Rangers 2OT win against Devils in 1994 tops among conference final games

The Western Conference Final between the Colorado Avalanche and Edmonton Oilers begins Tuesday, and the Eastern Conference Final between the Tampa Bay Lightning and either the New York Rangers or Carolina Hurricanes starts Wednesday. There will undoubtedly be classic games and memorable moments from each series with a trip to the Stanley Cup Final four wins away. To gear up for the final four, NHL.com staff writers and editors selected their top 10 conference finals games since 1982, when the third round of the playoffs was named the conference final:

1. Game 7, 1994 Eastern Conference Final: New York Rangers 2, New Jersey Devils 1 (2OT)
Stephane Matteau, Matteau, Matteau scored 4:24 into the second overtime and the Rangers survived an epic series with the rival Devils that featured three double-overtime games to reach the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 1979. New York took a 1-0 lead on Brian Leetch's spin-o-rama goal from the left side of the net 9:31 into the second period. Leetch's goal looked like it would stand up as the winner until New Jersey tied things up late in regulation. With rookie goalie Martin Brodeur on the bench for an extra attacker, Valeri Zelepukin whacked the puck past New York goalie Mike Richter with 7.7 seconds remaining in regulation. Facing pressure to end their 54-year championship drought, the Rangers regrouped, and Matteau was the hero again after also scoring in double-overtime in Game 3. He circled behind the net with the puck and scored on a wraparound at the right post, spoiling Brodeur's 46-save performance. The Rangers defeated the Vancouver Canucks in seven games in the Final to win the Stanley Cup for the first time since 1940. Brodeur and the Devils rebounded to win the Stanley Cup in 1995, beginning their run of three championships in nine seasons.
Watch on YouTube: Matteau 2OT Winner
2. Game 7, 1993 Campbell Conference Final: Los Angeles Kings 5, Toronto Maple Leafs 4
Wayne Gretzky set an NHL record with his eighth playoff hat trick to carry the Kings into the Stanley Cup Final for the first time and deny the Maple Leafs their first trip to the Final since their last championship in 1967. After some in the Toronto media questioned whether Gretzky was still an elite player, the 32-year-old native of Brantford, Ontario scored one goal in each period. Mike Donnelly's goal with 3:51 remaining in the third period gave Los Angeles a 4-3 lead and Gretzky completed his hat trick 37 seconds later by circling behind the net and backhanding the puck in off the skate of Maple Leafs defenseman Dave Ellett in front. Gretzky's third goal turned out to be the game-winner after Ellett scored with 1:07 remaining. "I've played 14 years, and I did not want to be remembered as the guy who didn't play well in the semifinals versus Toronto," Gretzky said. "This isn't pressure. It's fun to play in a game like this. It's what kids dream about, playing for the Stanley Cup."
3. Game 7, 2014 Western Conference Final: Los Angeles Kings 5, Chicago Blackhawks 4 (OT)
This showdown between the Kings, who won the Stanley Cup in 2012, and the Blackhawks, who won it in 2013, lived up to the billing. Los Angeles led 3-1 in the best-of-7 series after a 5-2 victory in Game 4, but Chicago pushed the series to the limit with a 5-4 double-overtime win in Game 5 and a 4-3 victory in Game 6. The Blackhawks led 2-0, 3-2 and 4-3 in Game 7 before Kings forward Marian Gaborik scored with 7:17 remaining in the third period to force overtime. Defenseman Alec Martinez scored the winner 5:47 into sudden death when his wrist shot from the left point eluded goalie Corey Crawford. The Kings went on to defeat the Rangers in the Stanley Cup Final for their second championship with Martinez scoring the Cup-winning goal 14:43 into the second overtime of Game 5.
Watch on Youtube: Martinez OT winner
4. Game 6, 1994 Eastern Conference Final: New York Rangers 4, New Jersey Devils 2
Known for captain Mark Messier's "guarantee" and third-period hat trick, this victory kept the Rangers' quest to end their 54-year Stanley Cup drought alive. With New York trailing 3-2 in the best-of-7 series following a 4-1 loss in Game 5, in which coach Mike Keenan benched Leetch, Messier told reporters the day before Game 6 at New Jersey, "We know we are going to go in there and win Game 6 and bring it back to the Garden." The Rangers promptly fell behind 2-0 in the first period with Scott Niedermayer and Claude Lemieux scoring goals for the Devils. Richter, who finished with 28 saves, held the fort until Alexei Kovalev began the Rangers' comeback by scoring with 1:41 remaining in the second period. Messier backhanded the puck past Brodeur to tie it 2:48 into the third period and gave the Rangers a 3-2 lead by scoring on a rebound with 7:48 remaining before clinching the win with a shorthanded empty-net goal with 1:45 left.
5. Game 7, 2011 Eastern Conference Final: Boston Bruins 1, Tampa Bay Lightning 0
Nathan Horton scored with 7:33 remaining in the third period and Tim Thomas prevailed in a goaltending duel with Dwayne Roloson to propel the Bruins to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 1990. Thomas made 24 saves for the third playoff shutout of his career. Roloson made 37 saves for the Lightning in what turned out to be the final playoff game of his 14-season NHL career. The 41-year-old retired after Tampa Bay missed the playoffs the following season. In a game where neither team took a penalty, Horton got the only shot of the game past Roloson when he drove to the net and redirected a pass from David Krejci for his eighth goal of the playoffs. Boston went on to defeat Vancouver in seven games in the Stanley Cup Final to capture its first championship since 1972.
6. Game 7, 2017 Eastern Conference Final: Pittsburgh Penguins 3, Ottawa Senators 2 (2OT)
Chris Kunitz scored his only two goals in the 2017 playoffs in the game, including the winner 5:09 into the second overtime, to keep alive the Penguins' push to become the first repeat Stanley Cup champion since the Detroit Red Wings in 1997 and 1998. The underdog Senators gave the Penguins all they could handle with defenseman Erik Karlsson playing a game-high 39:33 and getting the primary assist on both Senators' goals. After Kunitz scored to give Pittsburgh a 1-0 lead 9:55 into the second period, Mark Stone tied it for Ottawa 20 seconds later. When Justin Schultz's power-play goal gave the Penguins a 2-1 lead with 8:16 remaining in the third period, the Senators answered again with Ryan Dzingel scoring on a Karlsson rebound with 5:19 left. Ottawa goalie Craig Anderson made eight of his 39 saves in the two overtime periods before Sidney Crosby set up Kunitz for a one-timer from the top of the left circle for the winning goal. The Penguins went on to defeat the Nashville Predators in six games in the Stanley Cup Final to complete their back-to-back bid.
7. Game 6, 2012 Eastern Conference Final: New Jersey Devils 3, New York Rangers 2 (OT)
Rookie Adam Henrique gave Brodeur and the Devils their revenge 18 years to the day after their Game 6 loss to the Rangers on May 25, 1994, by scoring 1:03 into overtime to send New Jersey onto the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 2003. New Jersey jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first period on goals from Ryan Carter and Ilya Kovalchuk, but New York rallied to tie it with goals from Ruslan Fedotenko and Ryan Callahan in the second. The Devils made a push to begin overtime, resulting in a scramble in front of the Rangers' net. New York goalie Henrik Lundqvist made saves on Kovalchuk and Alexei Ponikarovsky before Henrique swept the puck over the goal line for his second series-clinching overtime goal of the 2012 playoffs. (He also scored in double overtime of Game 7 of the conference quarterfinals against the Florida Panthers). A 40-year-old Brodeur (33 saves) outdueled Lundqvist (26 saves) to earn his fifth trip to the Stanley Cup Final.
8. Game 2, 2015 Western Conference Final: Chicago Blackhawks 3, Anaheim Ducks 2 (3OT)
Blackhawks forward Marcus Kruger ended the marathon by scoring 16:12 into the third overtime to even the best-of-7 series at 1-1. Chicago jumped out to a 2-0 lead with goals from Andrew Shaw and Marian Hossa in the opening 6:19, but Anaheim responded with goals from Andrew Cogliano at 9:14 of the first period and Corey Perry with 2:30 remaining in the second to tie it. Crawford (60 saves) and Ducks goalie Frederik Andersen (53) stood toe-to-toe after that until Kruger batted in the rebound of Brent Seabrook's right point shot for his second goal of the playoffs. That ended the 17th longest playoff game in NHL history. Chicago went on to win the series in seven games and advanced to defeat the Tampa Bay Lightning in six games in the Stanley Cup Final for its third championship in six seasons.
Watch on Youtube: Kruger 3OT winner
9. Game 7, 2006 Eastern Conference Final: Carolina Hurricanes 4, Buffalo Sabres 2
Rod Brind'Amour's power-play goal with 8:38 remaining in the third period broke a 2-2 tie and proved to be the game-winner for Carolina, which advanced to the Stanley Cup Final for the second time in four seasons. After the Hurricanes took a 1-0 lead on Mike Commodore's goal 12:05 into the first period, the Sabres went ahead 2-1 on second period goals from Doug Janik and Jochen Hecht, but Doug Weight tied it for Carolina 1:34 into the third period. When Buffalo defenseman Brian Campbell was penalized for delay of game for clearing the puck over the glass with 9:42 left, Carolina converted on the resulting power play to take the lead as Brind'Amour jumped on a loose puck in the slot for his ninth goal of the playoffs. Brind'Amour added an assist on Justin Williams' insurance goal with 52 seconds remaining. Yet to be nicknamed "Mr. Game 7," Williams had a goal and two assists for the Hurricanes. Carolina defeated the Edmonton Oilers in seven games in the Stanley Cup Final to win its first championship.
10. Game 5, 2011 Western Conference Final: Vancouver Canucks 3, San Jose Sharks 2 (2OT)
Kevin Bieksa capitalized on a strange carom off the glass to score 10:48 into the second overtime and send the Canucks to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 1994. It appeared San Jose might force a Game 6 after it took a 2-1 lead 24 seconds into the third period when Devin Setoguchi converted on a misplay by Vancouver goalie Roberto Luongo to score into an empty net. The Canucks tied it with Luongo on the bench for an extra attacker when Ryan Kesler deflected Henrik Sedin's shot past goalie Antti Niemi with 13.2 seconds remaining in regulation. After a scoreless first overtime, Alexander Edler tried to chip the puck off the glass into the corner from the right point, but it ricocheted out to the center. Bieksa slapped the bouncing puck in past Niemi before anyone else knew where it went. Luongo finished with 54 saves, including 20 in the two overtime periods.
Watch on Youtube Bieksa 2OT winner