On December 30, 1976 the Soviet Nationals played the Houston Aeros in the 3rd game of their tour of the WHA. The Aeros were one of the WHA's flagship franchises.
The first period was very close and ended 1-1. The Soviets beat Ron Grahame (who was playing very well) at 2:19 of the 2nd to move ahead 2-1. At 10:15 Houston coach, Bill Dineen, pulled Grahame and replaced him with Wayne Rutledge. He wanted to give all his players a chance to play against the Soviets. Well, the Soviets proceeded to score 7 goals against Rutledge in the final 9:45 of the 2nd period to blow the game apart. They led 9-1 at the end of two periods. Grahame returned for the 3rd period and the Soviets added a final goal in a 10-1 massacre of Houston.
Is this performance by Wayne Rutledge maybe the worst ever by a pro goalie in a single game? 7 goals against in 9:45?
sad as it makes me to say, if we're talking about big game situations by an elite goaltender, luongo has to have multiple performances that are pretty high up there.
This one qualifies on a technicality. I remembered it and looked it up many years later.
On November 24, 1966, Denis DeJordy was playing in goal for the Chicago Black Hawks at Toronto, when a penalty shot was called for. The Hawks' coach sent Glenn Hall into the game to defend, presumably because of his experience. Still, Frank Mahovlich scored the goal, whereupon Hall went back to the bench ands DeJordy returned to the ice. The Leafs won 6-3.
As the clock doesn't run during a penalty shot, Hall's record was one shot, no saves, one goal, in 0:00 playing time. One goal in zero minutes is infinity. Let's see someone beat that.
It would be odd if a Hall of Famer held this particular record, but remember that an ordinary goalie wouldn't get such a chance: the Hawks brought in Hall because of his great reputation.
(Even if they gave you credit for the five (?) seconds consumed by the typical penalty shot, that would be 12.00 goals per minute, or 720.00 goals per game.)
(Later that season, on January 6, 1967, Hall again came off the bench to defend against a penalty shot, and again allowed a score to Norm Ullman of Detroit. In this case, however, he stayed around and played for some time, and so must have had a better in-game average.)
Seven goals in under 10 minutes sounds pretty brutal but the Soviets were known for high percentage chances due to superior puck movement. I'd really need to see the goals.
Dave Reece faced 40 shots when he allowed the Maple Leafs to score eleven goals in Darryl Sittler's ten point night but many of those goals were downright weak and Reece never played another minute of NHL hockey. The joke told at the time was that Reece was so depressed by his performance that he jumped in front of a train but it went between his legs. I've heard many versions of that joke since but I believe Reece inspired the original.
1964 Don Simmons playing for the Leafs at MLG. Six goals on seven shots, in the first period of an 11-0 loss to the Boston Bruins - worst team in the league:
Seven goals in under 10 minutes sounds pretty brutal but the Soviets were known for high percentage chances due to superior puck movement. I'd really need to see the goals.
Dave Reece faced 40 shots when he allowed the Maple Leafs to score eleven goals in Darryl Sittler's ten point night but many of those goals were downright weak and Reece never played another minute of NHL hockey. The joke told at the time was that Reece was so depressed by his performance that he jumped in front of a train but it went between his legs. I've heard many versions of that joke since but I believe Reece inspired the original.
Here is a newspaper account of the Houston/Soviet game.
Recently the worse goalie performance I've seen from a Red Wing was on March 31st, 2011. Result was Blues: 10 Red Wings: 3. It was pretty close in the 1st and then the Blues took over the 2nd period.
Recently the worse goalie performance I've seen from a Red Wing was on March 31st, 2011. Result was Blues: 10 Red Wings: 3. It was pretty close in the 1st and then the Blues took over the 2nd period.
Yeah Mcollum came up and played that game I remember it it was a slaughtering.
I think Marc Andre Fleurys playoffs last year deserve some attention, by far the worst display of goaltending over a course of games I've ever seen. I read somewhere it was the 5th worst save percentage of all time in a playoff series, but save percentage is at an all time high so go figure
First that comes to mind is Rangers goalie Lorne Anderson giving Chicago's Bill Mosienko three goals in twenty-one seconds. He never played in the NHL again after this.
Another Rangers goalie once yielded 15 goals on 58 shots against Detroit in a 15-0 loss.
People on here like to blame the whole Swedish team, but Salo letting in 4 on 19 Belorussian shots always stands out - especially as the winner was from outside the blueline, and wasn't even on net until Salo jumped into it.
Kind of a related side note that I have never heard anyone mention was Lundqvist letting in 4 on 7 shots against the Slovaks in 2010. I think the Canada-Russia game happened the same day, so no one I knew even cared or noticed... but, although the Swedes looked bad in the prelims, they dominated Slovakia, and Henrik, who is a fantastic goalie, just had a horrible two periods.
I actually tried getting rid of Lundqvist in my keeper pool, as I expected him to suffer the same abuse and confidence-loss as Salo had. Somehow, it seems like no one noticed this game (possibly because Sweden hadn't looked like world beaters as they had in 02), and Henrik surprised me by coming back and playing lights out for the Rangers, immediately.
People on here like to blame the whole Swedish team, but Salo letting in 4 on 19 Belorussian shots always stands out - especially as the winner was from outside the blueline, and wasn't even on net until Salo jumped into it.
Kind of a related side note that I have never heard anyone mention was Lundqvist letting in 4 on 7 shots against the Slovaks in 2010. I think the Canada-Russia game happened the same day, so no one I knew even cared or noticed... but, although the Swedes looked bad in the prelims, they dominated Slovakia, and Henrik, who is a fantastic goalie, just had a horrible two periods.
I actually tried getting rid of Lundqvist in my keeper pool, as I expected him to suffer the same abuse and confidence-loss as Salo had. Somehow, it seems like no one noticed this game (possibly because Sweden hadn't looked like world beaters as they had in 02), and Henrik surprised me by coming back and playing lights out for the Rangers, immediately.
While Salo's quarterfinal included a hilariously weak game-winner, all of the goals that beat Lundqvist were legitimate scoring chances.
1st goal - PPG on a back door pass
2nd goal - an odd-man rush created when Lidstrom, of all people, made a defensive blunder.
3rd goal - a PPG through a screen
4th goal - an odd-man rush after Lidstrom turned the puck over and got caught in the offensive zone. Lundqvist made the initial save but couldn't control the rebound.
He probably could have stopped the 4th goal at least, but given that he had little chance on the PPGs, it was nowhere near the worst goaltending performance ever. It was more the fault of Lidstrom, who played a horrible game (especially by his lofty standards).
Not the worst, but maybe the worst I've seen with a championship on the line: Mike Liut 1981 Canada Cup.
Liut wasn't great but he was hung out to dry by his defense that night. Tony Esposito or Gerry Cheevers at their best would not have saved that game with the support Liut had in front of him.
