(EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the second in a series of articles by Times News writer Rich Strack. After writing about his “Greatest Games” in sports history in the opening series, he will now offer his thoughts on the “Greatest Comebacks.” Throughout the upcoming weeks, Strack will give his list of the top comebacks in different sports. Today’s topic is the NHL.

By Rich Strack

tnsports@tnonline.com

In this difficult time of a health crisis, the matter of sports competition that brings so much recreational joy to millions of Americans has been rightfully postponed.

Every level from the professional and college ranks down to high school spring sports will have empty stadiums, ball fields, and tracks for the foreseeable future.

But if you’re a fan like me, with many years of devotion to athletic competition, some of the greatest events from the past are still being played in your memory rewind.

So sit back and let me distract you from public concerns for just a moment with Part 4 of a series on the “Greatest Comebacks” that will remain forever in my personal Hall of Fame.

Today I give you three of the best NHL come-from-behind games and series of my lifetime.

1989 regular season game

Nordiques vs. Flames

Can a great comeback not result in victory?

In the first eight minutes of the game, the now defunct Quebec Nordiques took a 3-0 lead over the Calgary Flames and eventually built that lead to 8-3 with just seven minutes left in the final period.

But the Flames would score three goals in an incredible 27 seconds to cut the deficit to 8-6.

The comeback appeared to be out of steam, however, when the Flames were given a penalty in the final minute. Undaunted, the Flames pulled their goalie, so the Nordiques had a two-goal lead and an empty Calgary net to shoot at with just 15 seconds remaining in the game.

The Flames, however gained control of the puck on a faceoff in Quebec’s zone and Dough Gilmour shot and scored. After, the Nordiques inadvertently iced the puck, Paul Ranheim got the puck off another faceoff and scored to tie the game at 8-8 with 11 seconds to play. Two goals were scored in four seconds.

The game ended in a tie because the league had not yet instituted overtime to decide a winner of a game that was deadlocked after regulation.

1982 first round playoff game

Oilers vs. Kings

Called “The Miracle on Manchester,” because it was played on Manchester Boulevard in Los Angeles, this was the third game in the best-of-five first round playoff series in which the Kings were up against the vaunted Edmonton Oilers led by “The Great One,” Wayne Gretsky and superstar, Mark Messier.

Edmonton finished the regular season in first place of the Smythe Division with 111 points. LA was the fourth seed at 63 points. The series was tied at 1-1.

The Oilers led 2-0 after the first period and 5-0 after two periods with the fifth goal scored by Gretsky on a deflection in front of the net. The Kings owner then left the game between periods to the jeers of the home crowd.

LA scored early in the third period, and minutes later added a Doug Smith power-play goal to make it 5-2 with 15 minutes left in regulation.

With five minutes left to play, LA’s Randy Gregg slid the puck past Oiler goalie Grant Fuhr on a scramble in front of the net. The score was 5-3 and the crowd got back into it. Soon after, the Oilers received a five-minute major penalty. The Kings’ Mark Hardy skated past Gretzky and beat Fuhr and Edmonton’s lead was cut to one.

Down 5-4. the Kings pulled their goalie in the final minute. With the two-man advantage, and with five seconds left, LA rookie Steve Bozek blasted a goal through the five hole to tie the game at 5-5.

Early in OT, Messier missed a wide-open net after the Kings’ goalie fell trying to clear the puck. On the ensuing rush by LA, Daryl Evans shot high and beat Fuhr on the glove side for an incredible come-from-behind, 6-5 Kings’ win.

LA would go on to win the series and complete an amazing upset.

2010 EC semifinal playoff series

Flyers vs. Bruins

The Bruins led the best-of-seven Eastern Conference semifinal series with the Flyers, 3-0.

In Game 4, the Flyers led 3-1. Boston came back to force overtime, getting the tying goal with just 05 left in regulation. But Philly’s Simon Gagne won the game in overtime to keep the series alive.

Game 5 saw the Flyers dominate for a 4-0 win, and they followed that up with a 2-1 victory in Game 6 - setting up Game 7 in the Boston Garden.

The Bruins scored three goals in the first period and with a 3-0 lead, it appeared that the Flyers’ incredible comeback from being down three games was going to fall short. But they would storm back in the second period to tie the game.

Late in the third, Boston was called for a too many men on the ice penalty, and Gagne, who missed the first three games of the series with a broken foot, would win the game and the series on a power-play goal.

The Flyers became only the fourth team in the major American sports leagues to win a series after facing a 3-0 deficit.

Final thoughts

Calgary managed to complete a five-goal comeback to tie the game, scoring its final two goals with its goalie out and having an empty net.

The Kings had to score six straight goals to beat the best team in hockey that was loaded with four future Hall of Famers.

The Flyers were on the brink of elimination and needed to win four straight games to win the series.

Nineteenth century American writer Mark Twain might have enjoyed watching successful come-from-behind efforts. His famous quote certainly can describe extraordinary outcomes.

“It’s not the size of the dog in the fight. It’s the size of the fight in the dog.”