Mud Bruneteau of Red Wings ends longest playoff game - NHL.com
Unheralded rookie plays hero, scores in sixth overtime to lift Detroit past Maroons in 1936
www.nhl.comHere’s a quick update on the latest NHL playoff marathon games.
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The longest playoff game in NHL history remains the 1936 Detroit Red Wings vs Montreal Maroons, which went six overtimes and lasted 176 minutes and 30 seconds. No recent game has surpassed that mark as of 2026.[3][4]
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In more recent memory, several four-overtime playoff games have occurred, with the record for the longest overtime in a modern playoff game frequently cited as around 90+ minutes of overtime (four overtimes) in various series, but none have eclipsed the 1936 six-overtime marathon.[2][3]
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For context, notable long playoff games in the 21st century include multiple four-overtime contests (the 2022 Rangers–Hurricanes series featured extended overtime moments; several other series have had lengthy overtimes) but those did not reach six full overtime periods.[2]
If you’d like, I can pull the most up-to-date specifics on the current season’s longest playoff games and assemble a ranked list with exact overtime lengths and dates.