Worst NHL goalie mistakes

They are the last line of defense and quite often, NHL goalies do something spectacular to keep the puck out of the net. But every once in a while, they commit a faux pas that no one – including them – will ever forget.

Farcical NHL netminder errors

By Bob Duff

NHL goalie gaffes are the cute, cuddly kitten videos of the hockey world. You can't get enough of them, and you can't stop watching them.

Especially these ones, because they are the worst goalie mistakes in NHL history:

1. Patrick Roy, May 29, 2002

Leading the Western Conference final 3-2 after a huge Game 5 triumph at Detroit, the Colorado Avalanche were poised to eliminate the favored Red Wings. It was scoreless when Avs goalie Patrick Roy robbed Detroit captain Steve Yzerman with a glove save. But Roy decided to showboat and when he flung his glove in the air, the puck fell out and Brendan Shanahan slammed it in the net. Detroit won 2-0 and took Game 7 back on home ice by a 7-0 count.

2. Tony Esposito, May 18, 1971

The home team won every game entering Game 7 of the 1971 Stanley Cup final and it looked like the form charts would hold with Chicago up 2-0 in the second period. But when a 75-foot slapshot by Montreal's Jacques Lemaire sailed over the glove of Blackhawks goalie Tony Esposito, it launched a rally as the Canadiens came back for a 3-2 victory.

3. Chris Osgood, April 30, 1994

Top-seeded Detroit struggled to take out eighth-seeded San Jose. Tied 2-2 in Game 7, Sharks forward Jamie Baker intercepted a clearance attempt by Detroit goalie Chris Osgood, rifling it into the vacated net for the series-deciding tally.

4. Dan Cloutier, April 21, 2002

Winning the first two games of their opening-round series on the road, No. 8 seed Vancouver looked poised to eliminate Presidents' Trophy winner Detroit. But when Red Wings defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom drifted a shot from center ice past Canucks goalie Dan Cloutier, the tide turned and Detroit won in six games.

5. Jonathan Quick, April 30, 2013

Opening the playoffs as defending Stanley Cup champions, the Los Angeles Kings began the 2013 playoffs at St. Louis. Tied 1-1 in overtime, Kings goalie Jonathan Quick stopped the puck behind his net, then lost it to Blues forward Alex Steen, and could only watch as Steen tucked it into the empty net.

6. Vesa Toskala, March 18, 2008

Certainly the longest goal in NHL history. The New York Islanders were killing a first-period penalty when defenseman Rob Davison air-mailed the puck down ice from his own goal line. Amazingly, the 197-foot shot eluded the grasp of Toronto Maple Leafs goalie Toskala.

7. Martin Brodeur, May 31, 2003

One of the best puckhandling goaltenders of all-time. New Jersey's Martin Brodeur gave himself a devil of a time when he dropped his stick and deflected the puck through his own legs in Game 3 of the 2003 Stanley Cup final.

8. Ilya Bryzgalov, May 8, 2012

Philadelphia needed a win to stay alive in the Eastern Conference final but it was Flyers netminder Ilya Bryzgalov who ended their season when he shot the puck off the leg of New Jersey's David Clarkson and into his own net.

9. Mike Smith, Dec. 23, 2013

Mark Pysyk will never forget his first NHL OT goal. Tied 1-1 with Phoenix, his shot attempt deflected up in the air and fell inside the rear of Coyotes goalie Mike Smith's pants. Smith unwittingly backed into his own net, scoring the winner on himself.

10. Jonathan Bernier, Oct. 17, 2013

You could do a top 10 list of Bernier bloopers. Oliver Ekman-Larsson beating him from the far blueline. Derek Stepan zipping one in from center. But none were worse than this icing goal against Carolina.

Category : News

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