Playoff Comebacks
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Comebacks from Trailing 3-1 in Games | Comebacks from Trailing 2-0 in Games | Largest Single-Game Playoff Comebacks | Largest Regular-Season Point Differential Overcome by Upset Series Winner | Playoff Overtime, 1990 to 2007 | First-Game Winners Hold Decisive Edge in Stanley Cup Final | Sub-.500 Teams in Stanley Cup Final | |
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Note: Teams have trailed 3-1 in a best-of-seven series a total of 229 times and have come back to win the series on 20 occasions or 8.7% of the time. |
Year |
Series |
Series Result in Games |
|
1942 |
F |
TOR |
4 |
DET |
3 |
1975 |
QF |
NYI |
4 |
PIT |
3 |
1987 |
DSF |
NYI |
4 |
WSH |
3 |
1987 |
DF |
DET |
4 |
TOR |
3 |
1988 |
DSF |
WSH |
4 |
PHI |
3 |
1989 |
DSF |
LA |
4 |
EDM |
3 |
1990 |
DSF |
EDM |
4 |
WPG |
3 |
1991 |
DSF |
STL |
4 |
DET |
3 |
1992 |
DSF |
DET |
4 |
MIN |
3 |
1992 |
DSF |
VAN |
4 |
WPG |
3 |
1992 |
DSF |
PIT |
4 |
WSH |
3 |
1994 |
CQF |
VAN |
4 |
CGY |
3 |
1995 |
CQF |
PIT |
4 |
WSH |
3 |
1998 |
CQF |
EDM |
4 |
COL |
3 |
1999 |
CQF |
STL |
4 |
PHX |
3 |
2000 |
CF |
NJ |
4 |
PHI |
3 |
2003 |
CQF |
MIN |
4 |
COL |
3 |
2003 |
CQF |
VAN |
4 |
STL |
3 |
2003 |
CSF |
MIN |
4 |
VAN |
3 |
2004 |
CQF |
MTL |
4 |
BOS |
3 |
2009 |
CQF |
WSH |
4 |
NYR |
3 |
2010 |
CQF |
MTL |
4 |
WSH |
3 |
2010 |
CF |
PHI |
4 |
BOS |
3 |
|
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Teams have trailed 2-0 in a best-of-seven series a total of 291 times and have come back to win the series on 37 occasions or 12.7% of the time. |
Year |
Series |
Series Result in Games |
|
1942 |
F |
TOR |
4 |
DET |
3 |
1945 |
SF |
DET |
4 |
BOS |
3 |
1959 |
SF |
TOR |
4 |
BOS |
3 |
1962 |
SF |
CHI |
4 |
MTL |
2 |
1963 |
SF |
DET |
4 |
CHI |
2 |
1965 |
SF |
CHI |
4 |
DET |
3 |
1966 |
F |
MTL |
4 |
DET |
2 |
1968 |
QF |
MIN |
4 |
LA |
3 |
1968 |
QF |
CHI |
4 |
NYR |
2 |
1971 |
F |
MTL |
4 |
CHI |
3 |
1972 |
QF |
STL |
4 |
MIN |
3 |
1975 |
QF |
NYI |
4 |
PIT |
3 |
1976 |
QF |
NYI |
4 |
BUF |
2 |
1977 |
QF |
PHI |
4 |
TOR |
2 |
1978 |
QF |
TOR |
4 |
NYI |
3 |
1982 |
DF |
QUE |
4 |
BOS |
3 |
1984 |
CF |
NYI |
4 |
MTL |
2 |
1987 |
DSF |
QUE |
4 |
HFD |
2 |
1987 |
DF |
MTL |
4 |
QUE |
3 |
1987 |
DF |
DET |
4 |
TOR |
3 |
1991 |
CF |
PIT |
4 |
BOS |
2 |
1992 |
DSF |
DET |
4 |
MIN |
3 |
1992 |
DSF |
PIT |
4 |
WSH |
3 |
1993 |
DSF |
MTL |
4 |
QUE |
2 |
1993 |
DSF |
TOR |
4 |
DET |
3 |
1994 |
CSF |
NJ |
4 |
BOS |
2 |
1995 |
CSF |
CHI |
4 |
TOR |
3 |
1996 |
CQF |
NYR |
4 |
MTL |
2 |
1996 |
CQF |
PIT |
4 |
WSH |
2 |
1999 |
CSF |
COL |
4 |
DET |
2 |
2000 |
CSF |
PHI |
4 |
PIT |
2 |
2001 |
CQF |
LA |
4 |
DET |
2 |
2002 |
CQF |
DET |
4 |
VAN |
2 |
2003 |
CQF |
TB |
4 |
WSH |
2 |
2004 |
CQF |
MTL |
4 |
BOS |
3 |
2006 |
CQF |
CAR |
4 |
MTL |
2 |
2006 |
CSF |
EDM |
4 |
SJ |
2 |
2009 |
CQF |
WSH |
4 |
NYR |
3 |
2009 |
CSF |
PIT |
4 |
WSH |
3 |
2009 |
F |
PIT |
4 |
DET |
3 |
2010 |
CSF |
PHI |
4 |
BOS |
3 |
|
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Deficit |
Date |
Teams and Final Score |
|
5 |
Apr 10, 1982 |
LA |
6 |
vs |
EDM |
5 |
4 |
Apr 8, 1971 |
MTL |
7 |
at |
BOS |
5 |
4 |
Apr 28, 1985 |
MIN |
5 |
at |
CHI |
4 |
|
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Differential |
Year |
Winner |
Pts. |
Loser |
Pts. |
|
48 |
1982 |
LA |
63 |
EDM |
111 |
38 |
1991 |
MIN |
68 |
CHI |
106 |
37 |
1991 |
MIN |
68 |
STL |
105 |
36 |
1951 |
MTL |
65 |
DET |
101 |
33 |
1981 |
NYR |
74 |
STL |
107 |
33 |
2010 |
MTL |
88 |
WSH |
121 |
32 |
1986 |
NYR |
78 |
PHI |
110 |
32 |
1993 |
NYI |
87 |
PIT |
119 |
30 |
1986 |
CGY |
89 |
EDM |
119 |
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• Since the 1990 post season, there have been 363 overtime games. |
• The home team has won 179 games (49.3%) and the road team has won 184 games (50.7%). |
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Since the NHL implemented the best-of-seven Stanley Cup Championship format in 1939, the following winning trends have developed: |
• Teams winning Game One have won the Cup 54 of 69 times (78.3%). |
• Teams winning both Games One and Two have won the Cup 41 of 44 times (93.2%). |
• Teams winning Games One, Two and Three have won the Cup 24 of 25 times (96%). |
• Teams winning Game Three after splitting the first two games have won the Cup 21 of 25 times (84%). |
• Teams holding a 2-1 series lead have won the Cup 38 of 44 times (86.4%). |
• Teams winning Game Five after splitting the first four games have won the Cup 14 of 19 times (73.7%). |
• Teams holding a 3-2 series lead have won the Cup 26 of 32 times (81.3%). |
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Note: Fifteen teams have advanced to the Stanley Cup Final after posting regular-season records below the .500 mark. |
Year |
Team |
Regular-Season Record |
Win. % |
1991 |
Minnesota North Stars |
27-39-14 |
.425 |
1982 |
Vancouver Canucks |
30-33-17 |
.481 |
1968 |
St. Louis Blues |
27-31-16 |
.473 |
1961 |
Detroit Red Wings |
25-29-16 |
.471 |
1959 |
Toronto Maple Leafs |
27-32-11 |
.464 |
1958 |
Boston Bruins |
27-28-15 |
.493 |
1953 |
Boston Bruins |
28-29-13 |
.493 |
1951 |
Montreal Canadiens |
25-30-15 |
.464 |
1950 |
New York Rangers |
28-31-11 |
.479 |
1949 |
Toronto Maple Leafs |
22-25-13 |
.475 |
1944 |
Chicago Black Hawks |
22-23-5 |
.490 |
1942 |
Detroit Red Wings |
19-25-4 |
.438 |
1939 |
Toronto Maple Leafs |
19-20-9 |
.490 |
1938 |
Chicago Black Hawks |
14-25-9 |
.385 |
1937 |
New York Rangers |
19-20-9 |
.490 |
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