Top 10 games of 2015 (Puck Daddy Year in Hockey)
(Puck Daddy presents its annual look back at the year in hockey. Check back every day through the New Year for our many lists and hot takes.)
The year 2015 saw many memorable hockey games. From overtime thrillers in the playoffs, to big international victories and stirring championship wins, 2015 delivered.
The Chicago Blackhawks were strongly represented in this year’s list. Not only did they play in important games, a lot of their contests were hotly contested and wildly entertaining.
“When you’re playing in April, May and June all eyes are on you,” former Blackhawks forward Patrick Sharp said in a recent interview with Puck Daddy.
Below are the top 10 games of 2015.
10. The 2015 Winter Classic (Jan. 1)
The Washington Capitals beat the Chicago Blackhawks 3-2 in a tightly-played game between the two teams. Caps forward Troy Brouwer fired the game-winner with 12.9 seconds left in front of 42,832 fans at Nationals Park. Cold, dry weather led to solid ice conditions and better gameplay. The only problem during the game was a bright glare, that led to Caps defenseman Karl Alzner wearing sunglasses.
9. Nashville Predators at Los Angeles Kings (Jan. 3)
The Los Angeles Kings were down 5-1 and 6-3 in a home game against the Nashville Predators, but stormed back in the final two minutes, on goals by Dwight King, Marian Gaborik and Jeff Carter, to force overtime. The Predators won the game 7-6 on a Roman Josi score 18 seconds into the extra session.
8. New York Rangers at New York Islanders (Feb. 16)
Both teams combined for 85 shots on goal in a rocking Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum. It wasn’t the final game between the two teams at the building, but it was the most memorable of the 2014-15 season. The Islanders held a 5-3 lead after Ryan Strome’s goal at the 3:43 mark of the third period. New York fired three unanswered goals, punctuated by Kevin Klein’s game-winner at the 15:28 mark to give the team a 6-5 victory.
7. Boston Bruins at Ottawa Senators (March 19)
The Ottawa Senators were in the midst of their unexpected march to the 2015 Stanley Cup playoffs, and broke a 4-4 tie with two third period goals, a score midway through the frame by Bobby Ryan and an empty netter by Kyle Turris, to beat the Bruins 6-4. This pulled the Sens to within two points of Boston for the postseason. After the game, hamburgers were thrown on the ice in honor of Ottawa goaltender Andrew ‘Hamburglar’ Hammond, whose heroics helped spark Ottawa’s run to the playoffs.
6. Team Canada erases WJC frustrations with gold medal win against Russia (Jan. 5)
Canada built a 5-1 lead over Russia in the WJC championship game, and held on for a 5-4 victory, ending the country’s gold medal drought that dated back to 2009. The win helped ease the pain of Canada’s 2011 loss where they blew a 3-0 third period lead to Russia in the WJC championship. Max Domi scored one goal and added two assists and teammate Anthony Duclair scored a goal.
5. Tampa Bay Lightning at Chicago Blackhawks, Game 3, Stanley Cup Final (June 9)
Before Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final, Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Ben Bishop was questionable with a mystery ailment. But he gutted out a 36-save performance in a 3-2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks to give the upstart Lightning a surprising 2-1 series lead. Bishop missed Game 4 and after the series the issue was disclosed as a torn groin.
4. Chicago Blackhawks at Nashville Predators, Game 1, Western Conference quarterfinal (April 15)
Blackhawks defenseman Duncan Keith started his Conn Smythe candidacy by saving a breakaway goal and scoring the game-winner in the double-OT thriller, a 4-3 Blackhawks win. Chicago was down 3-0 after the first period, but came back thanks to the heroics of then little-known backup Scott Darling who stopped all 42 shots on goal he faced in relief of struggling Corey Crawford. The victory gave the Blackhawks an early upper hand in their first round series against Nashville and began their push to the team’s third Stanley Cup since 2010.
3. Boston Blades vs. Montreal Stars in Clarkson Cup Final (March 7)
Janine Weber fired the game-winning goal at 2:12 of overtime past goaltender Charline Labonte to give Boston their second Clarkson Cup title in three CWHL seasons in a 3-2 victory. Both teams traded goals in the third period to eventually send the game to overtime. Labonte was named the MVP and top goaltender, making 25 saves for Montreal.
2. Chicago Blackhawks at Anaheim Ducks, Game 2, Western Conference final (May 19)
After Corey Perry scored at the 17:30 mark of the second period to tie the game at 2-2, both teams went a long time without another goal, until Chicago’s Marcus Kruger punched home a goal off a Brent Seabrook shot late in the third overtime for a 3-2 win. The game also featured a strange header goal by Blackhawks forward Andrew Shaw that was disallowed. Keith played a whopping 49:51 in the contest and Crawford stopped 60 of 62 Anaheim shots on goal.
1. Washington Capitals at New York Rangers, Game 7, Eastern Conference semifinal (May 13)
Derek Stepan scored the OT winner at 11:24 of the extra-session to finish off the Rangers’ 3-1 series comeback in a 2-1 win. Alex Ovechkin’s goal at the 12:50 mark of the first period put the Capitals up 1-0 before Kevin Hayes tied the game in the second. The game ended another hotly contested series between the two teams. The Rangers eliminated the Caps from postseason contention in 2012 and 2013. Those series also went seven games.
Tomorrow: 2015 Alternative Year in Hockey Awards
Previously on the Year in Hockey 2015:
- Top 10 players of 2015
- Top 10 hockey people of 2015
- Top 10 social media moments of 2015
- Top 10 most shocking transactions of 2015
- Top 10 most heinous on-ice acts of 2015
- Top 10 images of 2015
- Top 10 biggest busts of 2015
- Top 10 best pop culture hockey moments of 2015
- Top 10 best shootout goals of 2015
- Top 10 most controversial people of 2015
- Top 10 hockey fights of 2015
- Top 10 heartwarming moments of 2015
- Top 10 Jersey Fouls of 2015
- Top 10 saves of 2015
- Top 10 fan moments of 2015
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