Offense is definitely on the rise in the NHL! Games are ending with higher scores, like the wild 17-goal showdown between the Minnesota Wild and Vancouver Canucks on Feb. 19, 2024. The number of goals per game has been climbing over the past few seasons, and we’re seeing more 100-point scorers each year.
Teams are getting smarter at creating scoring opportunities, so it looks like goal-scoring isn’t going anywhere soon. Let’s take a fun trip back to check out the top 10 highest-scoring games in modern NHL history (1967-present) with a minimum of 18 goals.
Toronto Maple Leafs (10) vs. Chicago Black Hawks (8) — Feb. 20, 1977
In a whirlwind of goals totaling 18, the game started slow but exploded later on. Stan Mikita ignited the scoring frenzy just eight minutes in, with a flurry of five goals within the first twenty minutes. The action ramped up in the final period, where the teams unleashed a scoring spectacle.
The third period witnessed half of the goals, with the Maple Leafs notching five and the Blackhawks with four. Errol Thompson clinched a hat trick for the Leafs, while defenseman Ian Turnbull shined with five points. This epic clash reigned as the highest-scoring NHL game in the modern era until 1981.
Quebec City Nordiques (11) vs. Washington Capitals (7) — Feb. 22, 1981
Hey, in a season where things didn’t quite go as planned for both teams, this game was a standout moment for each of them. Check this out – Peter and Anton Stastny really brought their A-game, scoring a whopping eight points each! Anton nailed a hat trick and pitched in with five assists, while Peter bagged four goals and four assists. Pretty impressive, right?
Out of the 18 goals scored, a whopping 15 of them happened in the second and third periods. And surprise, surprise – tensions ran high during all that scoring action. The game racked up a crazy total of 182 penalty minutes, with a massive 158 of those coming in the second period alone, not to mention 11 ten-minute misconducts by the end. Wild stuff!
Buffalo Sabres (14) vs. Toronto Maple Leafs (4) — March 19, 1981
In the first period, you wouldn’t have thought the Sabres were on their way to scoring 14 goals! John Van Boxmeer got the only goal in the first frame. But things got wild in the second – the Sabres netted nine goals! Gilbert Perreault bagged a hat trick, Andre Savard scored two, and later got a hat trick of his own, racking up six points.
Michel Laroque tended the goal for the Maple Leafs. He got swapped out at the start of the third period after letting in ten goals on 27 shots in the first 40 minutes. Jiri Crha took over in the third, facing 22 shots and conceding four goals, capping off a rough night for the Leafs.
Blackhawks (8) vs. Maple Leafs (10) — Oct. 15, 1983
When these two teams faced off for the second time, it was a goal bonanza – 18 goals in total! The Leafs emerged victorious once more. The game kicked off with a bang, as the Leafs netted four goals in the first period, including one by Jim Benning, the GM of the Vancouver Canucks.
The action heated up in the second period, with both teams combining for eight goals. Blackhawks’ legend Denis Savard completed a hat trick, while Doug Wilson, the former San Jose Sharks GM, chipped in with a goal and assist. Despite the Blackhawks closing in on the Leafs’ lead, a late second-period goal and an early third-period goal sealed their fate.
Winnipeg Jets (8) at Detroit Red Wings (10) — Nov. 25, 1987
This showdown was packed with familiar names! The two teams lit up the scoreboard with eight goals in the first two periods, but things really heated up in the third. The Red Wings went on a scoring spree, netting six goals in a row to grab a 9-6 lead over the Jets. Talk about a goal fest! Five Red Wings players, including Adam Oates, racked up three points each. Gerard Gallant, the former head coach of the Vegas Golden Knights, even got in on the action with a goal and an assist for the Red Wings.
Remember Paul Maclean, the Ottawa Senators’ head coach? Well, he had a hat trick and five points, but even his impressive performance wasn’t enough to top the Red Wings’ scoring depth. NHL legend Dale Hawerchuk dished out four assists for the Jets. And let’s not forget the penalty minutes – both teams combined for a whopping 50 minutes in the sin bin!
Sharks (10) at Pittsburgh Penguins (8) — Jan. 13, 1996
After the 1994-95 lockout, NHL offense took a nosedive, with goals per game dropping to 5.19 by 1998-99 from 7.16 in the late 1980s. But hey, that didn’t stop the Sharks and Penguins from putting on a spectacular show!
This game, the highest-scoring since the lockout, showcased some serious talent. Players like Petr Nedved, Mario Lemieux, Tomas Sandstrom, Ron Francis, Ray Whitney, Owen Nolan, and Ray Sheppard were on fire. The Sharks lit up the ice in the third period, scoring five goals to beat one of the league’s top teams.
Minnesota North Stars (9) vs. Vancouver Canucks (10) — Oct. 7, 1983
Hey, it was a real back-and-forth game between the two teams! The North Stars got the first two goals thanks to Brian Bellows and Craig Hartsburg, but the Canucks didn’t back down. They evened the score at three before Dino Ciccarelli nailed the go-ahead goal for the North Stars just before the first break.
The North Stars extended their lead to 6-3 in the second period, but the Canucks fought back hard. They scored three in a row, leveling the game at 6-6. It was neck and neck as they kept trading goals, sitting at 9-9 with just five minutes left when Patrik Sundstrom sealed the deal with the game-winning goal. What a game! The Canucks really turned it around, scoring seven of the final 10 goals.
North Stars (8) vs. Edmonton Oilers (12) — Jan. 4, 1984
Wayne Gretzky had some amazing moments, but let’s talk about one of his absolute bests. He really showed up for the Oilers, scoring eight points (four goals, four assists). Fun fact: Gretzky was the first Oiler to do this, followed by Sam Gagner as the third Oiler (after Gretzky and Paul Coffey), and the most recent NHL player to achieve it back in 2012.
Mark Messier also had a standout night with six assists, and Jari Kurri pulled off a hat trick. The North Stars just couldn’t keep up with the firepower of Gretzky, Messier, and Coffey. Plus, this game is one of only three in NHL history to end with 20 or more goals!
Oilers (9) vs. Maple Leafs (11) — Jan. 8, 1986
The Oilers were on a winning streak, with an impressive 29-7-4 record. In contrast, the Leafs were struggling, having won only 10 games. Surprisingly, they exploded with an 11-goal game!
The action started with Russ Courtnall scoring two, followed by Miroslav Frycer for a 3-0 lead. Gretzky tried to rally the Oilers, but the Leafs dominated the first period with a 5-1 lead.
The Oilers fought back hard in the second period, scoring five goals, with Gretzky netting a hat trick. Yet, the Leafs had an answer every time. Frycer completed a hat trick in the third period, countering Gretzky’s six-point game. Quite a showdown!
Oilers (12) vs. Blackhawks (9) — Dec. 11, 1985
The highest-scoring game of the modern NHL era wasn’t even close! The Oilers kicked off with six goals before Savard from the Blackhawks finally got them on the board in the second period. They tried to close the gap but the Oilers’ offense was just too strong.
Kurri and Anderson both scored hat tricks, leading the Oilers to a whopping 12 goals. Gretzky didn’t hit eight points but still managed seven (all assists). Savard, Larmer, and Secord had a tough night with a minus-7 rating each. Despite the NHL’s offensive surge, this game is one for the record books!
Conclusion
As we look back on these high-scoring NHL games, it’s clear that they represent more than just numbers on a scoreboard. They’re a testament to the thrilling unpredictability of hockey, a sport where any team can rise to the occasion and defy expectations.
Games with scores soaring into double digits remind us of the raw talent and teamwork that define the NHL, bringing fans to their feet and etching moments into history. They serve as a reminder of the excitement that keeps fans returning, season after season, eager to witness the next extraordinary game.
