Thompson 'too tired to count' saves in 1933 six-OT playoff marathon

Legendary hockey reporter Stan Fischler writes a weekly scrapbook for NHL.com. Fischler, known as "The Hockey Maven," shares his humor and insight with readers each Wednesday. Once a month, he will let a picture from his vast collection do the talking in his "Picture is Worth 100 Words" feature.

This week, Stan focuses on goalie Tiny Thompson, who played for the Boston Bruins against the Toronto Maple Leafs in what then was the longest game in NHL history. It took place at Maple Leaf Gardens on April 3, 1933. The Bruins and Maple Leafs went on and on until Toronto's Ken Doraty scored at 4:46 of the sixth overtime for a 1-0 victory. It was the longest game in NHL history until the Detroit Red Wings defeated the Montreal Maroons 1-0 on March 24, 1936, a game that wasn't decided until Mud Bruneteau scored at 16:30 of the sixth overtime.

Columbus Blue Jackets goalie Joonas Korpisalo set an NHL record by making 85 saves in a 3-2, five-overtime loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Aug. 11. But had shots on goal been an official stat in the 1930s, Korpisalo might not have his line in the record books.

When the Toronto Maple Leafs defeated the Boston Bruins 1-0 in six overtimes 87 years ago, the NHL did not employ the sophisticated statistical mechanisms it uses today. Shots on goal didn't become an official NHL statistic in the regular season until 1955-56, and in the playoffs until 1959-60. Had they been tracked back then, Boston goalie Tiny Thompson might well own the record.

The exact number of saves Thompson actually made that night against Toronto will never be known. However, as the sixth overtime period began, he knew he had made more than 100 saves. "But," he later admitted, "by that time I was too tired to count."

By most available counts, Thompson made three saves in the sixth overtime before Doraty scored the winner. The Windsor Star and Canadian Press each credited Thompson with 114 saves. Another report had the number at 113.

As for Thompson, he simply said, "They told me I stopped 111!"