Season’s Over ranks the Top 5 most impressive series comebacks in Stanley Cup Final history.
By Mike Corasaniti
After an inspiring playoff run that led them to their first Stanley Cup Final appearance since 1994, the New York Rangers fell far short of an all-time Stanley Cup Final comeback. Down 3-0 to the favored Los Angeles Kings, New York was only able to get one win to just avoid getting swept right out of the rink.
If the Rangers had been able to rattle off three more wins to take the Stanley Cup, it would have undoubtedly gone down as one of the greatest stands in the history of the legendary championship. But with these hopefuls falling short of their lofty goal, what teams before them can claim to have pulled off the greatest comeback in Stanley Cup Final history?
Definitive Ranking offers the five best:
By Mike Corasaniti
After an inspiring playoff run that led them to their first Stanley Cup Final appearance since 1994, the New York Rangers fell far short of an all-time Stanley Cup Final comeback. Down 3-0 to the favored Los Angeles Kings, New York was only able to get one win to just avoid getting swept right out of the rink.
If the Rangers had been able to rattle off three more wins to take the Stanley Cup, it would have undoubtedly gone down as one of the greatest stands in the history of the legendary championship. But with these hopefuls falling short of their lofty goal, what teams before them can claim to have pulled off the greatest comeback in Stanley Cup Final history?
Definitive Ranking offers the five best:
5. 1966 Stanley Cup Final – Montreal Canadiens over Detroit Red Wings 4-2
It can be hard to think of the winningest team of all time as an underdog, but that's exactly what the defending champion Canadiens were after dropping the first two games of the series (At home, nonetheless) to Detroit. But the Red Wings were no match for a Montreal team en route to their seventh Stanley Cup in eleven seasons once they finally got the ball rolling.
Under the helm of head coach Toe Blake, the Canadiens came back to win the next four games of the series, culminating in a Henri Richard overtime goal in Game 6. It would take Detroit, the then seven-time Stanley Cup winners, 30 more years to again come out on top of a Finals matchup.
It can be hard to think of the winningest team of all time as an underdog, but that's exactly what the defending champion Canadiens were after dropping the first two games of the series (At home, nonetheless) to Detroit. But the Red Wings were no match for a Montreal team en route to their seventh Stanley Cup in eleven seasons once they finally got the ball rolling.
Under the helm of head coach Toe Blake, the Canadiens came back to win the next four games of the series, culminating in a Henri Richard overtime goal in Game 6. It would take Detroit, the then seven-time Stanley Cup winners, 30 more years to again come out on top of a Finals matchup.
4. 2011 Stanley Cup Final – Boston Bruins over Vancouver Canucks 4-3
Matters didn't look promising after the Bruins dropped the first two games in Vancouver to the President Trophy-winning Canucks. The Northeast Division champion Bruins had an excellent team but looked heavily overmatched early and often in the series before Finals MVP Tim Thomas really took charge.
Thomas only gave up four goals over the last five games after dropping four in the first two games alone, helping the Bruins close out the series with a definitive shutout win in Game 7. The Bruins denied Vancouver its first Stanley Cup, winning its sixth instead in the process.
Matters didn't look promising after the Bruins dropped the first two games in Vancouver to the President Trophy-winning Canucks. The Northeast Division champion Bruins had an excellent team but looked heavily overmatched early and often in the series before Finals MVP Tim Thomas really took charge.
Thomas only gave up four goals over the last five games after dropping four in the first two games alone, helping the Bruins close out the series with a definitive shutout win in Game 7. The Bruins denied Vancouver its first Stanley Cup, winning its sixth instead in the process.
3. 1971 Stanley Cup Final – Montreal Canadiens over Chicago Blackhawks 4-3
The Blackhawks, or Black Hawks as they were known until 1986, suffered from such a long Stanley Cup drought until 2010 that it might be easy forget that they still made a few appearances during the span. In 1971, only ten years removed from their previous championship, Chicago was well on it’s way to a fourth title. The Canadians unfortunately were hungry for a seventeenth, and were not going to let a 2-0 series deficit get in their way.
Interestingly enough, coming back to win the title wasn’t enough to keep Montreal Coach Al MacNeil around for another year. Despised by his own players even during the Stanley Cup Final itself, MacNeil was replaced shortly after Montreal’s Game 7 victory.
The Blackhawks, or Black Hawks as they were known until 1986, suffered from such a long Stanley Cup drought until 2010 that it might be easy forget that they still made a few appearances during the span. In 1971, only ten years removed from their previous championship, Chicago was well on it’s way to a fourth title. The Canadians unfortunately were hungry for a seventeenth, and were not going to let a 2-0 series deficit get in their way.
Interestingly enough, coming back to win the title wasn’t enough to keep Montreal Coach Al MacNeil around for another year. Despised by his own players even during the Stanley Cup Final itself, MacNeil was replaced shortly after Montreal’s Game 7 victory.
2. 2009 Stanley Cup Final – Pittsburgh Penguins over Detroit Red Wings 4-3
The Penguins and their still-budding megastar Sidney Crosby were in the Final for the first time the year before against the very same Red Wings. They scratched and clawed and proved that they finally belonged among the league’s elite, but ultimately fell short in six games.
Undoubtedly that made things sweeter for the Penguins in 2009 when they came back from 2-0 and 3-2 deficits to eventually win their third Stanley Cup Final. Max Talbot scored the series-clinching goal in the Game 7, and Evgeni Malkin was named the MVP for the series.
The Penguins and their still-budding megastar Sidney Crosby were in the Final for the first time the year before against the very same Red Wings. They scratched and clawed and proved that they finally belonged among the league’s elite, but ultimately fell short in six games.
Undoubtedly that made things sweeter for the Penguins in 2009 when they came back from 2-0 and 3-2 deficits to eventually win their third Stanley Cup Final. Max Talbot scored the series-clinching goal in the Game 7, and Evgeni Malkin was named the MVP for the series.
1. 1942 Stanley Cup Final – Toronto Maple Leafs over Detroit Red Wings 4-3
1975 New York Islanders, the 2010 Philadelphia Flyers, and the 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs, the only team to pull off the feat in the Final. Even more impressive was how the Leafs convincingly won out after dropping the first three games: 19 goals over four contests including a definitive 3-1 Game 7 victory.
The comeback is still often considered the greatest series comeback in NHL history, not just among those that have come during a Final. The epic series was also the first time in league history it took seven games to decide a champion.
1975 New York Islanders, the 2010 Philadelphia Flyers, and the 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs, the only team to pull off the feat in the Final. Even more impressive was how the Leafs convincingly won out after dropping the first three games: 19 goals over four contests including a definitive 3-1 Game 7 victory.
The comeback is still often considered the greatest series comeback in NHL history, not just among those that have come during a Final. The epic series was also the first time in league history it took seven games to decide a champion.