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.
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.
