When it comes to entertaining matches, hockey fans around the world are looking for the game to be relatively competitive with plenty of goals being scored in each 20-minute period. The most memorable NHL goal fests often feature teams at their best, turning the ice into a showcase of skill and speed. Since 1967, hockey has evolved, and so have the scorelines.
Below you can see the top 5 highest scoring NHL games of all time, featuring the final scores and an overview of exactly how the match unfolded!
1. Edmonton Oilers vs. Chicago Blackhawks: December 11, 1985
- Number of Goals: 21
On December 11, 1985, the Edmonton Oilers and Chicago Blackhawks played a game that made history. They scored a total of 21 goals together, making it the highest-scoring NHL game in history, finishing with a scoreline of 12-9 in favor of the Oilers.
Jari Kurri and Glenn Anderson from the Oilers each got a hat trick during this game, while Wayne Gretzky showed his skill to rack up seven assists. On the other side, Blackhawks’ players Denis Savard, Steve Larmer, and Al Secord had a tough night with a minus-7 rating each.
This game is still talked about because of how many goals were scored and how well some players did while others struggled. It’s this drastic imbalance that contributed towards the high-scoring match!
2. Montreal Canadiens vs. Quebec Bulldogs: March 3, 1920
- Number of Goals: 19
This game was one of the most one-sided affairs in NHL history, with the Montreal Canadiens stomping the Quebec Bulldogs with a scoreline of 16-3. The Canadiens would go up 6-0 before Quebec answered with their first goal, however, at this point, the game was as good as over.
At the start of the third period, the score was 11-1 in favor of the Canadiens, with seven goals being scored in the final 20 minutes. Five of these were in favor of Montreal, while the other 2 would be added to Quebec’s unimpressive tally.
3. Vancouver Canucks vs. Minnesota North Stars: October 7, 1983
- Number of Goals: 19
On October 7, 1983, the Vancouver Canucks faced the Minnesota North Stars in a game that featured a total of 19 goals.
Brian Bellows and Craig Hartsburg kicked off the scoring for the North Stars; however, as the game went on, the Canucks caught up, making it 3-3 before the scores were later tied again at 6-6.
The final moments were intense as Patrik Sundstrom netted the winning goal for the Canucks. This goal sealed a 10-9 victory in an unforgettable game filled with skilful plays and non-stop action!
4. Detroit Red Wings vs. Boston Bruins: March 16, 1944
- Number of Goals: 19
There seems to be a trend with high-scoring NHL games, with this match from March 1944 also with a score of 10-9, this time in favor of the Detroit Red Wings. A hat trick from Carl Liscombe would help the Red Wings on their way, canceling out hat tricks from both Bill Cowley and Busher Jackson of the Bruins.
5. Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Chicago Black Hawks: February 20, 1977
- Number of Goals: 18
The Toronto Maple Leafs played against the Chicago Black Hawks on February 20, 1977, racking up a total of 18 goals in a match that would end 10-8 with the Maple Leafs on top. In this game, the scoring was opened after just eight minutes, with Stan Mikita firing home to give the Blackhawks an early lead. A total of 5 goals were scored in the first period, with Chicago leading 3-2 at the first break.
This lead wouldn’t last long, however, as Lanny McDonald would equalize early in the second period, with Errol Thompson putting the Maple Leafs in the lead roughly 1 minute later. Toronto would lead 5-4 heading into the third period, which featured a total of nine goals In the third period alone, there were nine goals – five by the Maple Leafs and four by the Black Hawks.
Errol Thompson would end the night with a hat trick for the Toronto Maple Leafs and Ian Turnbull would register 4 assists alongside a goal of his own.
While one of the highest scoring encounters in recent NHL history sits at 12, which occurred in a match between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the San Jose Sharks in November 2023, these high-scoring affairs can often creep up on spectators. Keep your eyes peeled because if teams are in the mood to play aggressive hockey, the scoreline can quickly start to soar!
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