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NHL: 30 best series winning goals in NHL Playoffs history

By Nick Villano

St. Louis Blues left wing Pat Maroon (7) is congratulated by teammates after scoring the game winning goal in double overtime in game seven of the second round of the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Dallas Stars at Enterprise Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports
St. Louis Blues left wing Pat Maroon (7) is congratulated by teammates after scoring the game winning goal in double overtime in game seven of the second round of the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Dallas Stars at Enterprise Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports /
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Boston Bruins
The Bobby Orr statue. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /

NHL: 30 best series-winning goals in NHL playoff history:
3. Bobby Orr beats the Blues

Have you ever seen a man fly? If you were in the Boston Garden on May 10th, 1970, you saw Bobby Orr fly after scoring the game-winning and series-winning goal in overtime. Maybe the impact of the goal wasn’t very significant, at least as far as Stanley Cup winners go. Orr’s goal came when the Bruins had a 3-0 series lead, so all it did was lock in the sweep.

However, this goal and the ensuing celebrations is one of the most iconic images in the history of the league. There’s a statue of Orr flying through the air in front of TD Garden to this day. This goal was as important as any goal in this era of hockey despite the argument for its importance on this singular series.

The goal came quick. It took just 40 seconds into overtime for Orr to light the lamp. The Bruins hadn’t won it all in almost three decades, so there was pent-up excitement for the Bruins fans. They were ready to bring Lord Stanley back to New England. It helps that Orr was by far the biggest star and best player in the league that season. He won the Hart, Norris, Art Ross, and Conn Smythe trophies, on top of his first Stanley Cup. Enough words about the goal. Let’s see it.

Noel Sanderson trips Orr as he puts it in the net, and he goes airborne. Honestly, based on all of the pictures and stories we’ve seen about this goal, one would imagine he was in the air for a full minute. It actually only lasts a second (pesky gravity ruining the moment). That one second and photographer Ray Lussier taking that photo made this moment iconic.

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