The Second Longest Hockey Game Ever Ended Early This Morning

The longest game in collegiate-hockey history (and second longest overall) ended this morning; it was the Queen's (University) Golden Gaels vs. the University of Guelph Gryphons, game one of the Ontario University Athletics three-game women's hockey finals.

The game was scoreless until the seven minute mark of the third period, and the Gryphons were just five seconds from victory when the Gaels capitalized off a scramble in front of the net. Then, it was one 10-minute overtime period and four 20-minute sessions. At 17:14 of the sixth overtime, Morgan McHaffie got a rebound and won. The Queen's U sports information office said McHaffie's twin sister Brittany got the assist.

From the Queen's U sports information office (which provided the footage Emma set to Herb Albert), the game "trails only a contest played on March 24, 1936 that saw Detroit beat Montreal 1-0 after 176:30 of action (including 116:30 in OT)." It outlasted the previous collegiate record (Quinnipiac vs. Union College, March 12, 2010) by 17 minutes and eight seconds.

"As the PA guy who did this game," wrote Brure Strang of Guelph, Ontario, Canada, "I take pride in being one of the few who've actually delivered the line, 'Last minute of play in the 8th period.'"

By Strang's timepiece, the puck dropped at 7:37 p.m. and the game-winning goal went in at 12:52 a.m. Game two of three-game series is tonight.

A long night's journey into day in Guelph-Queen's women's hockey playoff opener [Guelph Mercury]

Queen's Women's Hockey Has Longest Collegiate Game in History [Kingston Herald]

Game Replay [SSNCanada]