Sens Look To Spark Difficult Rally/Greatest Comebacks

All the Anaheim Ducks need to do is win one more game on home ice and the Stanley Cup is theirs. And if they fail to do it Wednesday night, they’ll have two more cracks at it. Really, they just need to win one of three games to hoist the holiest hardware in hockey, and therein lies the luxury of a 3-1 series lead. The Ducks are also welcoming back star defenceman Chris Pronger, who was suspended for Game 4.

The Ottawa Senators have a much different challenge, needing to win three straight games, including two on the road in order to claim the ultimate prize. It would be an amazing comeback, and probably take everything the Eastern Conference champions have left.

“The first thing is you’ve got to believe. If you don’t, there’s no point in showing up. It’s a great chance we have here … we’re still alive,” said Ottawa forward Antoine Vermette.

It would be an astounding comeback to be sure, but where would it rank among the all-time greats?

1975 New York Islanders

After stunning in-state rivals the New York Rangers in a best-of-three first-round series, the inexperienced Islanders wasted no time falling in a 3-0 hole in their second round match-up against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Given the fact that the team was hardly a favourite in just its third NHL season, writing them off was automatic for most. But the Islanders stunned the hockey world, winning the next four games to advance, and they nearly did it again against Philadelphia in the next round, going down 3-0 before forcing a seventh game which they ultimately lost.

1942 Toronto Maple Leafs

The Maple Leafs were the original comeback kids, becoming the first professional sports team in any league to rally from a 3-0 deficit and doing so in the Stanley Cup final no less. They stunned the Detroit Red Wings after digging themselves an awful 3-0 hole, and remain one of just three teams to ever accomplish that feat. Toronto won two of the four games on the road and one by the score of 9-3 at Maple Leaf Gardens.

2004 Boston Red Sox

The third team to rally from down 3-0, the Red Sox did so against their bitter rivals the New York Yankees, a team that was ironically notorious for late comebacks against the historically snake bitten Sox. Clutch hitting by Boston slugger David Ortiz and the implosion of the Yankees pitching staff culminated in a Game 7 blowout at Yankee Stadium. The Red Sox went on to win the World Series in four games over the St. Louis Cardinals.

1985 Kansas City Royals

Down 3-1 against the Toronto Blue Jays with a trip to the World Series on the line, the Royals turned it on late against the expansion Toronto club, which had only logged its first winning season two years earlier. What makes this series unique was that it was the first year Major League Baseball extended its championship series to best-of-seven, something that proved crucial in the outcome. Thanks to the big hitting Geroge Brett, K.C. beat Toronto ace Dave Stieb in Game 7 to advance to the Series.

1996 New York Yankees

It was the first time since 1981 that the New York Yankees had reached the World Series and the first time since 1978 that they won it. With rookie shortstop Derek Jeter leading the way, the Bronx Bombers roared back from 2-0 against perennial National League leaders the Atlanta Braves, winning four straight games to capture their first of four titles in five years.

1972 Summit Series Team Canada

One of the defining moments in Canadian history came when Paul Henderson slipped the puck past Vladislav Tretiak in Game 8 of the Cold War-era battle against the best the Soviet Union had to offer. Still, the iconic moment would never have been possible were it not for the bold efforts of the Canadian team which was down 3-1 (with a tie) with three games to go. They won all three final games by one goal each and though Bobby Clarke’s ankle slash of Valery Kharlamov taints the legacy somewhat, the 4-3 series win remains an astounding accomplishment.

For more on amazing playoff comebacks and their probabilities, click here.

Photo Courtesy Getty Images/Jim McIsaac