Ranking the 5 best game-winning goals of the postseason
There must be a clear-cut winner.
The postseason is no place for sitting back and collecting overtime points or for the unpopular shootout. No, that's kiddie stuff reserved for the regular season.
Every subsequent playoff game is more important than the last, and one team's hopes and dreams can be crushed on any given night thanks to the game-winning goal, which can come at any time, with the culprit remaining a mystery until it happens.
In Wednesday's Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final, Chicago Blackhawks forward Antoine Vermette - with just two goals this postseason - stunned the Tampa Bay Lightning and Amalie Arena with a late game-winner that took the wind out of Tampa's sails.
Below are the five best game-winning goals of the postseason, in descending order:
5. John Tavares' OT winner causes Nassau Coliseum to erupt
Perhaps it was the feeling this could be the final playoff series at Nassau Coliseum - which it ultimately was - but there was something special about John Tavares' Game 3 overtime winner in the New York Islanders' first-round battle against the Washington Capitals.
The building absolutely erupted when the puck sneaked by goaltender Braden Holtby, shaking the foundation of the historic building where the Islanders cemented the greatest hockey dynasty in NHL history, when they won four consecutive Stanley Cups from 1979-1983.
4. Duncan Keith is Game 1 hero with double-OT winner
Duncan Keith. Is there anything he can't do?
The Blackhawks defenseman has been one of the best players in the postseason and it started way back in Game 1 of his team's first-round series against the Nashville Predators.
With the Blackhawks falling into a three-goal hole after one period of play, the team was forced to make a remarkable comeback, which was topped by Keith's outstanding double-overtime tally.
3. Joel Ward shocks Rangers with buzzer-beater
Joel Ward was in the right place at the right time in the opening contest of the Capitals second-round series against the New York Rangers.
With under four seconds left, the forward was left wide open in front of the Rangers net and banked home an Alex Ovechkin feed, just beating the regulation-time buzzer.
The Capitals would lose the tightly contested series, but Ward's reaction to the game-winner will always be remembered.
Jump, Joel, jump.
2. Tyler Johnson sticks it to Canadiens with Game 3 buzzer-beater
Tyler Johnson's postseason has been ridiculous. He's a favorite for the Conn Smythe Trophy and he's helped make the "Triplet Line" a thing.
He also destroyed Montreal Canadiens fans everywhere with this soul-crushing buzzer-beater in Game 3 of the Lightning's second-round series:
1. Brendan Gallagher ices series vs. Senators with mind-boggling goal
Not every game-winner has to be of the overtime or buzzer-beating variety, as Brendan Gallagher proved in the Canadiens first-round, series-clinching Game 6 win over the Ottawa Senators with this outrageous tally:
The goal gave Montreal an early 1-0 cushion, which they rode to a 2-0 victory and a berth in the second round.