Goalie saves in big games that would have been legendary had their team won the game

[Crosby2010]

Was watching the 1994 Rangers/Devils series and it is hard to find a series in NHL history better than this one. We all know the stops Richter pulled out in the overtimes and such, but how many people remember Brodeur robbed Messier blind on what would have been the game winner in overtime just a minute before Matteau scored? Messier is all by himself at the side of the net and the script couldn't have been written any better for him to score but Brodeur showing a sign of things to come in the future stops him stone cold. Had the Devils scored right after this - and they almost did with Richer's hard shot and the puck almost bouncing in off of Nicholls' foot into the net - then we would have looked back at this save in legendary terms. Instead it is a footnote and not even remembered unless you watch the game yourself. How many others are like this? The Brodeur save is 4:15 into the video


Glen Hanlon stopping Bob Bourne in overtime in that classic Game 5 in 1984. Had the Rangers won that glove save is remembered fondly. Billy Smith meanwhile made his own big save off of Bob Brooke and then the Isles scored a minute later. That one is remembered, the Hanlon one is forgotten. But if the Rangers win the Hanlon one is legendary. 1:00 in.

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[jigglysquishy]

I went through that entire Rangers run for the goalie project. Brodeur gets pretty significant praise that series and might be the most praised player overall in the series. That run kind of gets forgotten to time, but a rookie being the best player in a series like that is very impressive.