NHL history: four games with game-tying goals in the final 15 seconds of regulation

Never before in the century-plus history of the National Hockey League had fans witnessed what unfolded on December 10, 2025. In an unprecedented display of late-game drama, four separate contests featured game-tying goals within the final 15 seconds of regulation on the same night. The statistical improbability sent shockwaves through the hockey world, as players and coaches struggled to process the lightning-fast succession of clutch moments that kept playoff hopes alive and cemented this evening as one of the most memorable in regular-season history.

The unprecedented night that rewrote NHL record books

Tuesday’s slate of games seemed ordinary enough when the puck dropped across North America. Seven matchups dotted the schedule, featuring divisional rivals and inter-conference showdowns that carried varying degrees of postseason implications. What transpired over the next three hours, however, left mathematicians and hockey historians scrambling for precedent.

The foundation for this record-setting evening rests on a simple yet remarkable statistic: according to NHL research, the league has already witnessed 372 contests decided by a one-goal margin or two goals with an empty-netter through the first 475 games of the season. This represents the most tightly-contested start to any campaign in the league’s storied history, setting the stage for the dramatics that would unfold.

Pavel Dorofeyev, Cale Makar, Connor McDavid, and teenage sensation Beckett Sennecke etched their names into immortality with their perfectly-timed strikes. The quartet of clutch performers represented different stages of NHL careers—from established superstars to emerging talents—yet shared one common thread: delivering when their teams needed it most. The timing of their heroics spanned from 14 seconds remaining down to a single second on the clock.

Breaking down the four dramatic comebacks

Pavel Dorofeyev’s 14-second heroics for Vegas

The Golden Knights found themselves trailing the New York Islanders late in their home tilt at T-Mobile Arena, with the clock ticking perilously close to zero. As the Islanders clung to a 3-2 lead, Vegas head coach Bruce Cassidy made the bold decision to pull goaltender Adin Hill for the extra attacker, a gamble that would either extend the game or seal the loss.

Dorofeyev, a 24-year-old winger with a nose for big moments, positioned himself in the high slot as chaos erupted around the Islanders’ crease. With bodies sprawled and sticks flailing, the puck found its way to his tape at the 19:46 mark of the third period. His quick release beat Islanders netminder Ilya Sorokin clean, igniting the Vegas faithful and forcing overtime. The roar inside the arena reached deafening levels, though the euphoria would prove short-lived as New York eventually triumphed in the shootout.

Cale Makar’s power-play precision for Colorado

Unlike the even-strength chaos that produced Dorofeyev’s equalizer, the Colorado Avalanche engineered their comeback through more structured means. Trailing the Nashville Predators 3-2 with time evaporating, the Avs earned a crucial power-play opportunity when Predators defenseman Alexandre Carrier took a hooking penalty with just over a minute remaining.

What followed exemplified why Colorado’s man-advantage unit ranks among the league’s elite. Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen orchestrated a passing sequence that would make a geometry professor weep with joy, creating just enough space for Makar to creep down from the point. The reigning Norris Trophy winner unleashed a wrist shot through traffic that found twine with exactly eight seconds remaining, silencing the Bridgestone Arena crowd. Like Vegas, Colorado’s celebration ended in disappointment after Ryan O’Reilly’s shootout heroics secured the bonus point for Nashville.

Connor McDavid’s two-second magic for Edmonton

Perhaps no player in today’s NHL carries the weight of expectations quite like Connor McDavid. The Oilers captain, already blessed with highlight-reel goals that defy physics, added another chapter to his legend against the Buffalo Sabres. Down 4-3 and with the clock showing just two seconds separating Edmonton from another regulation defeat, McDavid did what superstars do.

Winning a faceoff in the offensive zone, the Oilers moved the puck quickly to the point before McDavid circled behind the net and emerged at the right circle. His snapshot, released with approximately 1.7 seconds showing, handcuffed Buffalo goaltender Devon Levi and nestled into the far corner. The goal gave McDavid his 28th of the season and continued Edmonton’s trend of playing in tight contests. Unfortunately for the Oilers, Alex Tuch buried the game-winner just 33 seconds into the extra frame, making McDavid’s brilliance a footnote rather than a victory.

Beckett Sennecke’s buzzer-beating debut for Anaheim

The most dramatic moment of the night belonged to a teenager playing in his 15th NHL game. Nineteen-year-old Beckett Sennecke, Anaheim’s 2024 third-round pick who had already exceeded expectations by cracking the roster, delivered a moment that will replay on Ducks highlights for decades. With Pittsburgh leading 3-2 and the clock showing one second remaining, Anaheim executed a perfect faceoff play that resulted in Sennecke’s one-timer beating Tristan Jarry as the horn sounded.

Referees initiated a video review that felt like an eternity for the Ducks organization, but the call on the ice stood. Sennecke’s goal counted, his first career game-tying marker in the most pressure-packed situation imaginable. Unlike his fellow heroes, Sennecke’s story had a fairy-tale ending as Anaheim emerged victorious in the shootout, making them the sole team to convert their last-second magic into two points.

When lightning strikes twice: the final two seconds

The statistical rarity of two separate games featuring tying goals in the final two seconds cannot be overstated. NHL records indicate this has only happened once before on October 8, 2009, when the hockey gods smiled upon desperate teams in similar fashion. That historical context makes December 10, 2025, all the more significant for students of the game.

What makes these final-second heroics so captivating is the psychology involved. Goaltenders face impossible mental pressure, knowing any mistake ends the game. Defenders must maintain perfect positioning despite exhaustion setting in after 60 minutes of high-speed collisions. Forwards require both the composure to finish and the awareness of the clock ticking toward zero. The combination creates a pressure cooker that melts lesser competitors.

The aftermath: only one survivor

The cruel reality of Tuesday’s heroics is that three of the four late-game saviors watched their efforts evaporate before night’s end. The NHL’s current points system awards a single point for an overtime loss, meaning Dorofeyev, Makar, and McDavid each contributed memorable moments that ultimately translated to minimal movement in the standings.

Anaheim’s resilience in the shootout showcased the organization’s mental toughness. After Sennecke’s dramatic equalizer, the Ducks maintained their composure while Pittsburgh seemed to lose theirs. Trevor Zegras and Mason McTavish converted their shootout attempts while John Gibson stood tall in net, stopping both Pittsburgh shooters he faced. The victory propelled Anaheim within striking distance of a wild-card spot in the Western Conference.

What it means for the NHL season and playoff races

Tuesday’s dramatics underscore a broader trend defining the 2025-26 campaign: unprecedented parity throughout the league. With 372 games already classified as “close contests” through the first 475 tilts, teams have learned that no lead is safe and no deficit insurmountable. This competitive balance creates incredible television product while giving fans in every market legitimate hope deep into the season.

For teams like Vegas and Colorado, both considered Stanley Cup contenders in preseason prognostications, these lost points could prove costly come April. The Central Division remains so tightly packed that a single standings point might separate home-ice advantage from opening on the road. Similarly, Edmonton cannot afford to squander McDavid’s prime years by consistently playing from behind, even if their captain continues performing miracles.

The record-setting night also highlights the importance of special teams and coaching decisions in critical moments. Cassidy’s decision to pull Hill, Jared Bednar’s power-play execution, Kris Knoblauch’s faceoff plays, and Greg Cronin’s poise under pressure all factored into the outcomes. In today’s NHL, where margins have never been thinner, tactical edges can make the difference between victory and defeat.

The unprecedented nature of four simultaneous comebacks reminds us why hockey remains uniquely captivating among major professional sports. No lead is ever truly safe, and the frozen puck can take unpredictable bounces that defy logic and probability. As the season progresses toward the playoffs, expect more late-game heroics, though likely never again on this scale. For one magical Tuesday night, four teams and four heroes delivered moments that will replay for years, proving that in hockey, it truly isn’t over until the final horn sounds.