The Minnesota Wild and Buffalo Sabres combined to score three times in 17 seconds during the first period Thursday, the second-fastest three goals in NHL history.
Minnesota forward Ryan Carter tied the game 1-1 when he beat Buffalo goaltender Jhonas Enroth at 6:07, and Nino Niederreiter put the Wild ahead at 6:14 with his first of three goals. Ten seconds later, Sabres forward Zemgus Girgensons tied the game by beating Wild goaltender Darcy Kuemper.
The Wild won 6-3.
The fastest three goals by two teams in NHL history were scored Feb. 10, 1983. Mark Pavelich and Ron Greschner of the New York Rangers and Willi Plett of the Minnesota North Stars scored in a span of 15 seconds in the final minute of the second period of Minnesota's 7-5 victory.
Two games had three goals by two teams in an 18-second span: The Montreal Canadiens got goals from Dave Balon and Gilles Tremblay six seconds apart, and Camille Henry of the New York Rangers scored 12 seconds after Tremblay in Montreal's 6-4 victory on Dec. 18, 1963. On Feb. 1, 1976, Jim Moxey and Wayne Merrick of the California Golden Seals scored seven seconds apart before Danny Gare of the Buffalo Sabres scored 11 seconds later in a 9-5 victory.
The Boston Bruins scored the fastest three goals by one team, in 20 seconds against the Vancouver Canucks on Feb. 25, 1971. John Bucyk, Ed Westfall and Ted Green did it in the third period of an 8-3 win.
Bill Mosienko of the Chicago Blackhawks holds the record for the fastest three goals by one player; he had a hat trick in 21 seconds against the Rangers on March 23, 1952.
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