Stanley Cup Playoffs: The Best Head-to-Head Player Battles in Playoff History

In the Stanley Cup playoffs, it is often said that the better team almost always wins.

Certainly, that is a very true statement.

But, quite often, wedged in between those epic battles between great teams we get treated to some tremendous player vs. player battles, legendary match-ups, if you will, that fans remember for many years.

Throughout the history of the Stanley Cup playoffs, we have seen these battles time and again, and they are almost always memorable.

Go back to the 1970's when the Bruins, Flyers and Canadiens took turns asserting their dominance over each other, and we began to see some of these momentous encounters.

Phil Esposito vs. Bobby Clarke in 1974.

Or Guy Lafleur vs. Clarke in the 1976 Finals, just to name a couple.

In the early 1980's, these great player battles often signified the end of one team's reign and the ascension of a new power.

Such was the case in 1984 when Wayne Gretzky's Edmonton Oilers ended the reign of Mike Bossy and the New York Islanders.

Such is the scope of this article, to go back through time and look at some of the all-time greatest player vs player battles in Stanley Cup playoff history.

Before diving too deep, a few words, or caveats, here.

This is a chronological listing. These are all great battles we are exploring here and exceedingly difficult ones to try and rank. Instead, we will explore these great confrontations as they took place in the annals of Stanley Cup history.

Also, certain match-ups that should be on here are not simply because it was difficult to find video footage of suitable quality. The aforementioned tilts between Esposito and Clarke or Clarke and Lafleur are just a couple of them.

With that being said, let us begin with a different kind of match-up, the first of many between two of the best goalies of their era or, for that matter, ever.

Follow @DaveUngar68

1. Patrick Roy vs. Mike Vernon, 1986 Stanley Cup Finals

Not all player vs. player battles involve scorers.

In the 1986 Stanley Cup playoffs, the Montreal Canadiens and Calgary Flames rode the stellar performances of their respective rookie goalies all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals.

For the Habs, 20-year-old rookie Patrick Roy turned in a truly incredible run in the playoffs. Roy won 15 of 20 playoff games, registered a shutout and had an amazing 1.93 goals against average.

For the Flames, rookie goalie Mike Vernon turned in a nearly awe-inspiring performance. In 21 playoff games that year, Vernon won 12 of 21 games and had a 2.93 goals against average as he led the Flames to a surprising appearance in the Cup finals. Along the way, Vernon's play was a key reason the Flames were able to dethrone the mighty, two-time defending Stanley Cup champions, the Edmonton Oilers.

Against Roy and the Canadiens, however, Vernon and the Flames were outmatched. Calgary would win Game 1, but Montreal would come back to take the next two.

The turning point of the series came in Game 4. With both goalies playing brilliantly, Vernon made one mistake, and Roy made the Flames pay as he shut out Calgary and placed the Canadiens on the brink of their 23rd Stanley Cup.

The Flames tried to extend the series on home ice but could not as the Habs prevailed and took the Cup in five games.

The two rookie goalies put on a show for the fans, and the two were not done with each other.

They would both change uniforms, but they would wage two more epic wars, with Roy as a member of the Colorado Avalanche and Vernon sporting the uniform of the Detroit Red Wings.

In the 1995-1996 playoffs, Roy would again get the better of Vernon as the 'Lanche would eliminate the Wings in six games, en route to the Stanley Cup.

The following year, the script was flipped as Vernon and the Wings would eliminate the Avalanche in six games as Detroit would take the Cup.

Patrick Roy and Mike Vernon waged some of the best goalie vs. goalie battles in Stanley Cup playoff history (including a couple of fights between the two net-minders), and it all started back in 1986.

2. Wayne Gretzky vs. Mark Messier, 1989 Division Semifinals

Not long after The Great One, Wayne Gretzky, had led the Edmonton Oilers to their fourth Stanley Cup in five years, the unthinkable took place.

Gretzky was traded to the Los Angeles Kings.

It was a trade that shook the hockey world to its core, but it also created an unprecedented amount of interest in hockey in California.

Though Gretzky was gone, most of the nucleus of the defending Stanley Cup champion Oilers remained intact, including Mark Messier.

Messier had, arguably, lived in Gretzky's shadow for many years, and the Oilers were now his team.

In Gretzky's first game back in Edmonton, Messier made a point of letting Gretzky know the Oilers were his club now as he drilled Gretzky, much to the delight of the crowd who, up until then, had seemed to be quite pro-Gretzky.

As it turned out, Messier's check of Gretzky was just the opening salvo. As fate would have it, the two teams would meet in the Division Semifinals of the 1989 Stanley Cup playoffs.

It would turn out to be an absolutely classic series.

In Game 1, Messier would get the best of his former teammate by tallying two assists and leading the Oilers to a 4-3 win in Los Angeles.

In Game 2, Messier would account for almost all of Edmonton's offense with a goal and an assist. Gretzky, however, would match him, Chris Kontos would get a hat trick and the Kings evened the series with a 5-2 win.

When the series shifted to Edmonton, the Oilers took control. Messier had two assists as the Oilers won Game 3 by the final of 4-0.

Gretzky had three assists in Game 4 but it was not enough as the Oilers won 4-3 and seemingly had the series all but wrapped up as they now held a 3-1 series lead.

Facing elimination on home ice in Game 5, Gretzky responded with a goal and two assists. Kontos continued his torrid scoring pace and the Kings prevailed 4-2. But they would have to find a way to win in Edmonton, something much easier said then done.

In Game 6, both Messier and Gretzky had an assist each. The Kings would give up a goal in the first 30 seconds of the game, but Kelly Hrudey would shut the Oilers out the rest of the way and Kontos would score yet again as Los Angeles won 4-1 to send the series back to LA for Game 7.

In Game 7, Gretzky would show why he was the best player in the world. Gretzky would score two goals, Bernie Nichols would add two of his own, and not even Messier's three assists could save the Oilers. Gretzky's empty netter, with the Oilers on the power play, put an end to the Kings 6-3 win—and put an end to the Oilers dynasty, at least for a season.

Gretzky and Messier were far from finished with each other, though.

The Oilers would sweep the Kings the next year and would defeat them in six games the next two years after that. Messier played a key role in all of those victories, gaining a large measure of revenge against The Great One.

Gretzky and Messier would reunite for one season in New York ,and the two legends helped the Rangers reach the 1997 Conference Finals.

But this first meeting between the two in the 1989 Stanley Cup playoffs was one of the best player vs player battles in Stanley Cup playoff history.

(Source for stats: http://www.hockey-reference.com/playoffs/NHL_1989.html)

3. Mario Lemieux vs. Dino Ciccarelli, 1992 Division Semifinals

This is one that is rather painful for me to write about.

Nevertheless, it is not everyday that you get a series between two great players, both of whom would end up in the Hall of Fame, and wrap that around a great team climbing a huge mountain to defend their Stanley Cup championship.

In the 1992 Stanley Cup playoffs, the Pittsburgh Penguins were the defending champs, having beaten the Minnesota North Stars in six games the year before. On their way to the Cup, the Pens had dismantled the Washington Capitals in just five games.

Suffice it to say, when the teams met again in 1992, the Caps had a mind for revenge.

As the series started, Mario Lemieux, whom many considered to be the best player in the world by that time, was injured and did not play in Game 1. Led by Peter Bondra's two goals, the Caps won Game 1 by the final of 3-1.

Super Mario would return for Game 2, but he was nowhere near 100 percent. Lemieux would get two assists, but Dino Ciccarelli, who had led the Caps in goals during the regular season, had a goal and an assist as the Caps throttled the Pens 6-2 to take a 2-0 series lead.

In Game 3, Mario was nothing short of super. Lemieux scored three goals, assisted on three others, and the Pens got back in the series with a 6-4 win.

In Game 4, however, Ciccarelli would completely outplay Lemieux. Dino would score four goals as the Caps blasted Pittsburgh 7-2 to take a commanding 3-1 series lead.

But these are the Caps we are talking about, and anyone who rooted for them in the early 1990's knows what happened next.

In Game 5, Lemieux and Ciccarelli were limited to an assist each. But a new defensive style employed by the Pens kept Ciccarelli without a shot on goal, and the Pens began the long road back with a 5-2 win.

Game 6 was one of the most frustrating moments in Caps history. Leading 4-2, and seemingly in control, Lemieux took control, and everything fell apart. Playing one of his best playoff games ever when his team needed it most, Lemieux would score twice and assist on three others. Ciccarelli could only notch an assist, and the Pens had tied the series with a 6-4 win.

With everything on the line, both teams played their best defensive game of the series. The Pens, as they had since Game 4, clamped down hard on Ciccarelli and kept him off the score sheet entirely.

Lemieux, on the other hand, again showed why he was one of the best of all time as he scored a goal and assisted on Jaromir Jagr's series winner. The Penguins won Game 7 by the final of 3-1 and a rivalry that exists to this very day was born.

The Penguins would go on to repeat as Stanley Cup champions while the Caps got a mouthful of the bitter taste of defeat, a taste they have not gotten out of their mouths 20 years later.

The next year, Lemieux was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma. He would return later and still be one of the best in the game, but the Penguins' dynasty was done.

Ciccarelli would go on to score over 600 goals in his career—but would never get a chance to hoist the Cup.

For seven games in 1992, however, these two Hall of Famers went at each other. Clearly, Mario Lemieux got the better of the two in this series but the match-up was one of the best in Stanley Cup playoff history.

(Source for stats: http://www.hockey-reference.com/playoffs/NHL_1992.html)

4. Mark Messier vs. Pavel Bure, 1994 Stanley Cup Finals

The 1993-1994 NHL campaign was a special one for the New York Rangers.

This was the season that the Blue Shirts finally ended a 54 year drought and captured their first Stanley Cup since 1940.

Mark Messier, who had been traded to the Rangers from the Edmonton Oilers in October of 1991, had won the Cup several times already, and his arrival in the Big Apple heralded a new wave of hope for New Yorkers.

During the 1994 Stanley Cup playoffs, Messier led the Rangers to the Eastern Conference Finals against the New Jersey Devils. His still famous guarantee in Game 6, and his subsequent hat trick to force a Game 7, is the stuff of legends.

Opposing the Rangers in the Stanley Cup finals were the Vancouver Canucks. The Canucks had surprised many by getting to the Cup Finals as a No. 7 seed. But Vancouver had the electrifying Pavel Bure on their team.

Bure had led the NHL in the 1993-1994 season with 60 goals. Thus, the stage was set for a great David vs. Goliath battle for the Cup.

In Game 1, Bure would notch an assist as the Canucks stunned the Rangers with a 3-2 overtime victory.

In Game 2 though, Bure would register a dismal minus three rating as the Rangers evened the series with a 3-1 win.

In Game 3, Bure would score the Canucks only goal. The problem was that the Rangers, with two goals from Brian Leetch, routed Vancouver 5-1 to take a 2-1 lead in the series. Messier had an assist in that game but was still looking for his first goal.

In Game 4, Messier and Bure were only able to register an assist each as the Rangers won 4-2 to take a commanding 3-1 series lead.

In Game 5, Messier would finally get a goal but Bure, with his team's back to the wall, had a dominating performance. He would score two goals and assist on another as the Canucks slammed the Rangers 6-3 to force a Game 6 back in Vancouver.

In Game 6, the Canucks would get two goals from Geoff Courtnall and two more from Jeff Brown. Bure would get an assist, and Vancouver won 4-1 to force a deciding Game 7 back at Madison Square Garden.

Up to that point, Bure had outplayed Messier; Bure's line, which had been matched up against Messier's for much of the series, had been getting the better of the contest.

But, as he had done against New Jersey, Messier stepped up when it mattered most. In the first period, he made a beautiful pass to set up Brian Leetch on the Ranger's first goal.

Then in the second period, Messier would bang home a rebound on a scramble in front of the net. It would turn out the be the Cup clinching goal.

Messier's goal gave the rangers a 3-2 win and their first Stanley Cup since 1994.

Bure would never get another shot at the Cup, but his performance in the 1994 Cup Finals, against a truly great Rangers team, was nothing to be ashamed of.

(Source for stats: http://www.hockey-reference.com/playoffs/NHL_1994.html)

5. Sergei Fedorov and Steve Yzerman vs. Brett Hull and Wayne Gretzky from 1996

In going through some of these tremendous battles, I found, on more than one occasion, that sometimes the battles going on were not just one on one wars.

Sometimes there were a couple of individuals on each team that created such a great amount of drama that it would seem to be a disservice to what took place to just limit the discussion to a one on one sort of approach.

The 1996 Stanley Cup playoffs, especially in the Western Conference, are a prime example of this.

Take, for instance, the Western Conference Semifinals between the Detroit Red Wings and the St. Louis Blues.

This was about the time that the Red Wings' mid 1990's dynasty was just getting rolling. And roll did not adequately describe what Detroit accomplished during the 1995-1996 season. The Wings won a stunning 62 games and amassed a whopping 131 points en route to the No. 1 overall seed.

The Red Wings were loaded with talent, but, arguably, the two biggest contributors to the Wings success were captain Steve Yzerman and Sergei Fedorov.

The St. Louis Blues were not nearly so successful. In February of 1996, with the team trying to solidify a run at the playoffs, the Blues pulled off a trade and acquired none other than Wayne Gretzky.

Gretzky made an immediate impact for the Blues, and the pairing of Gretzky with the very dangerous Brett Hull made the Blues a threat to everyone in the West—except the mighty Red Wings, of course.

Or at least that is what everyone thought. After all, the Blues finished a full 51 points behind the Wings in the standings.

The series started off as expected. In Game 1, the Red Wings got a goal from Fedorov and an assist from Yzerman to come away with a 3-2 win. In that game, Hull notched a goal and an assist in the losing effort.

Game 2 was a complete rout. Gretzky would get his second assist in as many games. It would not matter at all though, as Yzerman had two goals and three assists as the Wings thrashed the Blues 8-3 to take a 2-0 series lead.

The Blues were left for dead after Game 2. But in Game 3, the Blues would fight back. Yzerman did all he could to prevent it though as he scored a hat trick. Fedorov would get an assist, as would Gretzky and Hull. But it was Igor Kravchuk's overtime winner that gave the Blues a 5-4 win and turned the series around.

In Game 4, it was time for The Great One to make his presence felt. Gretzky scored the only goal of the game, and the Blues' Jon Casey stopped all 29 shots he faced. The Blues stunning 1-0 win evened the series up at 2-2. But with the series heading back to Detroit, things still seemed well at hand.

But in Game 5, it was Gretzky and Hull getting the better of Fedorov and Yzerman. Fedorov and Yzerman were held without a point and both ended up with minus one ratings. Meanwhile, Gretzky and Hull both got a goal and an assist, and the Blues shocked the Red Wings 3-2. St. Louis went home with a glorious chance at pulling off a massive upset.

In Game 6, the Wings would show why they were the best team in the NHL. Facing the prospect of being the victims of, arguably, one of the biggest upsets ever, Detroit responded. Fedorov and Yzerman would each grab an assist and goals from Dino Ciccarelli (now a Red Wing), Nicklas Lidstrom, Kris Draper and Igor Larionov would pace Detroit to a 4-2 win.

Hull did all he could to prevent the outcome with a goal and an assist. But the series would go back to Detroit, and the stage was set for one of the most iconic goals in playoff history.

Pretty much anyone who has been a hockey fan for any length of time has seen a replay of Steve Yzerman's series winning goal about two minutes into the second overtime period to break a scoreless tie and send the Red Wings to the Conference Finals.

Yzerman's goal, however, came just moments after he very nearly set up Fedorov for the game winner. On the actual winning goal, it was a misplay by Gretzky that gave possession of the puck to Yzerman. The Wings captain uncorked a shot from right at the blue line and the rest was history.

Yzerman, Fedorov and the rest of the Wings would go on to be a part of another epic confrontation in the next series.

For Gretzky and Hull, their union did not last long. Gretzky would be reunited with Mark Messier in New York but would not capture another Cup.

Hull, on the other hand, would go on to score one of the most controversial Cup winning goals in playoff history in 1999 as a member of the Dallas Stars. He would later be inducted into the hockey Hall of Fame.

The 1996 Conference Semifinals between the Red Wings and Blues featured four of the all-time greats.

The Conference Finals would be just as good.

(Source for stats: http://www.hockey-reference.com/playoffs/NHL_1996.html)

6. Joe Sakic and Peter Forsberg vs. Steve Yzerman and Sergei Fedorov from 1996

After surviving against the Blues, the Red Wings next took aim at the Western Conference championship.

Standing in their way was the Colorado Avalanche, a young team in its first year of existence after having moved from Quebec and definitely on the rise in the spring of 1996.

Though the Avs had finished 27 points behind the Wings in the regular season standings, they were still the second best team in the league, and they had looked quite impressive in series wins over the Vancouver Canucks and Chicago Blackhawks.

This was particularly true for Joe Sakic, who had blitzed the NHL in the playoffs and was the playoff leader in goals scored with 13 by the time the Red Wings series rolled around.

He was joined by another young and explosive player named Peter Forsberg. Forsberg had scored five goals by the time the Western Conference Finals began.

It did not hurt the Avs chances at all that they had Patrick Roy in net.

The Avalanche vs. Red Wings rivalry was one of the fiercest and most intense in NHL history. It can be said that it all began in the 1996 Western Conference Finals.

In Game 1, the four big guys mentioned in the headline were relatively quiet. Sakic, Sergei Fedorov and Steve Yzerman would all get assists. But it was Mike Keane who scored the overtime winner as the Avalanche took Game 1. Right away, it became evident that the series would be physical.

That would be an understatement.

In Game 2, Yzerman did not play, Sakic would notch a goal, Roy would stop all 35 shots he faced and the Avs left Detroit with a shocking 2-0 series lead.

In Game 3, the Red Wings offense finally awoke. Fedorov would tally 4 assists as the Wings got back into the series with a 6-4 win. Nicklas Lidstrom did a lot of the heavy lifting as well with two goals and an assist. Forsberg and Sakic would get two assists each as well but not enough to prevent the Detroit victory.

Facing a potential momentum shift in the series, the Avalanche would respond in Game 4. Forsberg and Sakic would each get a goal in Coloarado's 4-2 win. Fedorov continued to set people up at a torrid pace with two more assists, but the Red Wings would go back to Detroit for Game 5, facing elimination.

Game 5 would be Detroit's best of the series. Fedorov would score a goal and get another assist as the Wings stayed alive with a convincing 5-2 win.

Game 6 back in Colorado would be all about Sakic and Forsberg (with a lot of help from Roy). This was the game in which Claude Lemieux literally rearranged the face of Kris Draper. Nothing would derail the Avs on this night, though. Sakic would open the scoring, then would put the Avalanche ahead to stay in the second period.

Forsberg would add the final score as Colorado put away the Red Wings in six games with a dominating 4-1 win.

As most know, these two teams were far from being finished with each other, though.

The Red Wings would gain a measure of revenge the following year ousting the defending Cup champions in six games. The Red Wings would go on to capture the Cup that year.

In 1999, the Avalanche took Round 3, beating the Wings in six games in the Conference Semifinals.

In 2000, the Avs would again derail Detroit, winning its Conference Semifinal series in just five games.

In 2002, it was Detroit's turn, downing Colorado in seven games to win the Western Conference. Detroit would go on to capture the Cup.

By the time Detroit swept Colorado in the 2008 Conference Semifinals, the rivalry had died down quite a bit.

But for a period of roughly seven years, fueled by great players such as Steve Yzerman, Joe Sakic, Sergei Fedorov and Peter Forsberg, the Avalanche vs Red Wings rivalry was as good as the NHL has ever seen.

(Source for stats: http://www.hockey-reference.com/playoffs/NHL_1996.html)

7. Joe Sakic vs Patrik Elias, 2001 Stanley Cup Finals

The 2001 Stanley Cup Finals featured something very rare in recent NHL playoff history—the two No. 1 seeds in their respective conferences playing each other.

Yet that is what we got as the Colorado Avalanche took on the New Jersey Devils.

What we also got was a classic match-up between Joe Sakic of the Avalanche and Patrik Elias of the Devils.

The two men had finished two-three in total points scored during the regular season. Sakic was second in the league with 118 points (Jaromir Jagr led the league with 121 points), while Elias was third with 96 goals.

Not to be lost amidst a match-up of the NHL's elite was the quest of Raymond Bourque to finally capture a Cup after a more than 20 year long career.

Oh, and before we forget, this series had a match-up of two of the best goalies ever with Patrick Roy going up against Martin Brodeur.

The stage was set and neither the two teams, or the two superstars involved, would disappoint.

Game 1 was all about Colorado domination. Sakic got off to a tremendous start with two goals and an assist as the Avs rolled to a 5-0 Game 1 win.

Sakic would get another goal in Game 2—but that was all the Avs would get. Goals by Bob Korkum and Turner Stevenson were enough as New Jersey evened the series with a 2-1 win.

In Game 3, Elias would finally break into the scoring column with an assist. But Sakic would set up Bourque on the game winner and the Avalanche took a 2-1 series lead with a 3-1 win.

In Game 4, with his team in a must-win situation, Elias responded with a goal and an assist as the Devils again tied the series with a 3-2 win.

In Game 5, Elias would score again and the Devils took a 3-2 lead in the series with a convincing 4-1 win.

Heading back to New Jersey for Game 6, the Devil's chances looked great. As we all know though, looks can be deceiving. Sakic would get an assist, and Colorado forced a decisive Game 7 with a 4-0 win.

In Game 7, Sakic would do all he could to make sure Bourque's dream came true. Sakic had a goal and an assist. Alex Tanguay would net two more goals, and Coloardo won the Cup with a 3-1 win in Game 7.

In the end, the fireworks many expected from Sakic and Elias did not exactly materialize. Both men were effective but were not quite the offensive juggernauts many expected.

This series, however, will always be remembered for Joe Sakic almost immediately handing the Stanley Cup to Raymond Bourque and having Bourque be the first member of the Avalanche skate the Cup as the Avalanche fans roared their approval.

The 2001 Stanley Cup Finals will always be remembered for several things, and the match-up between two of the leagues most prolific scorers was just one of many factors that made this series one of the best of all time.

(Source for stats: http://www.hockey-reference.com/playoffs/NHL_2001.html)

8. Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby vs. Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg, 2008

The 2008 Stanley Cup Finals saw the Pittsburgh Penguins and Detroit Red Wings battle for the Cup for the first time of what would be back-to-back Cup contests between the two clubs.

The once mighty Penguins had been mired in mediocrity for quite a while—and then Sidney Crosby came along.

The Pens had not been in the playoffs since 2001 until Crosby led them back there in 2007. The Pens would be eliminated in five games that year by the eventual Eastern Conference champions, the Ottawa Senators. But something good was happening in Pittsburgh, and it was obvious that Sid The Kid was going to be a big part of it.

The Detroit Red Wings, on the other hand, experienced no such playoff drought making the tournament each year that the Penguins had been absent and capturing the Cup in 2002.

By the time the two proud franchises would meet in the 2008 Stanley Cup Finals, stars on both teams had emerged.

Crosby was generally considered the best player in the world. His teammate, Evgeni Malkin, was considered by many to be, at a minimum, in the top five. In the 2007-2008 regular season, Malkin had finished second to the Capital's Alexander Ovechkin (more on him in the next slide) in scoring.

Crosby's 2007-2008 campaign had been shortened due to an ankle injury he suffered. Yet he still scored 72 points despite playing in just 53 games.

The Wings were loaded, perhaps more so than the Pens. During the 2007-2008 season, two men in particular, Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg, had really emerged as incredible players and scoring threats anytime they took the ice.

Datsyuk had finished fourth in the league in scoring while Zetterberg had finished six.

The potential for an offensive explosion between these teams was very high. There was star power everywhere, and the battle between Crosby and Malkin going against Datsyuk and Zetterberg figured to be epic in scale.

In Game 1, three of the four were kept off the score sheet completely. But Zetterberg would score a power play goal as the Wings rolled to a 4-0 win.

Game 2 would follow a similar script. Chris Osgood would, incredibly, get his second consecutive shutout over the high-powered Pens in a 3-0 win. Zetterberg would get an assist in this game, and it looked like the series would be a short one as Pittsburgh had not yet scored and faced a 2-0 series hole heading home.

In Game 3, Crosby answered the call scoring two goals in a 3-2 win for Pittsburgh that got the Pens back into the series. Datsyuk and Malkin had still not scored any points in the series, and, for the first time, Zetterberg was held without a point.

Datsyuk would finally break into the scoring column in Game 4, assisting on Nicklas Lidstrom's game-tying goal. The Wings would win the game on Jiri Hudler's goal early in the third period, and Detroit headed home with a 3-1 series lead and a chance to clinch the Cup on home ice.

Game 5 would be a classic, and all four stars would play a key role in this one. The Pens came out on fire, and Crosby assisted on the opening goal by Marian Hossa. Zetterberg would then assist on Datsyuk's game-tying power play goal in the third period and would then come up with another assist on Brian Rafalski's go-ahead goal that put Detroit on the brink of the Cup.

But Crosby would come up with a huge assist on Maxime Talbot's game tying goal with just 35 seconds left in regulation. The two teams would then battle late into the night, with the Cup hanging in the balance. In the third overtime period, the Pens found themselves on a power play, and Malkin picked a fantastic time to get his first points of the series as he assisted on Petr Sykora's game winner.

Heading back to Pittsburgh for Game 6, the Pens seemed to have the momentum after the marathon win. But Zetterburg and Datsyuk would assist on Rafalski's goal to give Detroit the early lead. In the second period, Crosby would assist on Malkin's power play goal that cut a 2-0 Detroit lead in half.

But in the third period, Datsyuk would set up Zetterberg on what turned out to be the Cup winning goal. Many remember the ending sequence of this game for when the puck very nearly crossed the Detroit goal line in the closing seconds of the game. It did not, and the Wings celebrated their 11th Stanley Cup on the Penguins home ice.

Zetterberg would win the Conn Smythe trophy.

The two teams would meet again the following season. Led by Malkin, Crosby and Maxime Talbot in the final two games, the Penguins would beat the Wings in seven games to capture their first cup in 17 years.

But the 2008 Stanley Cup Finals saw a great match-up of some of the league's best. Three of the top six scorers in the league all went at it, with the ultimate prize on the line.

It is just another example of the drama the Cup can produce.

(Source for stats: http://www.hockey-reference.com/playoffs/NHL_2008.html)

9. Sidney Crosby vs. Alexander Ovechkin, 2009 Eastern Conference Semifinals

In 2009, when the NHL executives learned that the Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals would meet in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, their mouths started to water.

This was it. This was the match-up the NHL desperately wanted, because it would feature the game's two biggest stars, Alexander Ovechkin of the Caps and Sidney Crosby of the Pens, going head to head in playoff battle for the first time ever.

Both men had resurrected their respective franchises. Both had won the Hart Trophy and been named league MVP. They were considered the two best players in the world with vigorous debate about who was No. 1 and who was No. 2.

During the 2008-2009 regular season, Ovechkin had been No. 2 in the NHL in scoring with Crosby at No. 3.

It was the match-up virtually everyone wanted—and the two megastars would not disappoint in what was one of the best playoff series in recent memory.

Game 1 would be a foreshadowing of things to come as Crosby and Ovechkin each scored a goal. The Caps would win Game 1 on a Tomas Fleischmann goal early in the third period.

Game 2, however, is a game that will be talked about for many years to come. This was the game in which both Crosby and Ovechkin registered hat tricks. Ovie's third goal would actually end up being the game winner, and the Caps had a 2-0 series lead.

For those who have been reading along, the Caps with a 2-0 series lead over the Pens must sound quite familiar.

In Game 3, things started well for the Caps as an early goal by Ovechkin gave Washington a 1-0 lead. Ultimately, however, the game would go to overtime. With their backs to the wall, Crosby would notch his second assist of the game as he set up Kris Letang's overtime winner, and the Pens were back in the series.

In Game 4, the Pens would limit Ovechkin to an assist. Crosby would end up scoring the game winning goal as the Pens evened the series with a 5-3 win.

The series shifted back to Washington for Game 5, but the momentum stayed with Pittsburgh. Crosby was held pointless, but Ovie did all he could to prevent a Penguins victory with two goals and an assist. His goal with just over four minutes remaining in regulation sent a second game into overtime.

But just over three minutes into overtime, Evgeni Malkin, who led the NHL in scoring that season (meaning the top three scorers in the NHL were all playing in this series), would score, and the Penguins headed home with a 3-2 series lead.

Game 6 would be a back and forth affair that saw both teams lay it all on the line. Ovechkin would have three assists. But it was Crosby's goal, with barely more than four minutes left in regulation, that tied the game and sent a second consecutive game into overtime.

This time, however, the Caps' Dave Steckel would ruin the Penguins' victory party as his goal almost six and a half minutes into overtime sent the series back to Washington for a decisive Game 7.

Game 7...Penguins...Capitals.

Sounds very familiar.

Everyone expected one of the all-time classic battles in Game 7. The series had been so close, how could the final game be anything but a classic?

Everyone, except Penguins fans, would be disappointed.

Game 7 really turned early on. Ovechkin came in on a breakaway. If he scored, Game 7 probably would have gone in a different direction. Marc-Andre Fleury stuffed him, however.

Crosby would score later in the first period, and then Craig Adams would strike eight seconds later.

The Pens never looked back. By the time Ovechkin scored late in the second period, Pittsburgh had a 5-0 lead. Crosby would later add a goal as the Penguins advanced.

The Pens would go on to defeat the Red Wings in a tremendous seven game series to win the Cup for the first time in 17 years.

It can be argued that the Capitals, and specifically Ovechkin, have never fully recovered from this defeat. Sure, they Caps would win the President's Trophy the following season—only to suffer a shocking first round loss to the No. 8 seeded Canadiens.

Since this epic collision, Crosby has been limited due to a recurrent concussion problem, and Ovechkin's production has dipped sharply.

But for a couple of weeks in 2009, the two best players in the world put on a show for the ages.

(Source for stats: http://www.hockey-reference.com/playoffs/NHL_2009.html)

10. The Sedin Twins vs. Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews from 2011

For our last stop on this trip down memory lane, we go back just over a year.

The Chicago Blackhawks had been a major thorn in the side of the Vancouver Canucks for quite a while.

Both teams had returned to prominence at about the same time, and this came to a head during the 2009 playoffs. The Blackhawks eliminated the Canucks in six games in the Western Conference Semifinals that season.

The following season would see a virtual repeat as Chicago again ousted Vancouver in Game 6 of the Western Conference Semifinals. But in 2010, the Blackhawks would go on to capture their first Stanley Cup since 1961.

That 2010 season also set the stage for the last match-up we will visit. During the 2010 season, Henrik Sedin led the NHL in scoring. Patrick Kane, meanwhile, finished a respectable ninth. Henrik would also be named the MVP of the league.

In the playoffs, however, Jonathan Toews would capture the Conn Smythe trophy as he led the Blackhaws to the Cup.

The following regular season, the two teams seemed on a collision course. During the 2010-2011 regular season, Henrik's twin brother, Daniel, led the league in scoring while Henrik finished fourth.

Meanwhile, the defending champion Blackhawks struggled for stretches of the regular season, and they qualified as the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference.

Their opponents right off the bat? The Canucks.

The stage was set for a showdown between the Sedin twins, who had won consecutive Art Ross Trophy's between them, Patrick Kane and the reigning Conn Smythe trophy winner, Jonathan Toews.

What followed was an instant classic of a series.

In Game 1, none of the four superstars really made an impact. The Canucks pleased their home faithful greatly, however, with a 2-0 win.

In Game 2, the twins would strike. Daniel netted two goals, including the game winner, and added an assist. Henrik contributed with two assists. For Chicago, Kane had a helper, but the Canucks prevailed 4-3 to take a 2-0 lead in the series.

The series then shifted to the Madhouse on Madison. Momentum, however, remained with Vancouver. The twins would play a key role in the outcome. Daniel had a goal and an assist while Henrik would add two assists, including setting up Mikael Samuelsson on the game winner.

Towes played his best game of the series with two assists. Yet it was not enough to prevent Chicago from ending up in a 3-0 series hole. Virtually everyone left Chicago for dead. 

Everyone except for the Blackhawks themselves.

The Canucks forgot to show up for Game 4. Chicago routed Vancouver 7-2, a performance so dominating that it completely changed the dynamics of the series. Kane would have two assists while Toews would have one. But it was the other Patrick, namely Patrick Sharp, whose two goals changed the series around completely.

Still, the Blackhawks had to win in Vancouver to keep its chances of a historic comeback alive. In Game 5, the Canucks failed to show up again as the Blackhawks clobbered Vancouver 5-0. Kane would get his first goal of the series. But Marian Hossa and Duncan Keith had two goals apiece as the defending champs proclaimed themselves very much alive in the series.

Back in Chicago, the Madhouse was at a fever pitch as the Blackhawks fans urged their team to force a decisive Game 7. This time, however, Vancouver played very hard. Daniel Sedin got his fifth goal of the series, with an assist from his brother, to give Vancouver the early lead. Kane would later assist on the game tying goal by Dave Bolland.

Ultimately, Game 6 would go to overtime. With four and a half minutes remaining, Ben Smith would score to send the Madhouse into a frenzy and, amazingly, to send the series back to Vancouver for a Game 7 no one believed was possible just a few days earlier.

Virtually everyone who had left Chicago for dead earlier in the series had now jumped off the Canucks bandwagon prior to Game 7. With all the momentum in the world, it certainly seemed as though the Blackhawks were going to repeat the feat the Flyers had pulled off the previous playoffs, namely rallying from a 3-0 series deficit to come back and win.

Alex Burrows' goal early in the first period seemed as though it would be the series winner. Roberto Luongo was playing at the top of his game. When Duncan Keith got whistled for hooking with just over three minutes left, and the Canucks went on the power play, it looked like Vancouver was going to finally put away the pesky Blackhawks.

Someone cue Lee Corso saying, "Not so fast my friend."

Toews had played a disappointing series so far. But he would score an incredible shorthanded goal with just 1:56 remaining in the game to tie things up.

When Burrows got penalized for holding just twenty seconds into overtime, even the most faithful of Canucks fans had to feel like the end was near.

But the Canucks would kill the penalty and then, just a bit past the five minute mark of overtime, Burrows would glove down a clearing attempt, skate in all alone on Corey Crawford and, with the puck still sitting on its edge, blast the series winner past Crawford.

It was one of the greatest goals in Canucks playoff history and helped Vancouver avoid a collapse of enormous proportions.

Vancouver would go all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals where they would eventually fall to the Boston Bruins in a tremendous seven game series.

But it did not take away from the tremendous series between Chicago and Vancouver. Twin power was certainly on display during the series.

But in the end, it was one of Vancouver's lesser known players who stole the show and all the glory.

(Source for stats: http://www.hockey-reference.com/playoffs/NHL_2011.html)