Puck Prose
Fansided

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 /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
7 of 31
Next
Jeff Carter #77 and Mike Richards #10
Jeff Carter #77 and Mike Richards #10 (Photo by Maxx Wolfson/Getty Images) /

NHL: 30 best series-winning goals in NHL playoff history:
25. Dustin Penner beats the Coyotes

The 2012 Los Angeles Kings were a bullet the second they entered the playoffs. As an eight seed, they ran through the top-seeded Vancouver Canucks in quick fashion.  They swept the St. Louis Blues in the second round. In the third round, they faced the equally surprising Phoenix Coyotes. The winner would be facing an unlikely matchup with the New Jersey Devils in the Stanley Cup Final.

The Kings didn’t have much trouble with the Coyotes, but winning this series was an important step, and they did it in overtime of Game 5. The Yotes played much better in Games 3, 4, and 5. So, it seemed like they could be poised to make a comeback in the series. Game 5 saw the Coyotes beat Jonathan Quick three times, the most of the series at the time. A two-goal second period had the Coyotes holding onto their season.

Then, the game went to overtime. Mike Smith was standing on his head and stopped 47 shots in the game. Michael Rozsival suffered a pretty serious injury after a Dustin Brown hit in overtime. Emotions seemed to be at an all-time high. Then, just moments later, Dustin Penner was in the right place at the right time.

It was a pretty harmless shot. However, the rebound got past two Coyotes defensemen and went right to Penner who was waiting in between the circles. He had a lot of open net to shoot at, and Smith’s glove hand was not fast enough to stop it. The Kings were on their way to the Stanley Cup Final, and they would eventually win it. But the walk off win against the Coyotes will be the game that stands out on that great run.

Home/All-Time Lists