In the Hockey News Greatest games issue, they had 3 categories, NHL, International and Amateur.
Top 5 NHL:
1982 La vs Edmonton, Miracle on Manchester
1987 NYI vs Washington, Easter Epic
1979 Mtl vs Boston, Too Many Men
1994 NYR vs Jersey, The Guarantee
1936 Detroit vs Maroons, 6 overtimes
Greatest Intl was Miracle on ice, over 1972 Summit Series Game Eight
1975 New Year`s Eve only got an honourable mention.
If I made my own Habs top 3 list, that I watched:
The New Years Eve game,1975. No championship on the line but it was for bragging rights as the best team in the world. And like the Summit Series was new territory. Vladislav Tretiak was awesome that night, was almost fitting it ended tied although the Habs were arguably dominate.
1971 Game two vs Boston. The Bruins had a great team and had won the Cup the year before. The Habs had missed the playoffs the year before (on the last night of the season). Bruins had smashed the record books in the regular season, won game one and were leading game two 5-1 in the second period. before Henri Richard scored late in the period to give the Habs a little hope. And then they came all the way back in the 3rd to stun Boston. Set the tone for the series.
1971 Habs vs Hawks Game Seven. Looked like the Hawks game until Lemaire scored one from way out. Tony Esposito wore contact lenses, which the Habs would have known because he played for them and he had some problems sometimes with long shots. And then Henri Richard, who had criticized coach Al MacNeil took care of the rest and Jean Béliveau got to skate around with the Cup in his final game.
On the international side, they didn't mention the deciding game of the first Canada Cup, another great game. Darryl Sittler scored the winner in ot. The teams then exchanged sweaters. Bobby Orr accepted the player of the tournament award wearing Oldrich Machac's Czech sweater. What a roster on Team Canada, arguably the best. Imagine a blueline of Orr, Potvin, Robinson, Savard & Lapointe!