10)

Game 5 – Division Finals – Apr. 25, 1989

In 1989, the two Pennsylvania teams met in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. During their seven-game series, they almost broke the NHL record for most goals in a single postseason game, combining for 17 goals in Game 5 on Apr. 25, 1989, at the Civic Arena. In the pivotal contest, with the series tied at 2-2, Mario Lemieux began the night with a natural hat trick by the 6:55 mark. By the end of the period, the Penguins erupted for six goals and a 6-1 lead, with Lemieux accounting for four of them.

The visiting Flyers managed two goals in the middle period, but that’s the same total as Rob Brown, who padded Pittsburgh’s lead to 9-3 after two. However, it wasn’t over just yet, with Philadelphia netting four straight goals to make things interesting at 9-7, but Lemieux put the exclamation mark on the win with his fifth of the night into an empty net.

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The two teams combined for 17 goals, 80 shots, 130 penalty minutes, and a collective 5-for-12 on the power play. Interestingly, with 10 goals in a single game, it matched the total number of goals the Penguins scored in the six other games of the series. They would eventually lose 4-3, getting outscored by a combined 28-20.

Lemieux led all skaters with eight points, while Coffey had four points for the Penguins, and Tim Kerr netted two goals and two assists for the Flyers. Bob Errey and Brown had three points apiece, while Jim Johnson and Kevin Stevens each collected two for the home team. Pelle Eklund, Mike Bullard, Al Second, and Brian Propp had two for the visitors.

Los Angeles Kings (10) vs. Edmonton Oilers (8)

Game 1 – Division Semifinals – Apr. 7, 1982

In 1982, the Kings and Oilers delivered one of the most memorable Stanley Cup Playoff series ever. In what is now etched in NHL history as one of the greatest upsets, Los Angeles eliminated a heavily favored Edmonton team with a slew of future Hall of Famers in their lineup. This series, known for the Miracle on Manchester, began with a record-breaking game. The visiting Kings earned a 10-8 victory at Northlands Coliseum in Game 1, setting a record for the most goals in a playoff game with 18.

Related: Miracle on Manchester, LA Kings & the Best NHL Playoff Upset of All Time

The two teams spent 16 seconds tied 1-1 in the first period before the Oilers scored three goals in less than three minutes to take a 4-1 lead. Despite the advantage, the Kings kept things close, ending the opening period down by a goal 4-3. Los Angeles tied the game and took the lead, but Edmonton tied it at 5-5 just over 13 minutes into the middle period. Then, the Kings built a two-goal lead on two occasions, only to watch the Oilers tie the contest again at 8-8 with eight minutes left to play. However, the visitors collected the final two goals of the contest to pick up a 10-8 win.

Daryl Evans and Taylor had four points for the Kings, while Gretzky picked up four for the Oilers. Meanwhile, Marcel Dionne and Jimmy Fox each collected three points, with 12 Los Angeles players finding their way to the scoresheet. In defeat, Kurri, Glenn Anderson, and Risto Siltanen each netted three points, while 12 Edmonton players earned at least one point. Between the pipes, Grant Fuhr made 25 saves (.735 SV%), and his opponent, Mario Lessard, picked up a victory with 25 saves and .758 SV%.

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