Most goals in NHL history in a game by a team is 16 goals scored by the Montreal Canadiens on March 3, 1920. They won 16-3 against the Quebec Bulldogs.
The intense clash between the Canadiens and Bulldogs happened only three seasons after the inception of the NHL in 1917.
But even a century later, no team has managed to surpass the record set by Montreal with the most goals scored in a single game. The Minnesota North Stars and Detroit Red Wings came close on separate occasions but fell short by one goal, as each netted 15 goals in a game.
Similarly, the Boston Bruins have also made it to the list of most goals scored in a game, as they registered 14 goals against the New York Rangers in the 1944-45 season.
Moreover, the Bruins, inspired by the club captain Patrice Bergeron marched on to set a new NHL record in the 2023 season for the most points in a season with 133, from 81 games.
Below is the list of 8 teams that have scored the most goals in a single NHL game.
1. Montreal Canadiens 1920 - 16 goals
Montreal Canadiens holds the record for the most goals in NHL history by a team in one game. The Canadiens bagged 16 goals in a game against Quebec Bulldogs.
During the 1919/20 campaign, Montreal thrashed the Bulldogs in a stunning display of offensive prowess by netting 16 goals against 3.
On the second half-season game played on March 3, 1920, the Canadiens took the Bulldogs by storm and handed them the most humiliating defeat in the annals of NHL history.
The record has remained untouched for over a hundred years, a constant reminder of the remarkable achievement and the lingering pain of loss that still resonates through Quebec's dressing room.
The 16-3 upset came three months after the Bulldogs suffered a 12-5 defeat at the hands of the Canadiens. With 8 wins out of 12 games and scoring 62 goals, Montreal finished 2nd in the first half of the league, while Quebec Athletics were at the bottom with just four points.
Likewise, in the campaign's second half, Montreal grabbed the third spot, whereas Quebec remained at last with just two wins and four points.
2. Detroit Red Wings 1944 - 15 goals
Detroit Red Wings comes second in the list with the most goals in a single game by one team. The Red Wings defeated New York Rangers by 15 goals to nil.
During the clash between the two teams on January 23, 1944, at Olympia Stadium in Detroit, Michigan, the Rangers were caught off guard as Detroit handed them their worst defeat in league history.
The night was one for the history books, as Detroit carved out a place in NHL lore with their resounding 15-0 victory, which also marked the highest winning margin ever recorded in the league.
The Red Wings' striker Syd Howe scored three goals and gave two assists, and won the MVP. With 26 wins and 58 points, Detroit finished the 1943-44 season in the 2nd position.
At the same time, the New York Rangers were sixth in the league rankings as they only managed to grab 6 wins and losses in 39 games. The Rangers also lost to the Canadiens by 11-2 and to the Maple Leafs by 8-0.
3. Minnesota North Stars 1981 - 15 goals
Minnesota North Stars scored 15 goals in a single game to equal the Red Wings' tally in 1981. Minnesota won the game against the Winnipeg Jets by 15-2.
Another victim in the NHL to be beaten by stupendous numbers of goals was the Jets. On November 11, 1981, the North Stars registered a thumping victory against the Jets by 15-2.
The game at Met Center in Bloomington, Minnesota, remains one of the most lopsided victories in NHL history.
Minnesota forward Bobby Smith won man of the match with four goals and three assists. Meanwhile, his linemate Steve Payne scored one goal and gave multiple assists.
According to Statmuse, the North Stars completed the 1981-82 season with 94 points securing 1st place in the Norris division. However, the sizzling start to the campaign was halted by the Chicago Black Hawks in the first playoff round.
Meanwhile, the Jets managed to secure the runner-up position in their division. Still, their journey came to an abrupt end in the division semifinals, as they were defeated by St. Louis by a score of 3-1 in a closely contested match.
4. Toronto Maple Leafs 1957 - 14 goals
Toronto Maple Leafs recorded the biggest win in their history in 1957. The Maple Leafs outclassed the New York Rangers with a crushing 14-1 victory.
At the Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto, Ontario, the game between the two NHL giants will go down in history as a complete and utter domination, as Toronto demolished their opponents with 14 goals to one.
On March 16, 1957, Toronto's forward Sid Smith had a breathtaking game in a 5-star display as he scored three and provided two. Similarly, Brian Cullen also netted three goals and one assist.
Surprisingly, the Rangers finished above Toronto in the league standings with 66 points in the fourth and qualified for the playoffs but lost to Montreal.
Despite their commanding victory over the Rangers, the Maple Leafs could not progress to the semi-finals, having ended the season in fifth place with 21 wins and 57 points to their tally.
5. Buffalo Sabres 1975 - 14 goals
Buffalo Sabres scored past 14 goals against the Washington Capitals in 1975. It was the biggest victory in the club's history.
Meanwhile, the Capitals suffered their most embarrassing loss ever in the competition. The December 21, 1975 game between Buffalo and Washington ended in a bizarre scoreline that most people would have never anticipated.
The Sabres delivered a scintillating display that left the Capitals in their wake, scoring a staggering 14 goals while allowing their opponents to score only twice against their formidable goaltender.
Sabres' Rick Martin was unstoppable on the ice, as he turned in a stunning display bagging four goals and providing an assist, while Fred Stanfield was in top form, scoring two goals and setting up three more to help their team secure a resounding victory.
Buffalo had an overall good season finishing 2nd in the Adams Division with 105 points and reaching the quarterfinals of the playoffs. On the other hand, the Washington Capitals had an unforgettable campaign finishing bottom of the Norris Division with just 32 points.
6. Boston Bruins 1945 - 14 goals
The 2022-23 NHL season Atlantic Division champion Boston Bruins enjoyed a dominating performance against the Rangers in 1945.
In a seventeen goals thriller, the Bruins scored 14 while the New York Rangers netted back three goals. On January 21, 1945, Boston defeated New York by a score of 14-3 at Boston Garden in Boston, Massachusetts.
The Bruins were in complete command of the game that saw them score an impressive four goals in just one and a half minutes at the start of the second half.
The victory was a moment of joy for the Brown Bear, whereas it was Rangers' second mortifying loss in two years, as the defeat came a year after a 15-0 crash to Detroit.
In the final league standing of the 1944-45 season, the Bruins made it to the semifinals after qualifying for the playoffs. They finished fourth in the ranking with 36 points.
Meanwhile, the Rangers were enduring a torrid season, as they found themselves rooted to the bottom of the table with 32 points, four points adrift of the Bruins.
7. Buffalo Sabres 1981 - 14 goals
Buffalo Sabres is the second team to have scored 14 goals in a single game twice in NHL history.
Six years after defeating the Washington Capitals in a 14-2 fashion, the Sabres achieved a similar feat again on March 19, 1981, against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The victors put on a display of attacking football that will live long in the memory as they surged to a resounding victory over Tortona with an awe-inspiring tally of 14 goals, leaving their opponents shell-shocked and managed a paltry four in response.
The game at Buffalo Memorial Auditorium in downtown Buffalo, New York was completely one-sided, the clash between the top and bottom of the league ranking.
Sabres' Derek Smith scored twice, while his teammate Andre Savard had a hat trick in the match. In the Prince of Wales Conference, Buffalo went on to clinch the Adma Division with 99 points, also reaching the quarterfinals of the playoffs.
On the contrary, the Maple Leafs found themselves languishing at the foot of the league table with 28 wins and 71 points,
8. Montreal Canadiens 1920 - 14 goals
Montreal Canadiens handed the Toronto St Patricks a horrendous loss of 14-7 on January 10, 1920.
The Canadiens recorded another thumping win with a surreal goal number in a single game just seven months after thrashing the Bulldogs 16-3 in the 1919/20 campaign.
The encounter between the Canadiens and Patricks (presently Maple Leafs) at the Montreal Arena will go down in history as a high-scoring classic, with both teams combining for an incredible tally of 21 goals in a single game.
The game jointly holds the record for most goals in NHL history in a game by both teams, with another match between the Edmonton Oilers and Chicago Blackhawks on December 11, 1985. The Oilers dominated the Blackhawks 12-9, with 21 goals.
Montreal and Toronto were runners-up in the league rankings, with the Ottawa Senators winning the championship.
Most Points In NHL History Team
Most points in NHL history team is Boston Bruins with 133 points. The Bruins reached the milestone in the 2022-23 campaign.
With the 5-2 victory over the Washington Capitals, Bruins overthrew the 1976-77 Montreal's record of 132 for the most points in a single season. Bruins surpassed the record and now sit at the top at 135 points.
Besides, Boston also made history by breaking the NHL's longstanding record for most wins in a season, with their 63rd victory coming against the Flyers on April 9, 2023.
This feat exceeded the records set by the Red Wings in the 1995-96 season and the 2018-19 Tampa Bay Lightning.
While the Edmonton Oilers boast the record with the most goals scored in a season, the exceptional feat they achieved in 1984 with 446 goals in a single campaign, they lag way behind in the list with the highest points.
The 1983-84 season saw the Oilers deliver a genuinely awe-inspiring performance, smashing records left and right with an incredible 446 goals and 119 points.
Here are the top 10 teams with the most points in one entire season in NHL history by Records.nhl.com
- Boston Bruins 2022/23 - 135 points
- Montreal Canadiens 1976/77 -132 points
- Detroit Red Wings 1995/96 - 131 points
- Montreal Canadiens 1977/78 -129 points
- Tampa Bay Lightning 2018/19 -128 points
- Montreal Canadiens 1975/76 - 127 points
- Detroit Red Wings 2005/06 - 124 points
- Florida Panthers 2021/22 - 122 points
- Boston Bruins 1970/71 - 121 points
- Washington Capitals 2009/10 - 121 points
