Kings Erase Five Goal Deficit Beat Oilers Overtime

# The Miracle on Manchester: February 17, 1982

On February 17, 1982, one of the most stunning comebacks in NHL playoff history unfolded at the Forum in Inglewood, California, on Manchester Boulevard—an event forever etched in hockey lore as "The Miracle on Manchester."

The stage was set for Game 3 of the first-round playoff series between the heavily favored Edmonton Oilers and the Los Angeles Kings. The Oilers, led by a 21-year-old Wayne Gretzky in his prime, had dominated the regular season and were expected to steamroll through the playoffs. Edmonton had finished with 111 points compared to LA's modest 63, making them overwhelming favorites.

The game began as a coronation for the Oilers. By the end of the second period, Edmonton had built what seemed like an insurmountable 5-0 lead. Gretzky and his high-powered offense were clicking on all cylinders, and Kings fans began heading for the exits. The Forum, never the loudest building to begin with, had turned into a funeral parlor. Those who remained did so more out of obligation than hope.

Then something magical happened in the third period.

At 2:46, Kings defenseman Mark Hardy scored to make it 5-1. Most considered it a consolation goal. But just over a minute later, Doug Smith scored. Then 5-3. Suddenly, the building stirred with impossible hope. The trickle of fans returning to their seats became a flood as word spread in the parking lot that something special might be brewing.

Steve Bozek made it 5-4 at 11:08, and the Forum erupted. The impossible was becoming possible. The Oilers, shell-shocked and panicking, couldn't stop the bleeding. With just five seconds remaining in regulation, rookie sensation Daryl Evans tied the game 5-5, sending the building into absolute bedlam.

In overtime, the Kings' Jay Wells became an unlikely hero. At 2:35 of the extra period, Wells fired a shot that beat Oilers goalie Grant Fuhr, completing one of the most improbable comebacks in sports history. The Kings had scored five unanswered goals in the final period and overtime to win 6-5.

The victory didn't just save Game 3—it shifted the entire series' momentum. The Kings went on to upset the mighty Oilers in five games, eliminating Gretzky and company in the first round. For Edmonton, it was a devastating blow and a harsh lesson about playoff hockey. For Los Angeles, it was validation that anything was possible.

Wayne Gretzky later called it "the lowest point of my career" at that time. The Oilers would eventually learn from this painful experience, going on to win four Stanley Cups in five years later in the decade.

The Miracle on Manchester became more than just a hockey game—it became a testament to perseverance and belief. It proved that no lead is safe, no game is over until the final horn, and that sports can deliver moments of pure, unbridled magic when we least expect them. For Kings fans, it remains the franchise's most legendary moment, a night when the impossible became reality on Manchester Boulevard.

This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI