The Edmonton Oilers were on the brink of being swept by the Florida Panthers in the 2024 Stanley Cup Final.
Now, they're on the brink of a historic championship triumph.
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After dropping the first three Cup Final contests, Connor McDavid and Co. have responded by winning three straight elimination games to even up the series. Edmonton rolled past Florida 8-1 at home in Game 4 to avoid a sweep before winning 5-3 on the road in Game 5. Then, in their final home game of the season, the Oilers defeated the Panthers 5-1 in Game 6 on Friday to force a Game 7.
As the series shifts back to Florida for Game 7, the Oilers suddenly sit just one win away from the franchise's first Cup since 1990. But has a team ever been able to dig itself out of a 3-0 hole in the Stanley Cup Final and win it all? Here's what to know:
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Has a team ever come back from down 3-0 to win the Stanley Cup Final?
The Oilers actually wouldn't be the first team to overcome a 3-0 series deficit in the Cup Final.
How many teams have come back from down 3-0 to win the Stanley Cup Final?
Since moving to a best-of-seven format in 1939, there has been one team that won the Cup Final after once trailing 3-0 in the series.
Who was the last team to come back from down 3-0 to win the Stanley Cup Final?
The Toronto Maple Leafs lost the opening three games of the 1942 Cup Final to the Detroit Red Wings. But Toronto staved off elimination with a third-period comeback in Game 4.
The Leafs then won the next three games by a combined score of 15-4 in a historic championship triumph, becoming the first and only team to ever overcome a 3-0 series deficit in the Cup Final.
A few years later, Detroit nearly got revenge on Toronto. The two teams met in the 1945 Cup Final, where the Maple Leafs jumped out to a 3-0 series lead. The Red Wings responded with three straight wins before losing 2-1 in Game 7.
The Leafs in 1942, Red Wings in 1945 and Oilers in 2024 are the only teams to ever force a Game 7 in the Cup Final after once trailing 3-0.
How many teams have overcome a 3-0 series deficit in the NHL playoffs?
The 1942 Leafs are one of just four teams in NHL postseason history to come back from a 3-0 series deficit. The others are the 1975 New York Islanders, 2010 Philadelphia Flyers and the 2014 Los Angeles Kings.
When is Game 7 of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final?
The Oilers will look to complete their historic Cup Final comeback when they visit the Panthers for Game 7 on Monday.
