2010 NHL Playoffs: Overtime Periods Abound, Rivalling 1993

Where there's extra time, there's a good time to be had.

So far this post-season, the original 16 combatants of the 2010 Stanley Cup Playoffs have waged war into an extra period 12 times through 42 games.

Twelve times may seem staggering, but it's not the record. But it is close.

The record for the most overtime games in Round One of the playoffs came back in 1992-93, when teams played overtime 14 times through 44 games.

In 1993, overtime heroes included Nikolai Borschevsky, whose Game Seven goal eliminated the heavily favoured Detroit Red Wings, and David Volek, whose stunning goal prevented the Pittsburgh Penguins from capturing a third straight Cup.

And who can forget the famous "May-Day" made famous by Buffalo Sabres' announcer Rick Jeanneret when Brad May scored the series-winning goal in a 6-5, Game Four victory to sweep the heavily-favoured Boston Bruins.

Fast forward to 2010, and there are already many heroes, likely and unlikely.

One unlikely hero was Ottawa Senators defenseman Matt Carkner, who scored in triple overtime of Game Four to end the 29th longest game in NHL history.

The not-so-unlikely hero was Vancouver Canucks forward and Stanley Cup champion Mikael Samuelsson in Game One.

Even Niklas Backstrom guaranteed an overtime winner and went and got it in Game Two against the Montreal Canadiens.

One of the most unreal overtime heroes was Chicago Blackhawks' Marian Hossa, who went from goat to hero. He took a five minute major and then came out in overtime to net the winner in a pivotal Game Five.

With 28.5 percent of games going the extra few miles in 2010 in the quarterfinals alone (compared to 31.8 percent in 1993), could the last few remaining games grab a case for most overtime games in a single playoffs?