Longest Playoff NHL Game

The Stanley Cup playoffs are the NHL's postseason tournament to determine its champion. It consists of four best-of-seven rounds. Eight teams from each conference qualify based on regular-season standings. The final round is the Stanley Cup Finals between the Eastern and Western Conference champions.

The 1935–36 season was the Detroit franchise’s tenth in the NHL and fourth as the Red Wings. They won their first Stanley Cup that season. In the semifinals, Detroit faced the Montreal Maroons and won the series 3–0. Game 1 became the longest game in NHL history. It started at 8:30 p.m. in Montreal and ended at 2:25 a.m. when Mud Bruneteau scored in the sixth overtime period.

Longest NHL playoff game

The longest NHL playoff game in history was played on March 24, 1936, between the Detroit Red Wings and the Montreal Maroons. It lasted 176 minutes and 30 seconds, ending in the sixth overtime.

Mud Bruneteau scored the game-winning goal at 16:30 of the sixth overtime, giving Detroit a 1–0 victory in Game 1 of the semifinals. Detroit goalie Normie Smith made over 90 saves in the shutout. This record still stands nearly 90 years later, as per the Detroit Free Press.

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Shortest overtime playoff NHL game

The shortest overtime playoff game in NHL history was on May 18, 1986, when Brian Skrudland of the Montreal Canadiens scored just 9 seconds into overtime against the Calgary Flames in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final, as per the official website of the NHL. Montreal won the game 3–2. This is the fastest goal to end an overtime in NHL playoff history, as per the official website of the NHL.

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