Monday Night Miracle (ice hockey)

The St. Louis Blues finished the 1985–86 NHL season in third place in the Norris Division with 37–34–9 record for 83 points. In the playoffs, the Blues defeated the Minnesota North Stars in the Norris Division semifinals,{{Cite news|title=Stanley Cup Playoff Notebook - UPI Archives|url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1986/04/16/Stanley-Cup-Playoff-Notebook/3437514011600/|accessdate=February 8, 2024|agency=United Press International, Inc.|language=en}} then pulled out a 4–3 series win against the Toronto Maple Leafs to earn the Norris Division title and advanced to the Campbell Conference finals.{{cite news|date=May 1, 1986|title=Blues eliminate Maple Leafs|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1986/05/01/sports/blues-eliminate-maple-leafs.html|accessdate=February 8, 2024|newspaper=New York Times}}

The Calgary Flames finished the 1985–86 NHL season in second place in the Smythe Division with a 40–31–9 record for 89 points. In the playoffs, the Flames defeated the Winnipeg Jets in the Smythe Division semifinals,{{cite news|title=Stanley Cup Playoff Notebook - UPI Archives|url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1986/04/16/Stanley-Cup-Playoff-Notebook/3437514011600/|accessdate=February 8, 2024|agency=United Press International, Inc.|language=en}} then pulled out a 4–3 series upset against the heavily-favored and provincial rival, the Edmonton Oilers in the Smythe Division final to end the Oilers' hopes of winning a third consecutive championship.{{Cite news|last=Finn |first=Robin|date=1986-05-01|title=ROOKIE BLUNDER ENDS OILER REIGN|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1986/05/01/sports/rookie-blunder-ends-oiler-reign.html|accessdate=February 8, 2024|newspaper=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}

As a result, the Blues and Flames met in the Campbell Conference finals in an unlikely series.{{cn|date=February 2024}} At stake was a berth to the Stanley Cup Finals.{{Cite news|last=Moran|first=Malcolm|date=1986-04-30|title=CANADIENS GAIN, 2-1: MEET RANGERS NEXT |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1986/04/30/sports/canadiens-gain-2-1-meet-rangers-next.html|access-date=2024-02-07|work=The New York Times|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}} The teams split the first four games of the series, with the Flames winning game five at home on May 10 to push St. Louis to the brink of elimination. This set the stage for game six two days later on the Blues' home ice in the St. Louis Arena.

Ken Wilson had the announcing duties for the local St. Louis and ESPN television broadcast of the game (the Blues regular television broadcaster, Dan Kelly, was calling the series for CTV in Canada),{{Cite web |last=Quinn |first=Kay |date=May 13, 2022 |title=Vintage KSDK: St. Louis Blues Monday Night Miracle |url=https://www.ksdk.com/article/life/vintage-ksdk/vintage-ksdk-36-years-ago-blues-monday-night-miracle/63-46e7b9c4-5ff4-4c4a-ac47-11d3af1b86ba |access-date=2023-08-17 |website=ksdk.com |language=en-US}} and he watched Calgary build a 4–1 lead. St. Louis scored their second goal of the game with about 15 seconds remaining in a 5-on-3 powerplay goal by Doug Wickenheiser, only to have that momentum temporarily stifled as Joe Mullen answered by scoring Calgary's fifth goal of the game. The Blues subsequently found themselves trailing 5–2 at home with 12 minutes remaining in the third period. The Blues began their rally when Brian Sutter scored off a deflection off Calgary goalie Mike Vernon, and the 5–3 score carried down to eight minutes remaining in the game. Greg Paslawski was the next Blues player to score, making the score 5–4. Amid an electric atmosphere and impending sense of upset, broadcaster Wilson commented on the Blues:

{{Quote box

| quote = The St. Louis Blues have been in this game what they have been all season and throughout the playoffs; an underdog. They've called this club a lunch-bucket team. They're blue-collar, hard workers. They don't have the talent of other teams; they know it.

| source = Ken Wilson, May 12, 1986

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Unfortunately for the Blues, the clock dipped under two minutes remaining in the game as they still searched for the game-tying goal. With only 1:17 remaining in the game, the Blues shot the puck behind Calgary's net from the neutral zone. As Calgary defenseman Jamie Macoun brought the puck from behind the net, he didn't notice that Paslawski was right behind him. Stealing the puck at the side of the net, Paslawski flung a quick shot from a terrible angle that caught goalie Mike Vernon off guard. The puck went in the net, and with near-pandemonium in the Arena, the Blues burned the remaining time on the clock to force overtime.{{cn|date=February 2024}}

Overtime quickly became another heart-racing experience in itself, as players like Calgary's Al MacInnis and the Blues' Doug Wickenheiser took shots at the net. Calgary then came within inches of winning when Joe Mullen took a slapshot from just inside the blue line that hit off the goalpost. A short time after that near-miss, and with future Blues franchise player Brett Hull watching from the press box as a member of the Calgary Flames, announcer Wilson called what many consider the greatest moment in St. Louis Blues history:{{Cite book |last=Broeg |first=Bob |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0rsSKRVGTZMC&dq=Doug+Wickenheiser&pg=PA178 |title=The 100 Greatest Moments in St. Louis Sports |date=2000 |publisher=Missouri History Museum |isbn=978-1-883982-31-7 |language=en}}

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| quote = Here's Ramage, for Federko too far, Federko steals the puck from Reinheart, over to Hunter who shoots, blocked, Wickenheiser scores! Doug Wickenheiser! The Blues pull it off and it's unbelievable!

| source = Ken Wilson, May 12, 1986{{Cite web |last=O'Neill |first=Dan |date=2019-05-11 |title=Before Maroon struck, here were the 10 most memorable OT goals in Blues playoff history |url=https://www.stltoday.com/news/archives/before-maroon-struck-here-were-the-10-most-memorable-ot-goals-in-blues-playoff-history/collection_6741fe9a-f069-5e49-91c5-bda776101d7a.html |access-date=2024-01-21 |website=STLtoday.com |language=en}}

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The goal came after 7:30 had already passed in the overtime period.{{Cite web |date=May 13, 1986 |title=Blues, in overtime, force a 7th game |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1986/05/13/sports/nhl-playoffs-blues-in-overtime-force-a-7th-game.html |access-date=February 6, 2024 |website=New York Times}}{{Cite web |last=Archives |first=L. A. Times |date=1986-05-13 |title=NHL Playoffs : Blues Win in Overtime to Tie Series |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1986-05-13-sp-6027-story.html |access-date=2024-02-06 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}} It is considered to be one of the most memorable victories in Blues history.{{cite web |url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7yodTX7a-Fc |title=Monday Night Miracle |accessdate=2008-03-29 |author= |date= 19 December 2006|publisher=YouTube}}{{cn|date=February 2024}}

Wickenheiser's overtime goal set off the crowd at the Arena, a mass of cheering and celebration that continued well after both teams had left the ice. St. Louis couldn't rest on their laurels though, as they still faced an uphill battle by having to play Game 7 on Calgary's home ice, the Olympic Saddledome, two days later. St. Louis made things interesting, but lost game seven by the score of 2–1.{{Cite web |date=May 15, 1986 |title=FLAMES ADVANCE TO STANLEY CUP FINAL |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1986/05/15/sports/flames-advance-to-stanley-cup-final.html |access-date=February 6, 2024 |website=New York Times}} Wickenheiser died from multiple forms of cancer at the age of 37 on January 12, 1999.{{Cite news |title=WICKENHEISER DIES |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1999/01/13/wickenheiser-dies/25734104-db5a-4a71-b237-7942b7f70b34/ |access-date=2024-01-17 |newspaper=Washington Post |language=en-US |issn=0190-8286}}

On March 7, 1988, both teams made a notable trade in which Rick Wamsley and Rob Ramage went to the Flames while Brett Hull and Steve Bozek went to the Blues. On September 6, 1988, the Blues traded Doug Gilmour, Mark Hunter, Bozek, and Michael Dark were sent to Calgary in exchange for Mike Bullard, Craig Coxe, and Tim Corkery. Bozek was later traded to the Vancouver Canucks the same day.{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1988/09/06/gilmour-goes-in-blues-flames-trade/f92f6454-3387-4408-a846-cec0b30a0a35/|title=Gilmour goes in Blues-Flames trade |newspaper=Washington Post |date=1988-09-06 |access-date=2014-06-18}}{{Cite web |title=The St. Louis Blues made their second trade in... - UPI Archives |url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1988/09/07/The-St-Louis-Blues-made-their-second-trade-in/1369589608000/ |access-date=2024-02-07 |website=UPI |language=en}} This trade was beneficial to both teams as Gilmour, M. Hunter, Ramage, and Wamsley were on the team when Calgary won the 1989 Stanley Cup while Hull became the Blues's all-time goal scorer with 594 goals, including playoffs and single-season goal scorer with 86.{{Cite web |last=Meyer |first=Mike |date=2023-08-09 |title=Revisiting the Blues' Trade for Brett Hull |url=https://thehockeywriters.com/revisiting-blues-trade-for-brett-hull/ |access-date=2024-02-07 |website=The Hockey Writers |language=en-us}}

{{reflist}}

• {{cite book |title=The 100 Greatest Moments in St. Louis Sports |last=Broeg |first=Bob |author-link=Bob Broeg |year=2000 |publisher=Missouri Historical Society Press |location=St. Louis |isbn=1-883982-31-6}}

• {{YouTube|id=7yodTX7a-Fc|title=Monday Night Miracle}}

{{St. Louis Blues}}

{{Calgary Flames}}

{{1985–86 NHL season by team}}

{{NHL on CTV}}

{{ESPN National Hockey Night}}

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Category:1986 Stanley Cup

Category:Stanley Cup playoff games

1986

1986

Category:Central Division (NHL)

Category:1980s in St. Louis

Category:May 1986 sports events in the United States

Category:1986 in sports in Missouri

Category:Nicknamed sporting events