CBC Archives

You must sign in to leave a comment on this clip.

1999: Hull's foot yields contentious feat

Broadcast Date: June 19, 1999

If football is a game of inches, then hockey is a game of feet. At least that was the case in Game 6 of the 1999 Stanley Cup finals, an epic match that began with the Dallas Stars enjoying a 3-2 series lead over the Buffalo Sabres. With just five minutes remaining in the third overtime period, Stars winger Brett Hull goes to the front of the Sabres net, corrals the puck with his foot, takes a shot on Buffalo goaltender Dominik Hasek and then puts his own rebound over the sprawling net minder for the championship-winning goal.

A replay of the goal shows Hull's left foot is in the crease – a violation of the NHL rulebook of the day. The play is reviewed, the goal stands, the Stanley Cup is awarded to Dallas – and the controversy lingers to this day.

1999: Hull's foot yields contentious feat

• Brett Hull was born in Bellville, Ont. on Aug. 9, 1964. He played U.S. college hockey with the University of Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs and made his National Hockey League debut in the 1986 playoffs with the Calgary Flames, after spending the regular season with the Moncton Golden Flames of the American Hockey League.

• The crease rule that fueled the controversy over Hull's game-winning goal was struck down by the NHL prior to the start of the following season.

• Three years after scoring the controversial goal, Hull would again hoist the Stanley Cup – this time as a member of the Detroit Red Wings and a teammate of Dominik Hasek.

• Hull retired from the NHL in 2006. As of 2008, he is ranked third in all-time goals with 741 and is tied for first on the all-time playoff game-winning goals list with 24.

1999: Hull's foot yields contentious feat

Medium: Television

Program: Hockey Night in Canada

Broadcast Date: June 19, 1999

Commentator: Bob Cole, Harry Neale

Duration: 1:21

Last updated:
April 7, 2008