According to NHL.com and HockeyReference, the league did not officially keep track of shots on goal until the 1959-60 season. Interestingly, the six teams averaged 31.6 shots a game during that first season, slightly more than the 31.24 from the most recent 2022-23 season. Statistically, these numbers indicate how busy an NHL netminder should expect to be on any given night.
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However, teams participating in the Stanley Cup Playoffs sometimes see their games go into overtime, which can be three, four, or five extra periods. Considering it can take hours to determine a winner, the pressure shifts from the skaters to the netminders in these situations. Consequently, the men in pads must avoid making a costly mistake in the early morning hours while facing over 60 shots in what is equivalent to two full-length games.
Historically, the deeper you dig on the internet, you’ll stumble across two names: Normie Smith (Detroit Red Wings) and Sam LoPresti (Chicago Blackhawks). Unfortunately for these two netminders, the NHL does not recognize their performances in the 1936 Stanley Cup Playoffs and the 1941 regular season. Unofficially, Smith made 92 saves on March 24, 1936, against the Montreal Maroons in the longest game in league history, while LoPresti made 80 saves against the Boston Bruins on Jan. 28, 1941.
Statistically, the NHL only recognizes achievements in this category after 1959-60, which means, in the record book, the first time an NHL goalie made 70 or more saves in a single game occurred in 1986-87, the league’s 70th season. Since then, eight others have faced that many shots, seven joining the list as playoff performers. Here is a breakdown of every NHL goalie to make 70 or more saves in an NHL game.
70 Saves – Ron Tugnutt (Quebec Nordiques)
March 21, 1991 – 3-3 tie vs. Boston Bruins at Boston Garden (regular season)
Ron Tugnutt was a fourth-round pick (81st overall) of the Quebec Nordiques in 1986. After five years with the Nordiques, where he set the NHL record for most saves in a regular season game, he bounced around the league playing with seven other franchises before retiring in 2004.
However, on March 21, 1991, Tugnutt entered the record books, backstopping the Nordiques to a 3-3 tie against the Bruins. Besides finishing the night with a .959 save percentage (SV%), he stopped future Hall of Famer Ray Bourque 18 times. Ultimately, the former Bruins’ captain only scored once, tying the game midway through the third period.
Statistically, six Boston players had five or more shots on goal, with only five skaters failing to register more than one. Interestingly, only John Carter could not get a puck on Tugnutt, while no one on the Nordiques collected more than three shots as the team finished with 26 shots on Rejean Lemelin.
70 Saves – Ron Tugnutt (Pittsburgh Penguins)
May 4, 2000 – 2-1 loss vs. Philadelphia Flyers at Mellon Arena (Round 1/Game 4)
Historically, Tugnutt is the only goalie in the NHL record books with 70 saves in a regular season contest and another 70-save performance in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Interestingly, he wound up in Pittsburgh at the 2000 Trade Deadline, swapping places with two-time Stanley Cup champion Tom Barrasso.
In the third-longest game ever played, Tugnutt gave the Penguins every chance to win, making 70 saves (.972 SV%) in a contest that went to five overtimes. Eventually, after 92:01 of extra hockey, Flyers’ Keith Primeau sniped home the winner of Game 4, evening the series at two. Unfortunately, the Penguins never recovered after that night, losing the matchup in six games.
Statistically, no one on the Flyers recorded more than Dan McGillis’ nine shots, with five players getting at least five shots on goal. Interestingly, only Keith Jones didn’t get a shot on Tugnutt, while Alexei Kovalev had ten shots for the Penguins in the defeat.
70 Saves – Mikhail Shtalenkov (Anaheim Mighty Ducks)
May 8, 1997 – 3-2 loss vs. Detroit Red Wings at Arrowhead Pond (Round 2/Game 4)
Mikhail Shtakenkov was one of the first Russian goalies to come over to the NHL and have a long career. After debuting at 28 during the 1993-94 season, he played 190 games with four franchises before departing in 2000.
Despite a career record of 62-82-19, Shtalenkov will forever see his name in the NHL record book for making 70 saves (.959 SV%) against the Red Wings in a May 8, 1997, playoff game. Even though the Anaheim Mighty Ducks were down 3-0 in the series, he did everything he could to extend the matchup with one of the best performances in postseason history.
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Statistically, future Hall of Famer Nicklas Lidström led all skaters with 13 shots, scoring the game-winner at 9:09 of the third period. Furthermore, every player in the Red Wings lineup had a shot on goal except Tim Taylor, while ten other players had at least four shots. Meanwhile, only Brian Bellows and Teemu Selanne had more than four shots for the Mighty Ducks.
70 Saves – Dominic Hasek (Buffalo Sabres)
Apr. 27, 1994 – 1-0 win vs. New Jersey Devils at Buffalo Memorial Auditorium (Round 1/Game 6)
Dominik Hasek is considered one of the greatest goalies of all time, if not the greatest. Thanks to an unorthodox way of stopping the puck, he retired after a 16-year career in the NHL, which included two Stanley Cup titles, two league MVPs, and numerous other achievements.
Before taking the league by storm in the late 1990s, Hasek showcased what great things would come in the 1994 Playoffs. Moreover, with the Buffalo Sabres’ season on the line, he shut out the New Jersey Devils in a four-overtime Game 6 thriller, turning away 70 shots to force a winner-take-all Game 7.
Statistically, Stephane Richer led all Devils skaters with nine shots, while Bobby Holik finished with eight. However, three players didn’t register a shot on goal, and nine collected at least three. Meanwhile, Yuri Khmylev led the Sabres with eight, and Dave Hannan scored the winner on just his second shot of the game.
72 Saves – Roberto Luongo (Vancouver Canucks)
Apr. 11, 2007 – 5-4 win vs. Dallas Stars at General Motors Place (Round 1/Game 1)
Roberto Luongo is a recent inductee into the Hockey Hall of Fame, winning two Olympic gold medals and finishing as the NHL’s fourth-winningest goalie. Although he never won a Stanley Cup, his name appears in the playoff record book for his 72-save performance in 2007.
During the Vancouver Canucks’ opening night of the postseason, Luongo gave up four goals (.946 SV%) but turned away an additional 72 shots, allowing his team to win in the fourth overtime. Eventually, Henrik Sedin ended the eighth-longest game in Stanley Cup Playoff history at 78:06 of extra time.
Statistically, Henrik scored on his third shot of the contest, while his brother Daniel led all skaters with ten shots on goal. Meanwhile, in defeat, the Stars’ best shooter was Brenden Morrow, with eight, while 11 other skaters had at least four. Interestingly, only Mike Ribeiro (Dallas) and Rory Fitzpatrick (Vancouver) had no shots on goal.
72 Saves – Ed Belfour (Toronto Maple Leafs)
Apr. 16, 2003 – 3-2 loss vs. Philadelphia Flyers at Air Canada Centre (Round 1/Game 4)
Ed Belfour is another Hall of Fame goalie who won the Stanley Cup and is one of the few netminders to win the Calder and Vezina Trophy during their rookie season. As the fifth-winningest goalie of all time, one of his best performances in the Stanley Cup Playoffs came in a losing effort in April 2003.
After grabbing a 2-1 series lead after a double overtime win in Game 3, the Toronto Maple Leafs and Flyers took Game 4 to three extra periods before future Hall of Famer Mark Recchi scored at 53:54. Although Beflour surrendered three goals and took the loss, he finished the night with a .960 SV%.
Statistically, Flyers’ Michal Handzus led all skaters with nine shots, with John LeClair finishing with eight. Interestingly, Recchi was one of 12 players who registered at least four shots on goal, with Claude Lapointe not getting one. Meanwhile, Owen Nolan led the Maple Leafs with six shots, with six other players collecting at least four.
73 Saves – Kelly Hrudey (New York Islanders)
April 18, 1987 – 3-2 win vs. Washington Capitals at Capital Centre (Round 1/Game 7)
Today’s hockey fans may only know Kelly Hrudey as a Calgary Flames and Sportsnet commentator. However, for 33 years, he held the NHL record for most saves in a game, achieving the mark in the “Easter Epic” on April 18, 1987.
The New York Islanders won Game 7 of their opening-round series against the Washington Capitals in the fifth-longest game in NHL history. Considering the other games ranked higher took place decades prior, Hrudey’s performance, .973 SV%, remains one of the best in the 70-save club.
Statistically, the Capitals’ Bobby Gould led all skaters with 12 shots, the only player to reach double digits. Interestingly, only four players failed to record a shot on goal, with eight Capitals’ players collecting at least five. Meanwhile, Mikko Makela led the Islanders with seven shots, and future Hall of Famer Pat Lafontaine scored the winner on his sixth shot.
79 Saves – Igor Shesterkin (New York Rangers)
May 3, 2022 – 4-3 loss vs. Pittsburgh Penguins at Madison Square Garden (Round 1/Game 1)
By the end of the 2021-22 regular season, Igor Shesterkin was well on his way to earning his first Vezina Trophy as the NHL’s best goalie. After a subpar performance in his only playoff game in 2020, it was time for him to carry the New York Rangers deep into the playoffs.
Incidentally, during his second-ever playoff start, Shesterkin came within six saves away from tying an NHL record. Unfortunately, fellow Russian superstar Evgeni Malkin ended his night in the third overtime at 79 saves, leaving him with a .952 SV%.
Statistically, every player who dressed for the game registered a shot on goal, with the Penguins’ Bryan Rust leading the pack with nine shots. Interestingly, 13 players had at least six shots, while only five finished the night with just one.
85 Saves – Joonas Korpisalo (Columbus Blue Jackets)
Aug. 11, 2020 – 3-2 loss vs. Tampa Bay Lightning at Scotiabank Arena (Round 1/Game 1)
Thus far, just 221 games into his NHL career, Joonas Korpisalo has yet to earn any awards but has a winning record at 94-81-25, despite playing on some lackluster Columbus Blue Jackets teams. Although the 29-year-old still has time to build up his resume, his claim to fame currently remains as the only netminder in league history to stop over 80 shots in a single game.
As the NHL dealt with the COVID-19 pandemic, the league created bubble cities in Toronto and Edmonton, with each conference reporting to one of the host cities. Sadly, with no fans in attendance, Korpisalo gave the viewers at home the most historic performance of all time, turning away 85 shots in a five-overtime loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Surprisingly, he finished the night by giving up Brayden Point’s winner in the fifth overtime, ending the fifth-longest game in NHL history. Although Korpisalo gave up three goals, he took home first-star honors finishing the night with a .966 SV%, just two percentage points fewer than his counterpart Andrei Vasilevskiy (.968% SV%).
Statistically, only the Blue Jackets’ Cam Atkinson finished the night without a shot on goal, while Lightning teammates Victor Hedman and Point led all skaters with nine. Interestingly, Tampa Bay reached double digits in every period but the second overtime, resulting in ten players collecting five or more shots on goal. Meanwhile, Columbus only had five players record more than five shots, with David Savard and Alexandre Texier finishing with seven.
Historical Perspective
As of this writing, there have been 251 netminders to register 50 saves in an NHL game, whether during the regular season or playoffs. Interestingly, the list drops to just 23 goalies who finished the night with at least 60 saves. Meanwhile, as you just read, only nine players have crossed over the 70-save plateau, and one netminder to finish with over 80 saves.
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Although the record for most saves in a regular season game has stood for 32 years, it came close to being broken in January 2023. However, only six goalies have made 60 stops during a regular season contest in history, which means this record should be safe for the foreseeable future.
Moreover, the playoff record was unmatched for 33 years before falling in 2020. Ultimately, 85 saves should stand the test of time; however, with overtime games going on for hours, someone may eventually break this record too. Considering the emphasis on blocking shots and keeping opponents to the perimeter in today’s game, it’s surprising to see how many of the names on this list found their spots this century.
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