The Edmonton Oilers aren’t the first team in the NHL to fight back from 3-0 down in a best-of-seven series to force a deciding contest.
This is the 10th time it has happened in 211 opportunities in NHL history and the first in 10 years. Based on history, the momentum from three straight wins doesn’t always carry over into a Game 7.
Only four of the nine previous teams to fight back and force a seventh game finished the job, with the Los Angeles Kings the last to pull off the feat in the 2014 first round against the San Jose Sharks.
Here’s a look at how those other nine teams that forced a Game 7 after trailing the series 3-0 fared:
2014 Kings vs. Sharks, first round
Los Angeles fell into a 1-0 hole early in the second period at San Jose before rallying once again. The Kings got a tying goal from Drew Doughty a few minutes later and Anze Kopitar scoried the tiebreaking goal late in the second period. Los Angeles added three goals in the third, including two empty-netters, to start another title run with a 5-1 win. Jonathan Quick made 39 saves.
2011 Red Wings vs. Sharks, second round
Detroit had won three straight tight games to even the series but fell behind quickly in Game 7 in San Jose. The Sharks got first-period goals from Devin Setoguchi and Logan Couture to take the lead and Patrick Marleau added a key insurance goal in the third for his first point of the series after the Red Wings pulled within one. San Jose held on for a 3-2 win but lost in the next round to Vancouver. Antti Niemi made 38 saves.
2011 Blackhawks vs. Canucks, first round
Defending-champion Chicago fought back in the series against the Presidents’ Trophy winners and then did it again in Game 7 on the road. Jonathan Toews scored a short-handed goal to tie the game at 1 with 1:56 to play. Vancouver then killed off a penalty early in overtime before Alex Burrows scored his second goal of the game to win the series. Roberto Luongo made 31 saves. The Canucks made it to Cup final before losing in seven games to Boston.
2010 Flyers vs. Bruins, second round
After falling behind 3-0 in the series, Philadelphia fell into a 3-0 hole in Game 7 in Boston in less than 15 minutes. The Flyers battled back to tie the game late in the second period on a goal by Daniel Briere and won it in the third when Simon Gagne scored on a power play following a penalty for too many men on the ice. Philadelphia made it to the Cup final before losing to Chicago.
1975 Islanders vs. Flyers, semifinals
One round after pulling off a 3-0 comeback against Pittsburgh, New York almost did it again. The Islanders fought back in the semifinals to force a Game 7 in Philadelphia but were no match for the Flyers. Gary Dornhoefer scored 19 seconds into the game to set the tone and Rick MacLeish had a hat trick in a 5-1 win for Philadelphia.
1975 Islanders vs. Penguins, quarterfinals
New York’s first playoff run was a memorable one, highlighted by the comeback in the quarterfinals against Pittsburgh. Coach Al Arbour made a goalie change after falling behind 3-0, benching Billy Smith in favor of Chico Resch. That paid off in big fashion with four straight wins, capped by a 1-0 win on the road in Game 7. Ed Westphal scored with 5:18 to play and Resch made 30 saves in the shutout.
1945 Red Wings vs. Maple Leafs, Stanley Cup Final
Three years after blowing a 3-0 lead to Toronto, Detroit tried to return the favor in the Cup final. The Red Wings forced a Game 7 in a series when they didn’t score a single goal until Game 4. Mel Hill scored in the first period for Toronto in Detroit. The Red Wings tied it midway through the third but Babe Pratt scored on a power play with 7:46 to play to give the Maple Leafs the Stanley Cup.
1942 Maple Leafs vs. Red Wings, Stanley Cup Final
Toronto became the only team in the major North American sports leagues to complete a comeback from 3-0 down to win a championship series. The Red Wings scored first on the road in the second period but fell apart in the third. Sweeney Schriner scored twice in the third period and Pete Langelle had the tiebreaking goal to give the Maple Leafs the title.
1939 Rangers vs. Bruins, semifinals
Long before the Red Sox raced back from a 3-0 series deficit to beat the hated Yankees in the 2004 AL Championship series, there was nearly another 3-0 comeback in the Boston-New York rivalry. The Rangers fought back after losing the first three games of the semifinals to force a seventh game at Boston Garden. The teams traded goals in the second period and the game stayed tied until the third overtime when Mel Hill scored the winner for Boston.
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AP NHL playoffs: https://apnews.com/hub/stanley-cup and https://www.apnews.com/hub/NHL
