HF Ranks: Greatest Playoff Game Performances by a Player (2006-2014)

[Trap Jesus]

You don't have to send in your lists right now if you don't want. You can just start naming your top performances to get the ball rolling.

Idea

From Game 1 of the First Round of the 2006 Playoffs to Game 5 between the Kings and Rangers in last year's Stanley Cup Final, the goal of this thread is to find who HF thinks had the greatest single-game performance. I will adjust how big of a list I'll do for the "reveal" based on how many lists I get.

I decided to make it from the 2004/05 Lockout up until now so we get more consistent and well-informed lists.

Criteria for Lists

- All forwards, defensemen and goalies can be considered and will all be ranked in the same list
- The stage of the game DOES matter. Was it game 1 or a do-or-die game 7? Was it the 2nd Round or the Stanley Cup Final? It's up to you how much you want to let that affect your opinion, but just know that it should be something that you should consider.
- While stats are a good reference point, you aren't limited to just considering statistics. Maybe a player was in on some very crucial goals, a D-man came up big with a lot of key minutes, or a goalie had a ton of great, key saves, even if their statlines weren't as impressive as others.

Voting

- I encourage posting your lists in this thread to encourage discussion, but you can PM me as well.
- You can list a maximum of 20 (which would be better for voting results), a minimum of 5 (just so it's worth actually voting), or any number in between
- #1 on a list will get 20 points, #2 will get 19 points, all the way down to #20 getting 1 point. If you submit a list of 5, it will be a 20, 19, 18, 17, 16 scoring system.
- Make sure you're clearly numbering your list
- Please no joke lists or spamming a certain player/team. I'm going to use my discretion to omit obvious joke lists.

Some Statistical Tools to Help

Easily Sortable Game Database

Individual Forward Games Sorted by Points

Individual D-man Games Sorted by Points

Individual Goalie Games Sorted by Saves

Click to read more...

 

[SEALBound]

I gotta nominate Sid Crosby and Alex Ovechkin for what I believe was Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Semi Finals.

While dominating the play from both sides, they went hat trick for hat trick, unmistakably the best players on the ice.

 

[DL44]

I can't tell you a specific game.. I'm hoping some other posters can narrow it down... But Getzlaf carrying the ducks on his back during a Wings-Ducks series about 5 yrs ago was one of the greatest playoff I've seen from one guy...

I'll go Google...
Edit: Game 2 and 6 were his best statistical games... But he was a man child the Wings could barely contain that series. The rest of the ducks were useless.

Greatest game of Luongo's career is probably Game 5 vs Ana... that was an absolute clinic of greatness. 56 saves into OT. (just ignore the finish)

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

oh, looking forward to the results here. Thanks!

 

[Jim Morrison]

I like Daniel Alfredsson in 06/07. He was amazing. Single game is harder though. I'll get back.

 

[Anglesmith]

MacKinnon's couple of games against the Wild last year were pretty amazing. I think it was game 2, and they had no answer for him. Every time he hit the ice he was a force.

 

[Baruch]

Halak games 6&7 against Washington, First round, 2010.

53/54 shots stopped in game 6.
41/42 in game 7.

PK Subban Game 1, Round 2, 2014.
2 goals (OT winner).

Rene Bourque, Game 5, Round Three, 2014.
Hat Trick.


These are the three that come to mind FOR MY TEAM right now.

 

[member 151739]

Patrick Kane (Game 5 against Kings)
Hat trick, including the OT winner.

 

[DL44]

Patrick Kane (Game 5 against Kings)
Hat trick, including the OT winner.

He was great in eliminating the Canucks with his hattrick in '09. (in just 13+ mins?, wow. DEEP team)

Could have a thread just to debate and rank Kane top 5 playoff games..
He could/should have at least 3 entries on a list of 20...

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Patrick Kane (Game 5 against Kings)
Hat trick, including the OT winner.

From Toews too, and you forgot epic celebration...was a picture perfect play and shot

wait, **** that guy

Very impressive performance for the kill, especially since the Kings looked resurgent in OT

 

[dbridge]

Halak games 6&7 against Washington, First round, 2010.

53/54 shots stopped in game 6.
41/42 in game 7.

I remember being very caught up in that Halak series, he was playing out of his mind.

Not many bonus points for circumstance given that it was a 1st round eventual series loss, but Craig Anderson's 51 save shutout in a 1-0 OT win against San Jose in the 2010 WCQF Game 3 was incredible to watch.

Also, the homer in me agrees with Kane mentioned above.

 

[PALE PWNR]

Gagne in 2010 to put the Bruins away in Game 7.
Giroux in 2012 Game 6 against Pittsburgh "The Shift"
Giroux in 2012 Game 2 against Pittsburgh Hat trick and 3 Apples

 

[Cory Trevor]

The one that sticks out to me in terms of involving my team was, interestingly enough, Semin and Holtby vs the Bruins, 2012

 

[Pavels Dog]

Very tough to do. But I'll name a couple of my top choices for my team during that time:

1. Zetterberg, Game 4 against Pittsburgh Penguins in the 2008 SCF

The "Conn Smythe Shift"

2. Datsyuk, Game 2 against Phoenix Coyotes in Round 1 of the 2011 playoffs


3. Datsyuk, Game 5 against San Jose Sharks in Round 2 of the 2011 playoffs


Could pick almost any game from Datsyuk in 2011 playoffs, he was unreal. Most dominating performance I've seen from one player, he was close to singlehandedly getting the Wings to the 3rd round.

I can't tell you a specific game.. I'm hoping some other posters can narrow it down... But Getzlaf carrying the ducks on his back during a Wings-Ducks series about 5 yrs ago was one of the greatest playoff I've seen from one guy...

I'll go Google...
Edit: Game 2 and 6 were his best statistical games... But he was a man child the Wings could barely contain that series. The rest of the ducks were useless.

Getzlaf scared the crap out of me in that series. Btw that series is one of the best I've ever seen. It was overshadowed in the media by the Caps-Pens series that was going on at the same time, but I think Wings-Ducks were the best two teams in the league that year.

 

[QJL]

The Lundqvist triple OT performance against the Capitals on 5/2/12. Stopped 45/46.

 

[DL44]

How many times will Quick get mentioned?

2012, round 1, Game 3 : 41 save shutout of the Canucks. Game changer that series. One of the best games in the playoffs vs the Canucks I've seen.

 

[MoreOrr]

Where's Jonathan Quick or Tim Thomas in any of these mentions? Or 2006, Cam Ward?

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

How times will Quick get mentioned?

2012, round 1, Game 3 : 41 save shutout of the Canucks. Game changer that series. One of the best games in the playoffs vs the Canucks I've seen.

he'd has several performances that won't be statistically atop the charts but Game 7s vs SJ (yes, both) and Game 3 of last year's finals come to mind.

 

[Machinehead]

I feel like Lundqvist has to be in here, but he's so consistent, it's hard to pick one.

 

[MastuhNinks]

Maybe we should separate goalies, forwards and defensemen?

I'll nominate a darkhorse, Craig Anderson in the 2010 playoffs against San Jose. 51 save shutout, Avs were being dominated and he kept them in the game until an own goal at the other end broke the 0-0 tie in overtime.



Definitely one of the best single game performances I've seen by a goalie even if they didn't go on a run.

 

[DL44]

Maybe we should separate goalies, forwards and defensemen?

I'll nominate a darkhorse, Craig Anderson in the 2010 playoffs against San Jose. 51 save shutout, Avs were being dominated and he kept them in the game until an own goal at the other end broke the 0-0 tie in overtime.

Definitely one of the best single game performances I've seen by a goalie even if they didn't go on a run.

I agree with this Craig Anderson performance!
That was an amazing game!

 

[nowhereman]

Malkin in game 2 of the Carolina series. That was one of the best series I've seen by a forward, post-lockout, along with Sid/OV in their 2009 series.

 

[Big Daddy Cane]

2009 SCF Penguins vs. Red Wings Game 4 – Evgeni Malkin



In a pivotal game of the series, Malkin was instrumental in sending Pittsburgh back to Detroit with a 2-2 series tie as opposed to a 3-1 deficit. A goal and an assist may not be anything mindblowing, but he was all over the puck in every zone for the entire game. Conn Smythe worthy performance.

2010 WCSF Red Wings vs. Sharks Game 4 – Johan Franzen



Franzen’s incredible 4 goal, 2 assist performance further cemented his place in Detroit hockey lore.

2011 WCQF Kings vs. Sharks Game 5 – Jonathan Quick



On the brink of elimination, Quick led the Kopitar-less Kings with a dazzling 51 save performance in San Jose that forced a 6th game.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

I feel like Lundqvist has to be in here, but he's so consistent, it's hard to pick one.

one of those game 7s has to be in there, no?

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

2011 WCQF Kings vs. Sharks Game 5 – Jonathan Quick



On the brink of elimination, Quick led the Kopitar-less Kings with a dazzling 51 save performance in San Jose that forced a 6th game.

Yeah, Kopitar-less, Williams playing in a sling, and the team trotting out SToll-Handzus-Lewis-Richardson as centers (minus Stoll in one game) and a handful of guys not even in the NHl anymore (penner, handzus, Parse, Smyth). Great game.