When two groups play hockey for 60 minutes, then go for 79 minutes and 47 seconds extra of extra time, you instantly flip to the report books.
But such is the character of NHL playoff hockey that the Florida Panthers’ 3-2 win over the Carolina Hurricanes in Raleigh that ended early Friday morning was not the longest recreation ever. It was not even the longest recreation of the previous 5 years.
That takes nothing away from the epic battle that performed out from 8 pm to 12:54 am But as prolonged as that four-overtime recreation appeared to the gamers, coaches and followers, it was solely the sixth longest recreation in NHL historical past.
It wasn’t even that way back — August 2020 in the course of the odd summer time pandemic Stanley Cup match — that the Tampa Bay Lightning wanted 5 overtimes to beat the Columbus Blue Jackets. And that recreation, which ran 150 minutes 27 seconds, ranks solely fourth all time, behind a five-overtime recreation between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh in 2000, a six-overtime recreation between Toronto and Boston in 1933 and … properly, let’s maintain off on the final one for a second.
As for Thursday evening/Friday morning, the Hurricanes took the lead, the Panthers took it again, the Hurricanes tied it at 2-2 early in the third, and after regulation ended, the true recreation started.
It would not have been a really memorable recreation with out a video overview. The Panthers scored, and celebrated, simply two and a half minutes into the primary extra time. But the tape confirmed improper contact with the Hurricanes goalie and the purpose was overturned.
Up and down the ice they skated. For one, two, three intervals with out a purpose. It was Matthew Tkachuk, lastly, who scored for Florida with 12 seconds left in the fourth extra time.
The purpose wasn’t a lot to have a look at: a fast flick close to the online after a steal. But not like all the opposite pictures for almost 80 minutes of extra time, it went in and counted. The Panthers took a one-game-to-none lead in the convention closing sequence.
“Definitely drained, however I feel you are much less drained if you happen to win,” Tkachuk mentioned after the sport. “I’m positive each groups are gassed proper now.”
Goalies Sergei Bobrovsky of Florida and Frederik Andersen of Carolina apart, the ironman of the sport was defenseman Brandon Montour of Florida, who spent 57 minutes 56 seconds on the ice.
A recreation like no different although? Tell it to the Maroons.
In Game 1 of the Stanley Cup playoff semifinal on March 24, 1936, the Montreal Maroons confronted the Detroit Red Wings on the outdated Forum in Montreal. Then as now, the rule was: Keep enjoying till somebody scores.
So you thought the Panthers and Hurricanes had hassle scoring? The two skilled groups on that evening in Montreal managed not a single purpose in regulation or 5 full overtimes. Finally, with 3:30 to go in the sixth extra time, Mud Bruneteau managed to place the puck in the online, successful it for the Red Wings, 1-0.
(The Associated Press article in regards to the recreation printed in The Times somewhat primarily referred to Mud by his given identify, Modere.)
The Maroons, maybe damaged by the loss, fell in the subsequent two video games of the best-of-five sequence as properly and had been eradicated. They performed simply two extra seasons after which folded.
But after almost a century, their report nonetheless stands.