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 Penguins goalie Marc-Andre Fleury makes a save on a breakaway by the Wings' Daniel Cleary during third period action in Game 6. (Sun Media/Dave Abel) |
Pick a foreign-born player or someone with a francophone surname to score the winning goal around the 8:52 mark of the second period on Friday night at Joe Louis Arena.
That's been the trend in the 14 Stanley Cup final Game 7s played in NHL history since it went to a best-of-seven playoff format in 1939.
More Game 7s to decide all the marbles have been played in this decade than any other, Friday's between the Detroit Red Wings and Pittsburgh Penguins being the fifth since 2001 when Alex Tanguay of the Colorado Avalanche eliminated the New Jersey Devils as part of his three-point night.
The home team has won 12 of the 14, with Henri Richard winning the ‘71 Cup for the Habs in Chicago Stadium and Babe Pratt sending the Detroit Olympia crowd home in despair for the victorious Maple Leafs in 1945.
The past six Game 7s saw the winning goal come in the second period, at an average time of 8:52, with eight of the 14 overall settled in the middle frame. The latest regulation winner was 12:14 of the third by Pratt and of the two games that went to overtime, both were won by Detroit on goals by Pete Babando in the second extra period (28:31) against the Rangers in 1950 and at 4:20 by Tony Leswick against Montreal.
Tanguay was also the last Canadian to pot the winner in a Game 7, with American Mike Rupp, Ukrainian Ruslan Fedotenko and Czech Frantisek Kaberle following.
Pittsburgh’s Fedotenko has a chance tonight to be the first man to score a Game 7 winner twice, in fact he had both goals the night the Lightning cashed in the Calgary Flames in 2004.
Three Quebec-born players have done it in all; Tanguay, Jean Beliveau and Henri Richard; two Yanks, Rupp and Babando (who was born in Pennsylvania and raised in Ontario) and six from other parts of Canada, Mark Messier, Gordie Howe, Andy Bathgate, Tony Leswick, Pratt and Pete Langelle.
Detroit coach Mike Babcock knows how it feels to lose a Game 7, having been behind Anaheim’s bench when the Devils won their last Cup in 2003. One of his players that night was Dan Bylsma, now coach of the Pens, and Petr Sykora, also with the Pens.
GAME 7 STANLEY CUP WINNING GOALS
| Year | Player | Time | Score |
| 2006 | Frantisek Kaberle, Carolina | 4:18 2nd | 3-1 vs. Edm |
| 2004 | Ruslan Fedotenko, Tampa Bay | 14:38 2nd | 2-1 vs. Cal |
| 2003 | Mike Rupp, New Jersey | 2:22 2nd | 3-0 vs. Ana |
| 2001 | Alex Tanguay, Colorado | 4:57 2nd | 3-1 vs. NJ |
| 1994 | Mark Messier, NY Rangers | 13:29 2nd | 3-2 vs. Van |
| 1987 | Jari Kurri, Edmonton | 14:59 2nd | 3-1 vs. Phi |
| 1971 | Henri Richard, Montreal | 2:34 3rd | 3-2 vs. Chi |
| 1965 | Jean Beliveau, Montreal | 0:14 1st | 4-0 vs. Chi |
| 1964 | Andy Bathgate, Toronto | 3:04 1st | 4-0 vs. Det |
| 1955 | Gordie Howe, Detroit | 19:49 2nd | 3-1 vs. Mtl |
| 1954 | Tony Leswick, Detroit | 4:20 OT | 2-1 vs. Mtl |
| 1950 | Pete Babando, Detroit | 28:31 2OT | 4-3 vs. NYR |
| 1945 | Babe Pratt, Toronto | 12:14 3rd | 2-1 vs. Det |
| 1942 | Pete Langelle, Toronto | 9:48 3rd | 3-1 vs. Det |
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