Down Five Goals Kings Complete Impossible Comeback

# The Miracle on Manchester: March 11, 1982

On March 11, 1982, the Los Angeles Kings pulled off what many consider the greatest comeback in NHL playoff history – a stunning reversal that became immortalized as "The Miracle on Manchester."

The setting was the Forum in Inglewood, California, located on Manchester Boulevard (hence the name). The Kings were facing the powerhouse Edmonton Oilers in Game 3 of their best-of-five Smythe Division semifinal series. The Oilers, led by a young Wayne Gretzky who had just shattered scoring records with 92 goals and 212 points during the regular season, seemed unstoppable. Edmonton had already taken a 2-1 series lead, and as the third period began, they were dominating Game 3 with a commanding 5-0 lead.

The Kings looked absolutely defeated. Many of the 15,573 fans at the Forum had already headed for the exits, convinced the season was over. The Oilers were celebrating on the bench, already thinking about their series-clinching victory in Game 4.

Then something extraordinary happened.

At 2:46 of the third period, Jay Wells scored to make it 5-1. Most teams would have been satisfied with a consolation goal, but Kings head coach Don Perry kept his foot on the gas pedal. Just over two minutes later, Doug Smith scored. Then 5-3. Then 5-4. The crowd, or what remained of it, began to stir with nervous energy.

The Kings kept pressing, and with 5:22 remaining, Mark Hardy blasted a shot past Oilers goalie Grant Fuhr to tie the game at 5-5. The Forum erupted. Fans who had left were desperately trying to get back in. Those who had stayed were witnessing something that defied all logic and probability.

The game went to overtime, and the tension was unbearable. Just 2:35 into the extra period, Kings rookie Daryl Evans became an instant legend when he fired the puck past Fuhr to complete the impossible comeback. The Kings had scored five unanswered goals in the final period and overtime to win 6-5.

The statistical improbability of this comeback cannot be overstated. Teams leading by five goals after two periods in playoff hockey simply don't lose. The Oilers had thoroughly outplayed the Kings for 40 minutes, outshooting them and dominating possession. Gretzky himself had three assists in the game.

The victory gave the Kings new life, tying the series at 2-2. Though Edmonton would ultimately win Game 5 and advance (and go on to lose in the first round to the Vancouver Canucks), the Miracle on Manchester became permanently etched in hockey lore.

For the Oilers, it was a painful lesson in never assuming victory until the final buzzer. For the Kings franchise, which had never won a Stanley Cup, it remains one of the proudest moments in team history – a testament to perseverance, belief, and the unpredictable magic that makes sports unforgettable.

The game has been replayed countless times, analyzed by hockey historians, and serves as the ultimate example of why you should never leave a game early. Those fans who headed for the parking lot missed witnessing one of hockey's most incredible moments, a reminder that in sports, it truly isn't over until it's over.

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