Kings Erase Five Goal Deficit Beat Gretzky's Oilers

# The Miracle on Manchester: March 14, 1982

On March 14, 1982, the Los Angeles Kings pulled off what many still consider the greatest comeback in NHL playoff history – a stunning reversal that became immortalized as the "Miracle on Manchester."

The stage was set at the Forum in Inglewood, California, located on Manchester Boulevard (hence the name). It was Game 3 of the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs, and the Kings were facing the powerhouse Edmonton Oilers, led by a young phenomenon named Wayne Gretzky who had just shattered scoring records during the regular season.

The Oilers entered the playoffs as overwhelming favorites, having finished the season with 111 points compared to the Kings' 63. Gretzky had posted an otherworldly 92 goals and 212 points that season – numbers that seemed almost fictional. Edmonton had already taken a 2-0 series lead, and Game 3 appeared to be heading toward a sweep.

Through two periods, the Oilers dominated completely, building what seemed like an insurmountable 5-0 lead. The Forum crowd had largely given up hope, with many fans heading for the exits. The Kings looked outclassed, outskated, and utterly defeated. Even the most optimistic Los Angeles supporters couldn't have imagined what was about to unfold.

Then something magical happened in the third period. At 2:46, Jay Wells scored to make it 5-1. Most fans barely noticed. But at 5:25, Doug Smith scored another. Still down 5-2, it seemed like too little, too late.

But the Kings kept coming. At 10:46, Mark Hardy blasted one past Oilers goalie Grant Fuhr. Suddenly, it was 5-3, and the crowd that remained began to stir with cautious optimism. The energy in the building started to shift.

At 15:35, Steve Bozek scored to make it 5-4. The Forum was now shaking with noise and anticipation. The Kings, who had looked dead in the water just minutes earlier, were suddenly alive and threatening.

With time winding down and the score still 5-4, Kings coach Don Perry pulled goalie Mario Lessard for an extra attacker. With just five seconds remaining in regulation, Steve Bozek struck again, sending the puck past Fuhr to tie the game at 5-5. The building exploded. The impossible was happening.

In overtime, at 2:35, Daryl Evans became the hero, scoring the game-winner to complete the astonishing comeback. Final score: Kings 6, Oilers 5. The Kings had scored five unanswered goals in the third period and overtime to snatch victory from the jaws of certain defeat.

The comeback energized the entire Kings team. They went on to win Game 4 as well, shocking the Oilers by taking the series in five games – one of the biggest upsets in NHL history. Though the Kings would eventually fall to the Vancouver Canucks in the next round, the Miracle on Manchester remained their defining moment.

For Wayne Gretzky and the Oilers, it was a devastating lesson learned early in their dynasty-building years. Edmonton would go on to win four Stanley Cups in the 1980s, but they never forgot that March night in Los Angeles when they let victory slip away.

The Miracle on Manchester remains a legendary moment in hockey lore – a reminder that no lead is safe and no comeback is impossible. It's still celebrated by Kings fans today as perhaps the greatest moment in franchise history.

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