List of teams to overcome 3–0 series deficits

The following is the list of teams to overcome 3–0 series deficits. The listed teams won four consecutive games after being down three games to none in a best-of-seven playoff series.

Syl Apps of the Toronto Maple Leafs after his team won Game 7 of the 1942 Stanley Cup Finals, overcoming a 3–0 series deficit

Background
The 2004 Boston Red Sox, seen here at the White House, were the first MLB team to force a game seven after being down 0–3 in a series.

Three major North American professional sports leagues have playoff series that can reach a seventh game: Major League Baseball (MLB), the National Basketball Association (NBA), and the National Hockey League (NHL).

In the history of these leagues, teams that were down 3–0 in a series have come back to win the series five times; four times in the NHL and once in MLB.[1] The most recent example is the Los Angeles Kings of the NHL in the 2014 Stanley Cup playoffs. The only instance in a championship finals series was by the NHL's Toronto Maple Leafs in the 1942 Stanley Cup Finals.[2]

Conversely, teams have had their 3–0 comeback fall short after evening a series nine times: five in the NHL, three in the NBA, and one in MLB. The most recent example is the Houston Astros of MLB in the 2020 American League Championship Series.[3]

No team has overcome multiple 3–0 deficits in a single postseason, although the 1974–75 New York Islanders of the NHL nearly did so; they successfully overcame a 3–0 series deficit in the 1975 quarterfinals, then rallied from a 3–0 series deficit in the semifinals before losing the seventh game.[2]

While seven-game series were traditionally used only for the final series of a postseason, MLB adopted a best-of-seven format for its semi-finals (the League Championship Series) in 1985,[4] the NHL followed suit for its first round in 1987,[5] and the NBA did the same for its first round in 2003.[6]

Outside of the noted major North American leagues, various other leagues across multiples sports also use seven-game postseason series. There are several known instances of teams in such leagues overcoming 3–0 series deficits.

List of teams

Key
Home^ Indicates team down 3–0 was home team in game 7
~ Indicates game 7 in the championship round
* Indicates the series winner went on to win the championship

Successful comebacks

Four NHL teams have overcome 3–0 deficits, only one of which occurred in the Stanley Cup Finals.[2] Three comebacks were completed with game 7 on road ice, while one was completed on home ice.

Year and seriesTeam down 0–3, won 4–3Team up 3–0, lost 3–4Notes
1942 Stanley Cup Finals~Toronto Maple Leafs^*Detroit Red WingsOnly time in the Stanley Cup Finals. Only time the comeback was completed at home.
1975 Stanley Cup QuarterfinalsNew York IslandersPittsburgh PenguinsWon 8 games while facing elimination this playoff year.
2010 Eastern Conference SemifinalsPhiladelphia FlyersBoston BruinsOvercame 3–0 deficit in the 7th game. Were the first NHL team since the Islanders did twice in 1975 to even force a seventh game.
2014 Western Conference First RoundLos Angeles Kings*San Jose SharksLos Angeles won three game sevens in this playoff year.

Unsuccessful comebacks

Five other NHL teams have evened a series after being down 3–0, only to lose game 7.[7][8] Four of these teams were the visiting team in game 7, while the Detroit Red Wings were the only home team in game 7.

Year and seriesTeam down 0–3, lost 3–4Team up 3–0, won 4–3Note
1939 Stanley Cup SemifinalsNew York RangersBoston Bruins*Bruins won game 7 in triple overtime.
1945 Stanley Cup Finals~Detroit Red Wings^Toronto Maple Leafs*Red Wings nearly got revenge on Maple Leafs for blown 3–0 lead three years previously.
1975 Stanley Cup SemifinalsNew York IslandersPhiladelphia Flyers*Islanders came back from 3–0 deficit to win in the previous round.
2011 Western Conference QuarterfinalsChicago BlackhawksVancouver CanucksCanucks won game 7 in overtime after Blackhawks tied it 1–1 with a shorthanded goal with 1:56 left.
2011 Western Conference SemifinalsDetroit Red WingsSan Jose SharksSecond time this year a team forced a game 7 after down 3–0.

Successful comeback

One MLB team has overcome a 3–0 deficit to win the series.[9]

Year and seriesTeam down 0–3, won 4–3Team up 3–0, lost 3–4Note(s)
2004 ALCSBoston Red Sox*New York YankeesWent on to win the World Series for the first time since 1918.

Unsuccessful comeback

One MLB team has evened a series after being down 0–3, but lost game 7.[3]

Year and seriesTeam down 0–3, lost 3–4Team up 3–0, won 4–3Note(s)
2020 ALCSHouston AstrosTampa Bay RaysSeries was played at a neutral site due to the COVID-19 pandemic with no off-days.

Unsuccessful comebacks

Three NBA teams have evened a series after being down 0–3, only to lose in game 7.[10] All three teams were the visiting team in game 7.

Year and seriesTeam down 0–3, lost 3–4Team up 3–0, won 4–3Note(s)
1951 NBA Finals~New York KnicksRochester Royals*
1994 Western Conference SemifinalsDenver NuggetsUtah JazzNuggets also overcame a 2–0 deficit to win a best-of-five series in the previous round.
2003 Western Conference First RoundPortland Trail BlazersDallas Mavericks

Other leagues

Outside of MLB, the NBA, and the NHL, there are three known instances of successful comebacks from 3–0 series deficits.

Successful comebacks
Series Team down 0–3, won 4–3 Team up 3–0, lost 3–4 Sports league
2012 Liiga Quarter-finalsKalPaEspoo BluesFinnish Elite League (ice hockey)
2015 Gagarin Cup Western Conference FinalsSKA St. PetersburgCSKA MoscowKontinental Hockey League
2015–16 PBA Philippine Cup FinalsSan Miguel BeermenAlaska AcesPhilippine Basketball Association

See also

References
  1. Brisbee, Grant (October 21, 2015). "A brief history of teams down 0-3 in a best-of-seven series". SB Nation. Retrieved June 12, 2019.
  2. Madden, Mark (April 16, 2019). "A look at the 0-3 series comebacks in NHL history". NHL.com. Retrieved October 18, 2020.
  3. Barron, David (October 17, 2020). "Astros can't complete comeback in Game 7". houstonchronicle.com. Retrieved October 18, 2020.
  4. Consolazio, Dave (October 8, 2019). "MLB 2 Reasons Baseballs Best-of-5 Playoff Series Format is Terrible". Sportscasting. Retrieved October 28, 2020.
  5. "All-Time Playoff Formats". Retrieved October 28, 2020.
  6. Kraetsch, Rich. "Throwback Thursday: The history of NBA playoff reformatting". Fansided. Retrieved October 28, 2020.
  7. "History shows Game 7 tough on clubs who rally". Sportsnet. May 13, 2010. Retrieved October 28, 2020.
  8. "Sharks close it out". PressReader. May 13, 2011. Retrieved October 28, 2020.
  9. Schoenfield, David (October 17, 2020). "2020 MLB playoffs: Could the 2020 Astros join the 2004 Red Sox on Saturday? The anatomy of a 3-0 comeback". ESPN.com. Retrieved October 18, 2020.
  10. Mahoney, Andrew (May 9, 2018). "How many NBA teams have forced a Game 7 after trailing 3-0?". Boston.com. Retrieved October 18, 2020.
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