Top 3 NHL teams with the most goals scored in a Stanley Cup playoff series

By Ryan Gagne

Modified Apr 30, 2024 20:25 GMT

There must be something special about Stanley Cup playoff hockey in Alberta, as the Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers have participated in the highest-scoring playoff series of all time.

Who were their opponents, and how many goals did these clubs score in a single playoff series? Here's a breakdown of the three highest-scoring playoff series of all time.

Most goals scored by an NHL team in a Stanley Cup playoff series

#3. Calgary Flames - 35 Goals (1995)

The Calgary Flames are the only team in Stanley Cup playoff history to score over 33 goals in a single series and lose, which happened in 1995.

Playing against the San Jose Sharks in an opening-round series, the Flames went the distance, dropping Game 7 in double overtime to hand San Jose their second-ever playoff series win.

However, it was challenging for the Sharks, who gave up 35 goals to Calgary in the series. San Jose jumped out to a 2-0 series lead with wins in Game 1 (5-4) and Game 2 (5-4 OT) before the Flames battled back for a split in Game 3 (9-2) and Game 4 (6-4).

Calgary kept up in Game 5, pitching a 5-0 shutout before losing Game 6 (5-3) and eventually Game 7 (5-4) in double overtime.

Only Theo Fleury (Calgary) reached double digits in points (14), which was the same amount as the top two skaters on the Sharks, Ulf Dahlén and Craig Janney, who each seven points.

#2. Edmonton Oilers - 35 Goals (1983)

One season before the Oilers would win the Stanley Cup, they beat up on their provincial rivals, the Flames, setting a then-NHL record for scoring 35 goals in a single playoff series.

In the five-game Smythe Division Finals that Edmonton won en route to their first appearance in the Stanley Cup Final, they scored at least five goals in every game, only losing Game 4 by 6-5.

Wayne Gretzky, Edmonton Oilers

During the first two games, the Oilers won 6-3 and 5-1, scoring 11 goals on home ice. Then, they scored 10 in Game 3 for a 10-2 win, giving them a 21-6 advantage through three games.

After losing Game 4 at the Stampede Corral, they closed out the series in Game 5 at Northlands Coliseum with a triumphant 9-1 victory, to give them 35 goals in the series.

Wayne Gretzky led all skaters with 14 points, while fellow Hall of Famer Mark Messier had eight goals. No one in the Flames lineup scored more than six points, as the team only scored 13 goals in the series.

#1. Edmonton Oilers - 44 Goals (1985)

When the Oilers met the Chicago Blackhawks in the Clarence Campbell Finals in 1985, little did anyone know they would be witnessing history. In only six games, the two teams combined for 69 goals, 114 assists and 183 points, the most ever in a Stanley Cup playoffs series.

Edmonton won the series in Game 6 and advanced to their third straight Stanley Cup Final, winning their second of a back-to-back in late May 1985.

Surprisingly, this wasn't an easy series for the Oilers, who rolled through Chicago in Game 1 (11-2) and picked up a 7-3 victory in Game 2 for an early 2-0 series lead. However, the Blackhawks rebounded to tie the series with wins in Game 3 (5-2) and Game 4 (8-6).

However, that was the Oilers' final defeat of the series. They earned victories in Game 5 (10-5) and Game 6 (8-2) to finish the series with 44 goals, 72 assists and 116 points, all NHL records for a single series.

Edmonton's Gretzky led all skaters with 18 points, while Jari Kurri set another Stanley Cup playoff record for most goals in a series with 12.