He Needed Just 19 Seconds: Ted Irvine’s Record-Breaking OT Winner

The 1968-69 opening-round playoff series between the Los Angeles Kings and the Oakland Seals was as tight as they come, stretching the full seven games. Despite advancing, the Kings were actually outscored 25-23 over the series. Oddly enough, only one game required overtime and it happened right at the very beginning.

Quick Facts

• 📅 Date: April 2, 1969
• 🏒 Game: Kings vs. Seals (Game 1, Quarterfinal)
• ⚡ Overtime Winner: Ted Irvine (0:19)
• 🏆 Record: Fastest OT goal in NHL history (at the time)
• 🔁 Previous Record: Syd Howe (0:25, 1940)
• 🔥 Current Record: Brian Skrudland (0:09, 1986)

Game 1, played on April 2, 1969 at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Arena, set the tone early. The Seals carried a 2-1 lead after the first period and held a slim 3–2 edge heading into the third. But the Kings clawed back, with Eddie Joyal scoring twice to flip the game in Los Angeles’ favor at 4-3.

Oakland refused to go quietly. Late in regulation, Gene Ubriaco found the back of the net at 17:22 of the third period, knotting the score at 4-4 and sending the game into sudden-death overtime.

It didn’t take long to settle things. Just 19 seconds into the extra frame, Ted Irvine beat goaltender Gary Smith, with help from Jimmy Peters. The lightning-fast goal set a new NHL record for the quickest overtime tally in league history at the time.

The previous mark had stood for nearly three decades. On March 19, 1940, Syd Howe scored just 25 seconds into overtime for the Detroit Red Wings in a win over the New York Americans.

While Irvine’s record didn’t last forever, it remains a remarkable moment in playoff history. It was eventually surpassed by Brian Skrudland, who scored only nine seconds into overtime for the Montreal Canadiens against the Calgary Flames on May 18, 1986, setting the current benchmark for fastest OT goal.

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NHL Hockey Trivia: Pre Original 6 Era

When the ‘Original Six’ era of the National Hockey League is mentioned, it gives the false impression that the league began with six teams and that number wasn’t altered until the 1967-68 expansion season. This couldn’t be further from the truth as franchises came and franchises went in the early days of the NHL. At times, there were as many as ten teams in the league. Test and broaden your hockey knowledge with the following four trivia questions.

Q. The St. Louis Blues began play in the 1967-68 season but they are not the first NHL franchise to play in the city. What is the name of the original NHL team located in St. Louis?

A. For just one season, 1934-35, the St. Louis Eagles played in the NHL. The Eagles were an attempt to relocate the original Ottawa Senators franchise. The Eagles were coached by Buck Boucher and finished last overall in the nine team NHL with just 28 points over 48 regular season games.

St. Louis was led in scoring by Carl Voss, member of the Hockey Hall of Fame and Calder Trophy winner as rookie of the year in 1932-33. Syd Howe was also on the roster and ended up in the Hockey Hall of Fame after moving on to a stellar career with the Detroit Red Wings.

Q. When was the first season that the NHL was reduced to the ‘Original Six’?

A. 1942-43 was the first year the NHL was reduced to six teams. The league would remain with the same six members until the 1967-68 season when the league would double in size. In 1942-43, the Detroit Red Wings finished first overall with 61 points over 50 regular season games, just four points ahead of the Boston Bruins.

In the Stanley Cup playoffs, Detroit beat out the Toronto Maple Leafs in six games while the Bruins ousted the Montreal Canadiens in five. In the finals, it was no contest with the Red Wings sweeping the Bruins in four, outscoring their opponents 16-5 on the series.

Doug Bentley of the Chicago Blackhawks led the NHL with 73 points, one ahead of Bill Cowley of the Boston Bruins. Interestingly, Cowley started his career in 1934-35 with the St. Louis Eagles before spending the next eleven years with Boston.

Q. What team left the NHL after the 1941-42 season to reduce the league to six teams?

A. The Brooklyn Americans called it quits after being in the league since 1925. Until that season, they were known as the New York Americans. In the 17 seasons between 1925-26 and 1941-42, the Americans reached the Stanley Cup playoffs just five times and won a series just twice. Ironically, the Americans came into the National Hockey League a year before the New York Rangers.

Q. The Philadelphia Flyers are not the city’s first NHL team. What was the name of the original team located in the City of Brotherly Love?

A. The Philadelphia Quakers played just one season in the NHL, 1930-31. The franchise had been located in Pittsburgh since the 1925-26 season and known as the Pirates. The 1930-31 Quakers won just four of 44 regular season games and tied four for 12 points. They finished dead last in the ten team NHL, 12 points behind ninth place Ottawa.

Syd Howe played this for this one season wonder, as well. It was Howe’s second year in the league after playing 14 games for the Ottawa Senators in his rookie season.