Playoff Comebacks

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 |

Comebacks from Trailing 3-1 in Games

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

Comebacks from Trailing 2-0 in Games

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

Largest Single-Game Playoff Comebacks

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

Largest Regular-Season Point Differential Overcome by Upset Series Winner

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

Playoff Overtime, 1990 to 2010

•  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%).

First-Game Winners Hold Decisive Edge in Stanley Cup Final

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%).

Sub-.500 Teams in Stanley Cup Final

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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