Longest NHL Playoff Games & Overtimes (Ranked)

After the regular season that sets the bedrock for the teams that will qualify for the playoff, the playoff season begins. The playoffs are a long stretch of games and competition between NHL teams as they race for the Stanley Cup. 

Only 16 teams make it to the NHL playoffs and only one team comes out victorious as the Stanley winners. But today, we will be looking at the longest NHL playoff games and most overtime games.

Before we begin, I want you all to note in NHL playoffs; 

• Overtimes last for 20 minutes in contrast to the 5-minute overtime period for regular season games
• The overtime rule in the NHL states that the first team to score a goal wins the match. Therefore, once the goal is scored, the game ends and the winning team is crowned the winner.
• In NHL playoffs, during overtime, the number of players remains a 5-on-5 format in contrast to the 3-on-3 player format for regular season games  

Longest NHL Overtime And Playoff Game

The game between the Detroit Red Wings and Montreal Maroons that took place on March 24, 1936, holds the record as the longest NHL playoff game and the NHL game with the most overtimes recorded. The match was the Stanley Cup semi-final matchup.

The match outlasted the 60-minute regulation time and went into six overtime periods before a winner emerged. It was three minutes and thirty seconds to the end of the sixth overtime that a player from the Maroons, Mud Bruneteau, scored the goal that ended the game.

Summary
Regulation Time: 60 minutes 
Number of Overtime: 6 OT
Total Overtime Period: 116 minutes 30 seconds 
Total Game Time: 176 minutes 30 seconds 

10 Of The Longest NHL Playoff Games Of The Post-Expansion Period

Aside from the longest playoff game in NHL history, the NHL has also had other long games. But some of these games were very far in the past. But in this article, we will be looking at the top 10 playoff games after the expansion period. 

The post-expansion period, or the modern era of the NHL begins after the expansion period which dates from 1967-1979, which ended with the merging of the WHA into the NHL. This means will start by taking games from the 1980s till date.

10. Anaheim Ducks VS Chicago Blackhawks (116:12)

The game took place on the 20th of May, 2015 as both teams played for the Western Conference Cup as the point leaders in their conference. It started off with a regulation time of 60 minutes before it entered into overtime that lasted for three periods.

The game score was tied at 2-2 before it entered into overtime. Initially, the first two overtime saw a goalless game until the goal was scored from an assist from Bent Seabrook. 

The goal was scored 3 minutes and 38 seconds to the end of the third overtime after Seabrook fired the puck towards the goalie. The puck was partially deflected by the goalie’s body but it was enough for Marcus Kruger to shoot it into the net.

Summary
Regulation Time: 60 minutes 
Number of Overtime: 3 OT
Total Overtime Period: 56 minutes 12 seconds 
Total Game Time: 116 minutes 12 seconds 

9. Dallas Stars VS Edmonton Oilers (117:34)

The game between the Dallas Stars and Edmonton Oilers is a series playoff game that saw the complete defeat of the Oilers with Dallas winning all four games. Later on that season, they advanced to win the Stanley Cup. 

The game began as a goalless game in the first period. But during the second period, the Oiler were the first to score a goal before an equaliser came from the Stars. The same scenario occurred again in the third period which made the game tied at 2-2. 

The tie remained for another two overtime periods before Joe Nieuwendyk score the game-winning goal 2 minutes and 26 seconds to the end of the third period. 

Summary
Date: April 27, 1999
Regulation Time: 60 minutes 
Number of Overtime: 3 OT
Total Overtime Period: 57 minutes 34 seconds 
Total Game Time: 117 minutes 34 seconds 

8. Buffalo Sabres  VS New Jersey Devils (125:43)

The game between the Buffalo Sabres and the New Jersey Devils took place on April 27, 1994. It was an epic showdown between two of the best NHL goalies at that time, Martin Brodeur, and  Dominik Hasek. 

Throughout the three periods of regulation time, the game was absolutely goalless. The same went for the first, second and third overtime periods. The shift in tides came five minutes into the start of the fourth overtime period. 

The game-winning goal came from Dave Hannans five minutes and 43 seconds into the third period. There was a loud shout for joy as the goal both ended the game and was the first goal in over 6 periods.

Summary
Regulation Time: 60 minutes 
Number of Overtime: 4 OT
Total Overtime Period: 65 minutes 43 seconds 
Total Game Time: 125 minutes 43 seconds 

7. Washington Capitals VS New York Islanders (127:48)

The Washington Capital faced the New York Islanders on the 18th of April, 1987. In the first period, the Capitals were in the lead by one goal, this dominance continued in the second period with a 2-1 lead against the Islanders. 

But in the third period, the Islanders tied the game 2-2 when a goal was scored by Byran Trottier. Once the overtime period started, the game became intense. For the first three periods, no goal was scored by either team. 

But as the fourth period started, Pat LaFontaine made a slapshot from about 54 feet away from the goal line. The goal brought an end to the game that had gone on for over two hours, excluding breaks and intermissions. 

Summary
Regulation Time: 60 minutes 
Number of Overtime: 4 OT
Total Overtime Period: 68 minutes 47 seconds 
Total Game Time: 128 minutes 47 seconds 

6. Dallas Stars VS San Jose Sharks (129:03)

It was a Western Conference semi-final playoff series between the San Jose Sharks and the Dallas Stars. The game which took place on the 4th of April 2008 could see the Stars advancing to the finals or the Sharks, an opportunity to drag the series to a Game 7. 

This was because the Stars had a 3-2 series game win over the Sharks.  They need just one more win to move to the finals. 

In the 60 minutes of regulation time, the scores were tied 1-1 and the game entered into overtime. During the first three overtime periods, no goal was scored by either of the teams. 

During the fourth overtime period, the Stars got a powerplay after one player from the Sharks was sent to the penalty box. This gave the Stars the man advantage they needed to score the game-winning goal nine minutes into the start of the fourth overtime period. 

The goal was scored by Brenden Morrow of the Dallas Stars. 

Summary
Regulation Time: 60 minutes 
Number of Overtime: 4 OT
Total Overtime Period: 69 minutes 03 seconds 
Total Game Time: 129 minutes 03 seconds 

5. Vancouver Canucks VS Dallas Stars (138:06)

The game between the Vancouver Canuck and the Dallas Stars was an intense one that saw a lot of goals scored in regulation time until overtime started. The game which is the fifth longest NHL playoff game on this list, was held on the 11th of April, 2007. 

In the first period of regulation time, the Canuck scored the opening goal before the Stars evened the score count. During the second period, the Canucks led the game 3-2, but the third period would see the Stars fight for their place before eventually levelling the score to a 4-4 goal count. 

Unfortunately, unlike the regulation time, overtime was not the same. There were no goals during the first three overtime periods of the game. In fact, the final goal was scored in the fourth overtime period by Henrik Sedin of the Vancouver Canucks. It was scored a minute and 54 seconds to the end of the fourth period. 

Summary
Regulation Time: 60 minutes 
Number of Overtime: 4OT
Total Overtime Period: 78 minutes 06 seconds 
Total Game Time: 138 minutes 06 seconds 

4. Washington Capitals VS Pittsburgh Penguins (139:15)

The Washington Capitals and the Pittsburgh Penguins faced off on April 24, 1996, in a playoff series in which the Capital was ahead, winning two games of the last three matches played. 

The fourth series of games started with the Capitals gaining an early 1-0 lead. Later in the second period, the score count increased to 2-0. Eventually, the Penguins would score the first goal of the game in the second period and build up momentum to equalize the scores in the third period. 

Now in the overtime, the first three overtime periods went goalies. However, just 45 seconds to the end of the fourth overtime period, Petr Nedved of the Penguins scored the goal that ended the game. 

This goal led to the win of the Penguins against the Capital and also tied their wins in the series to 2-2. 

Summary
Regulation Time: 60 minutes 
Number of Overtime: 4OT
Total Overtime Period: 79 minutes 15 seconds 
Total Game Time: 139 minutes 15 seconds 

3. Mighty Ducks Of Anaheim VS Dallas Star (140:48) 

On April 24 2003, the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim and the Dallas Stars went toe to toe in a series playoff. The Mighty Ducks were very new to the league at this point. 

During regulation time, the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim took the lead. First, they tied the first period before dominating the second period and tieing during periods 3-3. 

After the game transitioned into overtime, no goals were recorded during the first four overtime periods. However, 48 seconds into the fifth overtime period, a goal was scored by Petr Sykora of the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim.

Coincidentally, the win the Ducks recorded after the long match with the Dallas Stars fuelled their motivation all the way to the Stanley Cup finals where they lost to the New Jersey Devils. 

Summary
Regulation Time: 60 minutes 
Number of Overtime: 5
Total Overtime Period: 80 minutes 48 seconds 
Total Game Time: 140 minutes 48 seconds 

2. Columbus Blue Jackets Vs Tampa Bay Lightning (150:27)

The second-longest NHL playoff game post-expansion era is also the most recent. It occurred on August 11 2020 and was a game between the Columbus Blue Jackets and Tampa Bay Lightning.

The match was Game 1 of the Eastern First Round and the game was tied 2-2 during regulation time. During the first four overtime period, no goal was outcoming as neither team refused to back down. 

As the fifth period started the suspense had dragged on enough and ten minutes into the fifth period, a goal was scored by Brayden Point of the Lightning. 

The assist of the goal was by Nikita Kucherov who shot the puck but it was blocked. Luckily, a teammate got possession and passed the puck to him again before he shot it across the rink.

Eventually, the puck ended up hitting a defenseman close to the ice giving Brayden Points the chance to slap the puck into the net. 

Summary
Regulation Time: 60 minutes 
Number of Overtime: 5
Total Overtime Period: 90 minutes 27 seconds 
Total Game Time: 150 minutes 27 seconds 

1. Philadelphia Flyers Vs Pittsburgh Penguins (152:09) 

On May 4th 2000, the Philadelphia Flyer played the Pittsburgh Penguins for the fourth time in the series. Of the three first three series games the Penguins led in two games and the Flyers won only one. 

The 60 minutes of regulation time saw a goal tie of 1-1 between the two teams. Then came the first overtime period, however, it ended without a goal. The same went for the second, third and fourth overtime periods. 

Then the fifth period began. The game looked like it was going to end the same until 8 minutes to the end of the game when Keith Primeau scored a wonderful goal that brought the game to an end.

Summary
Regulation Time: 60 minutes 
Number of Overtime: 5
Total Overtime Period: 92 minutes 09 seconds 
Total Game Time: 152 minutes 09 seconds 

Conclusion 

Finally, we have concluded the list of the top 10 longest playoff games and overtime periods in the NHL, from the post-expansion era till date. NHL matches can be very intense, especially in the off-season. 

Even though the regular season is usually competitive the real battle is during the playoffs when all that is in the mind of every player, goalie and coach is now to ensure their team advances and wins the Stanley Cup. Not that much pressure right? 

Thanks for reading.