Hockey is an unpredictable game. If you’ve ever played or watched it, you know a bit about that. But if you’ve ever bet on the game, you likely know this even better.
Throughout the history of the game, we’ve witnessed so many unbelievable results and jaw-dropping upsets that no one expected. Still, some surprises are greater than others. In this article, we’ll cover some of the more incredible Cinderella stories we’ve seen in hockey and remind you how amazing our favourite game can be. If you’re expecting another record-breaking upset, visit one of the legal betting sites in Canada and make your prediction before the game. If the oddsmakers are expecting a different result, you have the potential to cash in on your hunch.
The Miracle on Ice – 1980 Olympics
No underdog tale tops the “Miracle on Ice”. From the name, you can already see that we’re talking about a miracle score no one predicted.
At the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, a scrappy U.S. team of college kids faced off against the Soviet Union, a powerhouse that had won gold in five of the last six games. It was obvious that the Soviets were favourites, while the Americans were underdogs with long-shot odds of 1000-1.
Yet, led by coach Herb Brooks, the U.S. squad stunned the world with a 4-3 victory in the semifinal round.
Anaheim Ducks – 2003 Western Conference Finals
Before they were Cup champs, the 2003 Anaheim Mighty Ducks were a seventh-seeded long shot who shocked the hockey world. Led by goaltender Jean-Sébastien Giguère, they swept the defending champion Detroit Red Wings in the first round and kept rolling.
Their run to the Western Conference Finals included a nail-biting upset over the top-seeded Dallas Stars. Giguère’s .945 save percentage earned him the Conn Smythe Trophy, even though they fell to New Jersey in the Finals. For a team expected to fizzle early, their playoff rampage was pure underdog gold.
Los Angeles Kings – 2012 Stanley Cup
The 2012 Los Angeles Kings rewrote the playoff script in epic fashion. Sneaking into the postseason as the eighth seed in the Western Conference, they faced a gauntlet of top teams nobody thought they’d survive.
The odds were stacked against them, but the Kings still managed to beat the Vancouver Canucks, St. Louis Blues, and Phoenix Coyotes, losing just twice in those series. Jonathan Quick’s netminding was lights-out, and they capped it off by beating the New Jersey Devils in six games for the Stanley Cup. A No. 8 seed winning it all? That’s the kind of underdog magic Hollywood wishes it could bottle.
Conclusion
If you’ve been following hockey for a while, you know that the ice doesn’t care about the odds the bookmakers set. Even the biggest favourites have to come out and prove that they are the better team. And, in some instances, they don’t manage to do so. The power and the will of the underdog prove too strong, creating an upset to be remembered for long. Which team will be the next one to give us a memorable win over the favourites?
