10 Of Some Of The Best Outdoor Games In NHL History

The Boston Bruins and Tampa Bay Lightning played the NHL’s last outdoor game well over a month ago, and it was a hit, to the point where it’s being discussed as potentially the best outdoor game ever, but is it? 

Is recency bias overshadowing other great outdoor games or is this game truly one for the history books? I decided to throw my opinion into the ring and discuss what I think the top 10 NHL outdoor games are to see where this games ranks.  

The 2021 NHL season was unique in many ways. New divisions were created to reduce travel, teams only played opponents in their division and attendance restrictions were imposed due to COVID-19.

These conditions resulted in a unique outdoor game, where the Vegas Golden Knights and Colorado Avalanche played a game at Edgewood Tahoe Resort with no spectators. 

The game itself was entertaining, being a close back-and-forth contest where the Avs won 3-2. However, the setting was the main highlight. 

During the first period, the sights of Lake Tahoe and the mountains created a beautiful backdrop mixed in with the nearby trees and fresh snow on the ground. 

Despite an eight-hour delay between the start of the second period and the end of the first due to the ice conditions, it was still a spectacle. It was a one-of-a-kind experience, and it’s something to be remembered.  

At Nationals Park, the Washington Capitals hosted the Chicago Blackhawks in what was a close game with a thrilling ending. 

The Caps scored two goals in five minutes to get the 2-0 lead in the first period off the sticks of Eric Fehr and Alex Ovechkin. The Hawks wouldn’t stay down for long, though, as Patrick Sharp would get a power-play goal shortly after and Brandon Saad would tie the game three minutes into the second period. 

The tie would remain for most of the game, despite the Blackhawks having a minute-and-a-half-long 5-on-3 power play halfway into the second. 

But just as the game was 12.9 seconds away from overtime, Troy Brouwer, who was drafted by the Blackhawks and played parts of five seasons with the team, scored a power-play goal, winning the game for the Capitals, 3-2.

Fenway Park hosted this fierce and close game between the Philadelphia Flyers and Bruins. Both teams were very physical throughout the game as the two teams combined for 59 hits in the game, including a fight in the first period between Philadelphia's Daniel Carcillo and Boston's Shawn Thornton. 

This created an entertaining game before a single goal was scored, which wouldn't happen until the second period, when Danny Syvret got the Flyers a 1-0 lead. 

Flyers goaltender Michael Leighton stood strong from there, holding on to the shutout before Mark Recchi recorded a power-play goal with about two minutes remaining, tying the game.

In overtime, the Flyers almost score, but Bruins goaltender Tim Thomas makes multiple spectacular saves in quick succession to keep the game alive. Shortly after, Marco Sturm, who now coaches the team, tips in a pass from Patrice Bergeron, and the Bruins win 2-1.  

At Citizens Bank Park, these two divisional rivals played a close game, with no scoring until the second period. 

However, Flyers center Brayden Schenn would score the first goal of the game 12:26 into the second, and Claude Giroux would follow up with a goal of his own just under two minutes later, making it 2-0 Flyers.

However, the New York Rangers would respond quickly as Mike Rupp cuts the lead in half 30 seconds later, and it’s 2-1 Flyers after two periods. 

The Rangers would continue their response in the third period as Rupp tied the game with his second goal of the affair. Brad Richards would score just under three minutes later as the Rangers took the 3-2 lead. 

The Flyers wouldn’t quit, though, forcing Blueshirt’s goalie Henrik Lundqvist to make some big saves in the final minutes of the period, including having to stop a penalty shot with 19.6 seconds left, giving the Rangers the victory.    

Fans gathered at Coors Field for the warmest outdoor game in NHL history, with a temperature of 65 F (18 C). Despite that, an entertaining back-and-forth game was still put on display.

The Detroit Red Wings would open the scoring, only for the Avalanche to respond with two goals, all in the first period. 

In the third, Gustav Nyquist would tie the game for the Wings just over a minute in. Then, with 6:32 remaining, Justin Abdelkader would give Detroit the lead, only for Alex Tanguay to equalize for Colorado 14 seconds later.  

Then, with a minute left in the contest, Brad Richards would silence the home crowd with the go-ahead goal for the Red Wings, winning 5-3 with an empty net goal included.  

This game at Ohio Stadium has the record for the highest attendance for a Stadium Series game, with 94,751 fans getting the privilege to see a great game.

 Nearing the end of the second period, it’s a 1-1 tie. But with 2:37 to go in the middle frame, Dmitri Voronkov scores a goal on the power play, and Mathieu Olivier scores 32 seconds later, giving the Columbus Blue Jackets a 3-1 lead heading into the third period. 

Detroit's Patrick Kane would make it 3-2 just over three minutes into the final frame, and Alex DeBrincat would tie the game with 3:24 left in regulation.

That wouldn't discourage Columbus, as Justin Danforth would get a breakaway, putting in his own rebound off Cam Talbot’s pads. This came about a minute after the Red Wings' equalizer and would end up as the game-winning goal.

There would be controversy over the play as Detroit defenseman Simon Edvinsson seemed to be high-sticked as Danforth was racing towards the Red Wings' net, but no penalty was called. 

Adam Fantilli would later convert an empty-net goal, and the Blue Jackets won 5-3. A great game on its own, made more impactful with the tributes to the late Johnny Gaudreau that were part of this event.  

The Battle of Pennsylvania, held at Lincoln Financial Field, was another classic in the history of the rivalry. Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby opened the scoring almost eight minutes into the contest, with Flyers center Sean Couturier responding four minutes later.

Pens blueliner Justin Schultz would make it 2-1 Penguins in the second, and center Evgeni Malkin would extend the lead in the third with 13 minutes left to play. 

But with three minutes left, Flyers left winger James van Riemsdyk scores on the power play to make it a one-goal game. And with 20 seconds left, right winger Jakub Voracek ties it, forcing overtime.

In the extra frame, Philly captain Claude Giroux gets the goal that finishes the Flyers' comeback with a 4-3 victory, made even more special as it’s against their state rivals.  

Celebrating 100 years of the NHL at BMO Field, these two Original Six franchises played a game to remember.

Although it didn’t seem like it after two periods, the Red Wings were up 1-0 in what had been a fairly uneventful game thus far. That would change in the third period as Toronto Maple Leafs' Leo Komarov tied the game a minute and a half into the frame.

Then, the Leafs’ offense would come alive, scoring three goals in the span of four minutes, leading 4-1 with 7:55 to go. But the Wings refused to stay down.

Jonathan Ericsson scored, 4-2, with 6:06 remaining. Dylan Larkin scored, 4-3, with 1:46 remaining. Then, just as the clock is running out, Anthony Mantha seemingly ties it. The goal is reviewed, and it’s called a good goal with 1.1 seconds left. 

In overtime, both teams would trade chances back and forth, but with 1:20 to go, it would be then-rookie sensation Auston Matthews that scored as the Maple Leafs won 5-4. One of the most uneventful outdoor games turned into one of the most exciting.  

Raymond James Stadium was the home of this epic game. Lightning left winger Brandon Hagel opened the scoring 11 seconds into the game, giving the Lightning a 1-0 lead, and that was just the start of the chaos.

The Bruins go on to score five goals in the span of roughly 17 minutes, and it seems like the game will be a blowout as Boston leads 5-1 eight minutes into the second period, but that wouldn’t be the case.

The Lightning fired back with three straight power-play goals in seven minutes, going into the second intermission with Tampa Bay only down by one goal. Then, 11 minutes into the third, Nikita Kucherov scored to tie the game at 5-5. 

In the middle of the comeback, there was a fight between goaltenders Jeremy Swayman and Andrei Vasilevskiy, the first goalie fight in an outdoor game, and it arguably fueled the Lightning’s comeback. 

The game goes to overtime, and it seems like David Pastrnak wins the game for the Bruins, but there was a penalty earlier in the play, negating the goal. It goes to a shootout, and in the third round, Jake Guentzel scores on Swayman, forcing Pastrnak to have to score for the game to continue, but he is stopped by Vasilevskiy and the Lightning win 6-5 in a thriller. 

The Battle of New York takes place at MetLife Stadium. Eric Gustafsson gives the Rangers the lead a minute in, but Brock Nelson ties it for the New York Islanders just under three minutes later. 

Another three minutes later, two goals are scored in 16 seconds to give the Islanders a 3-1 lead. With another goal to start the second, it’s 4-1, but the Rangers weren't done there as Vincent Trocheck scored two goals to make it a one-goal game heading into the third period. 

But yet again, the Islanders score early at the start of the period, bringing the Islanders' lead back to two and seemingly, the Rangers don’t have an answer.

That is, until Igor Shesterkin is pulled for the extra attacker, when Chris Kreider scores to make it 5-4 with 4:08 to go, and Mika Zibanejad ties the game with 1:29 left.

The game goes to overtime, and the Rangers' momentum continues as Artemi Panarin scores the game-winner 10 seconds in, and the Rangers win 6-5.  

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