Going The Distance

Ya gotta love this time of year, if you're a hockey fan. There's no better time of the year, in any sport for that matter, than playoff time. There was no better way, in a crazy year that 2020 has been, to get this year's playoffs going, than what happened between Tampa and Columbus. There was already a built in storyline here, with the Lightning trying to eradicate their crushing loss to the Jackets last season. 

Game one this year turned into an epic contest. Puck drop for this was at 3 PM eastern time, and by the time the final goal was scored by Brayden Point, the clock read almost 9:30 PM eastern time. Almost six and a half hours of hockey later, game one had come to an end.

That game moved into the top five all time of the longest games played in NHL history, and its the second longest game played in the modern era. With that being said, here's the date time and goals for the top 15 longest games played in NHL playoff history. Also included is the person who scored the game winner.

1. March 24, 1936 - Detroit 1, Montreal Maroons 0, semifinal, 116 minutes, 30 seconds, Mud Bruneteau.

2. April 3, 1933 - Toronto 1, Boston 0, semifinal, 104:46, Ken Doraty.

3. May 4, 2000 - Philadelphia 2, Pittsburgh 1, conference semifinal, 92:01, Keith Primeau.

4. August 11, 2020 - Tampa Bay 3, Columbus 2, Eastern Conf. 1st Round, 90:27, Brayden Point

5. April 24, 2003 - Anaheim 4, Dallas 3, conference semifinal, 80:48, Petr Sykora

6. April 24, 1996 - Pittsburgh 3, Washington 2, conference quarterfinal, 79:15, Petr Nedved.

7. April 11, 2007 - Vancouver 5, Dallas 4, conference quarterfinal, 78:06, Henrik Sedin.

8. March 23, 1943 - Toronto 3, Detroit 2, semifinal, 70:18, Jack McLean.

9. May 4, 2008 - Dallas 2, San Jose 1, conference semifinal, 69:03, Brenden Morrow.

10. March 28, 1930 - Montreal Canadiens 2, N.Y. Rangers 1, semifinal, 68:52, Gus Rivers.

11. April 18, 1987 - N.Y. Islanders 3, Washington 2, division semifinal, 68:47, Pat LaFontaine.

12. April 27, 1994 - Buffalo 1, New Jersey 0, conference quarterfinal, 65:43, Dave Hannan.

13. March 27, 1951 - Montreal Canadiens 3, Detroit 2, semifinal, 61:09, Maurice Richard.

14. March 27, 1938 - N.Y. Americans 3, N.Y. Rangers 2, quarterfinal, 60:40, Lorne Carr.

15. March 26, 1932 - N.Y. Rangers 4, Montreal Canadiens 3, semifinal, 59:32, Fred Cook.

If this was just game one of the playoffs (it was the first game that started the day) then this is going to be one hell of a playoff year.