Fans often want a clear answer to which NHL game produced the most goals. This article gives a sourced, step-by-step explanation that names the games, shows where to verify the numbers, and explains the era context for the results. It is written for sports fans, analysts, and anyone checking historical scoring records.

The NHL single-game combined-goal record is 21, reached in two regular-season games.

Both 21-goal games are verifiable through official NHL records and contemporaneous box scores.

Mid-1980s season scoring trends help explain several of the highest-scoring modern games.

Quick answer: What is the highest score ever in the NHL? scoresandodds nhl

The official NHL single-game combined-goal record is 21, a total reached in two separate regular-season games: Montreal 14, Toronto St. Patricks 7 on January 10, 1920, and Edmonton 12, Chicago 9 on December 11, 1985. For the league's formal listing of single-game totals, consult the NHL records page NHL records page. You can also view the NHL team-records listing directly Team Records - Most Goals, Both Teams, Game.

Both of these games finished in regulation time, so their 21-goal totals are not the result of overtime scoring. You can inspect contemporaneous box scores to verify each line score and the scoring by period; for example, the box score for the 1920 Montreal-Toronto game is preserved online Hockey-Reference box score for the 1920 game.

Verify the record with primary box scores

Bookmark the NHL records page and the individual box scores so you can check the official line scores and period-by-period tallies yourself.

Open the record and box scores

Quick verification steps: the NHL's record listing names the 21-goal mark as the highest combined total, and Hockey-Reference hosts primary box-score pages for both games that show the scoring details and final tallies.

How 'highest score' is defined and which sources count: scoresandodds nhl

When people ask about the highest score in the NHL they generally mean the most combined goals scored by both teams in the same game, with totals recorded for the final score in regulation or after any overtime noted in the box score. The league maintains separate record lists for regular-season entries and playoff results; for combined-goal records the NHL records listing is the standard reference NHL records page, and an overview on Wikipedia also lists team record categories List of NHL records (team).

Primary sources for verifying a specific high-scoring game are contemporaneous box scores and official league records. Box scores list goals by period, final counts, and any overtime notation; verifying that a listed high total came in regulation usually requires checking the period-by-period scoring on the box score itself Hockey-Reference box score for the 1985 Oilers-Black Hawks game.

Deep look: Montreal 14-7 Toronto St. Patricks on 1920-01-10 (one of the 21-goal games)

The January 10, 1920, game between the Montreal Canadiens and the Toronto St. Patricks finished 14-7 in favor of Montreal, producing one of the two occasions when teams combined for 21 goals. The published box score for that date records the final score and shows the scoring distribution for each period, providing the primary evidence that the game reached the 21-goal mark Hockey-Reference box score for the 1920 game.

What is the highest combined goal total in a single NHL game and which matches set it?

The highest combined goal total is 21, reached twice in regulation: Montreal 14, Toronto St. Patricks 7 on 1920-01-10 and Edmonton 12, Chicago 9 on 1985-12-11.

Context matters for this result: hockey in the 1910s and early 1920s used different equipment, tactics, and roster rules than the modern game, so very high team totals in a single contest can reflect the era as much as the teams involved. The box score stays authoritative because it lists goal scorers, period scoring, and the final tally, which are the details historians use when compiling record lists.

Why the 1920 game remains part of the record books rather than an anecdote: official league compilations and reliable box-score archives agree on the final totals and date, and that agreement is what places this match alongside the 1985 game at the top of the all-time combined-goals list NHL records page.

Deep look: Edmonton 12-9 Chicago Black Hawks on 1985-12-11 (the modern 21-goal game)

On December 11, 1985, the Edmonton Oilers beat the Chicago Black Hawks 12-9 in a regulation game that produced 21 combined goals. The official box score records the goals by period and confirms the final count, allowing researchers to verify that no overtime contributed to the total Hockey-Reference box score for the 1985 game.

scoresandodds nhl scanned 1920 box score clipping beside a black and white team photo on a clean dark Funded Plays background

The Oilers of the mid-1980s were part of a high-scoring environment, featuring several prolific offensive players; that season context helps explain why a 12-9 regulation game was possible. The box score for this match lists goal scorers and the period breakdown, which is how the 12-9 final is established in historical records.

Because the 1985 game is well documented in league-era box-score archives and it appears on the NHL's official records list, the contest stands as the modern example that ties the single-game combined-goal record with the older 1920 result NHL records page.

Other extreme outliers: 20-goal games and near-misses

Several games have come within one goal of the 21-goal mark; notable 20-goal contests include Minnesota 8, Edmonton 12 on January 4, 1984, and Edmonton 11, Toronto 9 on January 8, 1986. These games are recorded in primary box-score archives that list the scoring and final totals Hockey-Reference box score for the 1984 North Stars-Oilers game. See a compiled list of highest-scoring games on Elite Prospects for additional context Highest-scoring games in NHL history.

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Open the record and box scores

The January 8, 1986, Edmonton-Toronto game that ended 11-9 for a 20-goal total is also preserved in box-score records, and these near-miss contests sit directly below the two 21-goal games in all-time combined-goal lists Hockey-Reference box score for the 1986 game.

Listing the 20-goal games shows how rare such outbursts are; while they are memorable, they remain one-goal shy of the standing 21-goal record as confirmed by the same primary sources used to document the top entry.

Why some eras produced more high-scoring games

League-wide scoring averages have shifted over time, and the mid-1980s stand out as a period when average goals per game were elevated compared with many other decades; season-level statistics help explain why multiple very high-scoring games occurred in that window Hockey-Reference season scoring trends.

Multiple factors can combine to raise per-game scoring in a season, including offensive tactics, goaltending styles, roster construction, and rule interpretations. Analysts use season averages as a baseline to judge how unusual a single high-scoring game is rather than treating every outlier as evidence of a lasting change.

Because scoring regimes change, a 12-9 result that looked extreme in one decade can be more plausible in another; this is why historians and analysts compare a game to its season context when assessing how remarkable the scoreline actually is.

How historians and statisticians verify old box scores and NHL records

To confirm a claimed historical high-scoring game, start with the NHL records listing and then pull the contemporaneous box score for the specific date and matchup, checking the period-by-period scoring and any overtime notation as recorded by the box office NHL records page.

Next, cross-check the box score against reputable archives such as Hockey-Reference, which preserves detailed game pages including goal by goal and period breakdowns. That cross-check is how researchers confirm that an unusually high total did not include uncounted overtime goals Hockey-Reference box score for the 1920 game.

Stepwise verification checklist for confirming a historical NHL game

Check NHL records page
Open Hockey-Reference box score
Verify scoring by period

Save links to primary sources

Historians treat the combination of league records plus contemporaneous box scores as the authoritative trail. Where older records are sparse, multiple independent archives and newspaper box scores can provide corroboration, but the NHL records listing and established box-score repositories are the starting point for verification.

Do overtime or playoff goals change the single-game combined-goal record?

Official lists typically distinguish regular-season records from playoff records, and overtime scoring is shown on box scores so researchers can tell whether a total came in regulation or after extra time. The two 21-goal games were recorded as regular-season contests, so their totals are regulation results as shown on primary pages and the NHL records list NHL records page.

Playoff games use separate record compilations, and if a playoff game featured a very high combined total that would appear on a playoff-specific list rather than under the regular-season single-game combined-goal record. That is why checking the box score notation for overtime or playoff context is essential when comparing totals.

Team and player context: what high-scoring games tell us

High combined totals can arise because one team runs up a large score and the opponent still manages to produce many goals, or because both teams trade scoring throughout the contest. Box scores show whether one roster dominated or whether the scoring was balanced between the sides.

Individual player tallies in a big game can be notable, but when discussing combined-goal records it is the team totals that determine placement on the all-time list. The box score remains the sole reliable source for attributing goals to players and for verifying whether a high combined total was an anomaly or part of a pattern for the teams involved.

Minimalist 2D vector of a vintage mid 1980s Oilers rink with puck in flight and a modern text free graphical stats overlay using abstract bars arcs and dots to convey a high combined goal total scoresandodds nhl

Using these records when checking odds or trends

Historical extremes are interesting, but an outlier single game is a poor predictor of future totals when considered alone. For practical analysis, place any high-scoring game into season-level context by comparing it to the season average goals per game rather than using it as a standalone forecast signal Hockey-Reference season scoring trends.

If you follow game totals or odds, use multi-game samples and season averages to estimate expected scoring ranges. Platforms like Funded Plays that offer structured prediction challenges emphasize disciplined, repeatable evaluation over reacting to singular outlier results, which is why season-long baselines are a better tool for forecasting than isolated historic box scores.

Common mistakes when people cite the 'highest NHL score'

Frequent errors include copying unsourced lists that drop context, confusing playoff and regular-season records, or misreading older box-score formats. Older box scores sometimes use terse notation, and misinterpretation can produce incorrect claims about totals if the reader does not check the period breakdown carefully.

Another common issue is assuming that a high total in one era maps directly to another era; because league scoring averages move over time, always compare a high-scoring game to its season context rather than assuming it would have the same probability in a different decade.

How to verify any high-scoring NHL game yourself

Step 1: check the NHL records page for the claimed record and note whether it is a regular-season or playoff entry NHL records page.

Step 2: open the Hockey-Reference box score for the exact date and matchup and verify the goals by period, any overtime notation, and the final tally Hockey-Reference box score for the 1985 game. For additional evaluation guidance, see our detailed write-up on Funded Plays evaluations how Funded Plays evaluations work.

Step 3: if the game predates consistent online records, consult multiple archives and contemporary newspaper box scores to corroborate the line score. Save or cite the primary box-score page and the NHL records entry when you report the finding. You can also browse related posts on our blogs for methodology notes.

Conclusion: definitive result and what to remember

Definitive answer: the highest combined-goal total in a single NHL game is 21, achieved twice in regulation - Montreal 14, Toronto St. Patricks 7 on January 10, 1920, and Edmonton 12, Chicago 9 on December 11, 1985. The NHL records listing and the Hockey-Reference box scores provide the primary documentation to verify those totals NHL records page.

When citing the highest NHL score, always link to the NHL record entry and the contemporaneous box score so readers can see the period-by-period scoring and confirm whether overtime or playoffs were involved.

What is the single-game combined-goal record in the NHL?

The NHL record for most combined goals in a single game is 21, reached twice in regular-season games.

Were the 21-goal games decided in overtime?

No, both 21-goal games were finished in regulation according to their box scores.

How can I check the official record for a specific high-scoring game?

Confirm the NHL records listing and open the contemporaneous box score to verify period scoring and final tallies.

If you need to confirm a score, start with the NHL records page and follow the box score trail. Primary box-score pages preserve the period-by-period details that settle any dispute about whether a total came in regulation or after overtime.