# The Miracle on Manchester: March 16, 1982

On March 16, 1982, the Los Angeles Kings pulled off what many consider the greatest comeback in NHL playoff history – a feat so improbable that it became known as "The Miracle on Manchester."

The setting was the Forum in Inglewood, California, located on Manchester Boulevard (hence the nickname). The Kings were facing the powerhouse Edmonton Oilers in Game 3 of the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. Edmonton was absolutely loaded with talent – a young Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier, Jari Kurri, Glenn Anderson, and Paul Coffey – a team that would go on to dominate the NHL throughout the 1980s.

The Oilers had already taken a 2-0 series lead, and Game 3 looked like it would be a massacre. Edmonton jumped out to a commanding 5-0 lead after two periods. The Kings looked completely outmatched, and many of the 16,005 fans at the Forum had already headed for the exits, convinced the game – and likely the series – was over.

But something magical happened in the third period.

Kings coach Don Perry shuffled his lines and gave an impassioned speech during the second intermission. What happened next was simply extraordinary. The Kings scored five unanswered goals in the third period to tie the game 5-5, sending it to overtime.

Jay Wells got the Kings on the board early in the third. Then Doug Smith scored. Suddenly, there was life. Charlie Simmer made it 5-3, and the building started to buzz with energy. Mark Hardy's goal brought it to 5-4, and the fans who had left were probably kicking themselves in the parking lot. Finally, Steve Bozek tied it at 5-5 with just over five minutes remaining in regulation.

The comeback alone would have been legendary, but the Kings weren't done. In overtime, rookie Daryl Evans took a pass from Mark Hardy and beat Oilers goaltender Grant Fuhr to complete the most improbable comeback in playoff history. The Forum absolutely erupted.

The psychological impact of this defeat was devastating for the young Oilers. The Kings went on to win Game 4 as well, evening the series at 2-2. Although Edmonton would eventually win the series in five games, the Miracle on Manchester had planted seeds of doubt. The Oilers were upset in the next round by the Vancouver Canucks, delaying their dynasty by another season.

For the Kings, this game became the defining moment in franchise history for years to come. It showed that no lead was safe, no game was over, and that heart and determination could overcome even the most talented opposition.

The Miracle on Manchester remains a testament to never giving up, and it's still celebrated by Kings fans today as the greatest moment in the team's history before their Stanley Cup championships in 2012 and 2014. Even Gretzky, who would later become a King himself, acknowledged the impact of that game, calling it one of the most shocking defeats of his career.

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