Top 10 Games - J

My criteria for these rankings are fairly simple. Simply, the best 10 hockey games that I have attended. I am basing these on the quality and experience of the game when it happened- I am not including games that in retrospect qualify as momentous due to a milestone, retirement ceremony, or event that I was too young to remember. In short- has I attended a game like Wayne Gretzky's last one, it would have qualified, but a game that sucked or was unremarkable but happened to come after Mike Richter's banner-raising does not. Onwards.

#10. Feb 11, 2007 – Colorado @ Dallas
A 7-5 shootout seen from great seat, and in Texas. Both goaltenders pulled. That’s good enough to qualify for #10 on this list.

#9. April 3, 2007 – Rangers @ Islanders
To set the stage: as always, a half-Ranger fan crowd (but not a sellout). The Rangers need 2 points to clinch a playoff spot- and in doing so would eliminate the Islanders, who were long shots at best to make a late run to the postseason. Only a full 2 points would keep NYI alive- they had to win out and get a ton of help in their final 5 games to make it. Complete afterthought backup goalie Wade Dubielewicz is in nets. Isles take a 2-0 lead, slightly easing some nerves, but then cough it up brutally, and NYR tie it. Game goes to OT, Isles survive a penalty kill and force the shootout. Now, Henrik Lundqvist was and is the most successful- by a fair margin- shootout goalie in the league. And we have Dubie. But Dubie manages to stone Nylander, Shanahan, and, on a gorgeous save, Jagr, to give NYI the win and prolong their season- which ultimately did indeed continue into the postseason. The legend of Dubi was born.

#8. Jan 30, 2007 – Detroit @ Islanders
Detroit’s first trip to NVMC in 5 years (another memorable game which I attended). Arena nowhere near full. Fast, well-played game. Isles look terrific, going up 3-0 heading into the third. Hasek in net, looked bad. Wings come back to win 4-3 in overtime, with Lidstrom (my all-time favorite player) setting up the final 3 with gorgeous, gorgeous assists. Zetterberg with the winner.

#7. Oct 12, 2006 – Pittsburgh @ Rangers
6-5 thriller, with some suspect goaltending and Crosby stealing the show with 3 assists, and a jaw-dropping game-winning goal with 3 seconds left in regulation.

#6. Dec 9, 2005 – Detroit @ Washington
An early game in the newfound NHL arena quest, which is important in itself. My first NHL game with Eric. A good, intense game that I will always remember so vividly because it was my personal, “holy shit this #8 is outrageous” game. 4-3 win by Detroit, who were excellent, but Ovechkin was all over the ice, playing exactly the type of game which has made him what he is. I will never forget his complete pasting of Lilja in open ice.

#5. Jan 4, 2009 – Hannover @ Berlin
There’s no way my first and only European league game isn’t getting on here. While I was pretty prepared for the overall atmosphere since I follow the European sport culture more than many might, it was still a completely different, intriguing and unique hockey-watching experience. And a 5-2 good game, too.

#4. May 27, 2006 – Edmonton @ Anaheim
It was obviously just cool to be at the deciding game of the Western Conference Finals, but this game was very well-played and there was a terrific vibe/tension in the arena throughout. Roloson and Pronger were outstanding.

#3. Apr 14, 2003 – Ottawa @ Islanders
My first playoff game, as absurd as that is to contemplate. In what would become a trend, the Isles come home with the series tied 1-1 against a heavily favored, #1 seed opponent. A great game that goes to double OT, with Todd White scoring a goal (after a fluke deflection off a linseman in the neutral zone) directly in front of my seats, the image of with will be with me for a long time. An absolute crusher.

#2. Nov 3, 2005 – Pittsburgh @ Islanders
My first time seeing Crosby live (and just his 13th game), but that doesn’t put it on the list. He had 2 goals and an assist (his first multi-goal game), but that’s not it either. The lasting memory from this game was sitting with my dad, in our great seats, watching Mario Lemieux collect 3 ridiculous assists, and just shaking our heads watching 2 guys, one age 40 and one age 18, at totally disparate stages of their careers, that just oozed talent above and beyond anyone else on the ice. 5-1 Pit.

#1. Aug 31, 2004 – USA @ Canada
The 2-1 Canada final was probably a bit flattering to the USA. It wasn’t that close. I wasn't planning on having this be number one. But more than anything, this is a list of hockey games, and I'm a lover of the sport. And so beyond the phenomenal atmosphere, beyond the coolness of the effort we put in to be there, beyond being in Montreal and able to watch it with my dad, and beyond being able to partake in what is a rivalry that means a hell of a lot to me, is the simple fact that this game was played at such a high level, it was really breathtaking. The talent and the effort and the overall entertainment value of the hockey game was absolutely unparalleled in my experience.