An analogy to Miracle on Manchester in 1982 was the ‘what’s happening here’ vibe of the first Oilers-Kings playoff game.
On April 10, 1982, the Los Angeles Kings achieved one of the most remarkable comebacks in NHL history during Game 3 of their first-round playoff series against the Edmonton Oilers. Trailing 5–0 entering the third period, the Kings rallied to tie the game and eventually won 6–5 in overtime, a feat that would become known as the “Miracle on Manchester” citeturn0search13.
The Kings and Oilers faced off in a best-of-five series, with the Oilers entering the game as heavy favorites. Edmonton had dominated the regular season, finishing first in the Clarence Campbell Conference with 111 points, while the Kings had secured the fourth seed with 48 fewer points. The Oilers boasted a high-powered offense led by Wayne Gretzky, who had set an NHL record with 92 goals and 120 assists that season
The game began unfavorably for the Kings. By the end of the second period, they found themselves down 5–0, with the Oilers capitalizing on power plays and taking advantage of defensive lapses. Kings’ goaltender Mario Lessard was replaced by Doug Keans after the fourth goal, but the momentum remained firmly with Edmonton
The third period saw a dramatic shift. The Kings scored five unanswered goals, including a power-play goal by Steve Bozek with just five seconds remaining in regulation to tie the game. The Forum erupted as fans witnessed what seemed like an impossible comeback
In overtime, the Kings continued their relentless pursuit. At 2:35 of the extra period, rookie Daryl Evans scored the game-winning goal, securing a 6–5 victory for Los Angeles and completing the largest comeback in NHL playoff history
The Kings’ victory in Game 3 was part of a series upset, as they went on to eliminate the Oilers with a 3–2 series win. The “Miracle on Manchester” remains a testament to resilience and the unpredictable nature of playoff hockey, etching its place in NHL lore.
For a visual recount of this historic game, you can watch the official NHL video here:
