When it comes to the NHL playoffs, there’s no shortage of heart-stopping moments. One of the toughest challenges a team can face is winning an NHL playoff series after losing the first three games. While it has happened before, it’s incredibly rare and requires an almost superhuman effort from the trailing team. Not only do they have to win every single game going forward, but they also have to do it against an opponent who now has all the momentum and confidence on their side. It’s a daunting task, one that few teams have managed to achieve; only four teams in NHL history have successfully come back from such a large deficit. So while anything is possible in the playoffs, climbing out of such a deep hole is definitely a difficult feat.
These Teams Did It
- Toronto Maple Leafs (1942): In the 1942 Stanley Cup Finals, the Toronto Maple Leafs faced the Detroit Red Wings. The Red Wings won the first three games of the series, but the Maple Leafs managed to stage a remarkable comeback and won the next four games to win the series 4-3.
- New York Islanders (1975): In the 1975 Stanley Cup Quarterfinals, the New York Islanders played against the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Islanders were down 0-3 in the series but managed to win the next four games to advance. This marked the second time in NHL history that a team came back from a 0-3 deficit.
- Philadelphia Flyers (2010): In the 2010 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals, the Philadelphia Flyers faced the Boston Bruins. The Flyers lost the first three games of the series but made an incredible comeback and won the next four games to win the series 4-3. This marked the first time in 35 years that a team had overcome a 0-3 deficit.
- Los Angeles Kings (2014): In the 2014 Western Conference Quarterfinals, the Los Angeles Kings played against the San Jose Sharks. The Kings dropped the first three games of the series but managed to win the next four games to complete the historic comeback and advance to the next round.
Compare The NHL to the NBA and MLB
If you think it’s tough to come back from a 3 to 0 deficit in the NHL…..it seems to be even harder in pro basketball and major league baseball.
NBA: It has only happened once in the NBA. The Boston Celtics accomplished this feat in the 2004 NBA Eastern Conference Semifinals against the New Jersey Nets.
MLB: It has only happened once in the MLB. The Boston Red Sox achieved this remarkable comeback in the 2004 American League Championship Series against the New York Yankees.
Conclusion: If you are an NHL, NBA or MLB team in the playoffs and you are contemplating going down three games to zero. Don’t do it…. It’s very hard to recover.
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