This week in 1982, Jim Nill was the hero in an overtime playoff thriller against the Chicago Blackhawks. The game was played on April 27, 1982.

Vancouver had cruised to a 30-33-17 record finishing second in the Smythe Division that year and beat both the Calgary Flames and LA Kings in the first two round of the playoffs.

In game one of their third-round series against the Blackhawks, goals came in the first frame for both clubs. Thomas Gradin got Vancouver on the board at the 8:02 mark, while Terry Ruskowski got Chicago’s lone-goal of the game two minutes later.

And then the scoresheet dried up. Canucks goalie Richard Brodeur faced 47 shots, while Blackhawks netminder Tony Esposito had faced 41 in his own right.

With both goalies standing on their heads, the game needed two extra frames for Jim Nill to capitalize and win the game. Two nights later the clubs met again for game two.

Vancouver came back in the series-winning games three, four and five to advance to the finals against the New York Islanders, who the Canucks lost to.

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