The most goals scored by one team in a single NHL game is 16, scored by the Montreal Canadiens. They defeated the Quebec Bulldogs 16–3 on March 3, 1920, setting a record that still stands.
The game took place during the 1919–20 NHL season, when the league was still in its early years and offensive play was far more open than in many later eras. Montreal’s attack was led by several prolific scorers: Harry Cameron and Newsy Lalonde each scored four goals, while Didier Pitre and Odie Cleghorn added three apiece.
The 16 goals were not the game’s total; both teams combined for 19. That distinction matters because the NHL has also recorded games with a higher combined score. Montreal’s 16 remains the single-team mark, ahead of 15-goal performances by teams such as the Minnesota North Stars and Detroit Red Wings.
A nearby record often confused with this one is Joe Malone’s individual seven-goal game for Quebec in 1920. That is a player record, while this question asks for the most goals scored by an entire team.