Here’s a look back at all of the game 7s the Red Wings have played (win or lose) during the past 30 seasons.
The Red Wings are 6-7 in game 7s since 1991.
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1991 -- Lost to St. Louis Blues in Division Semi Finals (1st round)
The Red Wings (3rd in Norris) went up 3-1 in this series, grabbing Game 1 in St. Louis. They had a chance to close it out in Game 5 in St. Louis, but the Blues (2nd in Norris) staved off elimination with a convincing 6-1 victory. The Blues won Game 6, too, in Detroit to send the series to a Game 7. They won the final game, 3-2, at home. Steve Yzerman and Sergei Fedorov led the Red Wings with 6 points each in the series. Tim Cheveldae was in net for Detroit.
1992 -- Beat Minnesota North Stars in Division Semi Finals (1st round)
Contrary to the previous year, the Red Wings (1st in Norris) fell behind 3-1 in this opening round series. However, they shut out the North Stars (4th in Norris) in Game 5 and Game 6, 3-0 and 1-0. Game 7 was back in Detroit where the Red Wings won, 5-2. The Wings were swept out in the following round by the Chicago Blackhawks. Sergei Fedorov led the Red Wings with 5 goals and 5 assists in 11 playoff games. Tim Cheveldae was in net again.
1993 -- Lost to Toronto Maple Leafs in Division Semi Finals (1st round)
The Red Wings (2nd in Norris) and Maple Leafs (3rd in Norris) both won their first two games at home. The Leafs won Game 5 in overtime in Detroit. The Red Wings won Game 6, 7-3, in Toronto. Game 7 was at Joe Louis Arena. The Red Wings were up 2-1 and 3-2 in this game but the Leafs wouldn't go away. Nikolai Borschevsky scored the overtime winner, eliminating the higher-seeded Red Wings. This is the last time Detroit and Toronto met in the playoffs. Paul Coffey led Detroit with 11 points in 7 playoff games.
1994 -- Lost to San Jose Sharks in Conference Quarterfinals (1st round)
The 8th-seeded Sharks pulled off a shocking upset in seven games. The 1st-place Red Wings led 2-1 after three games but the Sharks, led by goalie Arturs Irbe and future Red Wing Igor Larionov, grabbed games 4 and 5 in San Jose -- all series played between Central and Pacific Division teams had a 2–3–2 format to reduce travel. The Red Wings won Game 6, 7-1 -- yes, 7-1 -- but fell 3-2 in Game 7. Sergei Fedorov again led the team with 8 points in 7 games. Steve Yzerman played only 3 playoff games (4 points) due to injury. This was goalie Chris Osgood's rookie season.
1996 -- Beat St. Louis Blues in Conference Semifinals (2nd round)
This is one of the most memorable -- the one with "The Goal." The Red Wings (1st in West) won the first two games at Joe Louis Arena but the Blues (5th in West) countered with two home wins of their own. Game 5 was back in Detroit -- the Blues won, 3-2. The Red Wings sent it to a 7th game after winning Game 6, 4-2, in St. Louis. Game 7 was scoreless until the 2nd overtime period when Steve Yzerman scored one the most famous goals in Red Wings history (just watch the video). Despite the 2nd round heroics, the Red Wings fell to the Colorado Avalanche in the Conference Finals, 4-2.
2002 -- Beat Colorado Avalanche in Conference Finals (3rd round)
The Red Wings' playoff path to their 2002 Stanley Cup championship was far from easy. The Avalanche made sure of that by winning two games at Joe Louis Arena. But the Red Wings won Game 6, 2-0, and put Game 7 away before the 1st period was finished. Detroit jumped to a 4-0 lead and never looked back, winning 7-0 and punching their ticket to the Stanley Cup Finals again.
2009 -- Beat Anaheim Ducks in Conference Semifinals (2nd round)
The 8th-seeded Ducks took the 2nd-seeded Red Wings to seven games. The Red Wings led 3-2 and couldn't close it out in Game 6 in Anaheim. However, Dan Cleary was the hero in Game 7 when he scored with 3 minutes left in regulation to give the Red Wings a 4-3 win and pass to the Conference Finals.
2009 -- Lost to Pittsburgh Penguins in Stanley Cup Finals
This will go down as one of the most heartbreaking finishes to a Red Wings season. They were so close to winning the Stanley Cup for a second-straight season. The Red Wings were up 3-2 in this series but couldn't close it out in Game 6 in Pittsburgh. Sidney Crosby and his Penguins seemed destined for the Cup this year, and they got it by besting the team they lost to the previous year in the finals. The Penguins won Game 7, 2-1, in Detroit.
2010 -- Beat Phoenix Coyotes in Conference Quarterfinals (1st round)
The Red Wings (5th in West) and Coyotes (4th in West) played a spirited seven-game series. The Red Wings went up 3-2 but could not close it out at home in Game 6. However, they defeated the Coyotes, 6-1, in Game 7 in Phoenix. Detroit lost the next round, 4-1, to the Sharks.
2011 -- Lost to San Jose Sharks in Conference Semifinals (2nd round)
The Red Wings swept the Coyotes in the 1st round in 2011, but the Sharks still stood in the way. The Sharks jumped out to a 3-0 series lead. The Red Wings roared back with three consecutive wins to force a Game 7 in San Jose, which they lost 3-2. Pavel Datsyuk led Detroit with 15 points in 11 playoff games.
2013 -- Beat Anaheim Ducks in Conference Quarterfinals (1st round)
The 7th-seeded Red Wings pulled off the 1st round upset in seven games. The Wings trailed 3-2 in the series and had to win Game 6 in overtime. Henrik Zetterberg scored the overtime winner in Game 6 and had another goal and an assist in Game 7, which the Red Wings won, 3-2, in Anaheim.
2013 -- Lost Chicago Blackhawks in Conference Semifinals (2nd round)
The Red Wings, fresh off their 1st-round upset over the Ducks, jumped out to a 3-1 series lead on the 1st-place Blackhawks, only to lose three straight. Game 7 was a heartbreaking 2-1 loss in overtime. Brent Seabrook ended Detroit's season at 3:35 into overtime. The Blackhawks eventually won the Stanley Cup.
2015 -- Lost to Tampa Bay Lightning (1st round)
The Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Detroit Red Wings, 5-2, at Joe Louis Arena to force a Game 7. The Red Wings couldn’t rebound from that Game 6 loss, falling 2-0 in Game 7 in Tampa.