The following is the list of teams that have overcome 3–0 series deficits in a best-of-seven playoff series, otherwise known as a reverse sweep.[1][2] The listed teams won four consecutive games after losing the first three. Unsuccessful comebacks are also listed, in which teams evened a series after being behind 3–0, then lost game seven of the series.
Background
The 2004 Boston Red Sox, seen here at the White House, were the first MLB team to win a game seven after being down 3–0 in a series.
Conversely, eleven teams have evened a series after being behind 3–0 and then lost in the final game: six in the NHL, four in the NBA, and one in MLB. The most recent example is the Edmonton Oilers of the NHL in the 2024 Stanley Cup Finals.
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 Stanley Cup quarterfinals, then rallied from a 3–0 series deficit in the Stanley Cup semifinals before losing the seventh game.
While, traditionally, a best-of-seven series was only played in the final (championship) round of a postseason, MLB adopted a best-of-seven format in 1985 for the League Championship Series,[10] the NHL followed suit for its first round in 1987,[11] and the NBA did the same for its first round in 2003.[12]
Outside of the noted major North American leagues, various other leagues across multiple sports also use seven-game postseason series. There are several known instances of teams in such leagues overcoming 3–0 series deficits. In other cases, like the Swedish Hockey League, seven-game series are common but no team has yet overcome such a deficit.
Key
Indicates the team down 3–0 was the home team in game seven
Indicates series in the championship round
Eventual champion
Indicates the series winner went on to win the championship
National Hockey League
Successful comebacks
In Stanley Cup Playoffs history, 211 teams faced a 3–0 deficit in a best-of-seven series. Of these teams, only four overcame the deficit (~2%). Only one overcame the deficit in the Stanley Cup Finals.[13] Three comebacks were completed with game seven away, while the 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs completed the comeback on home ice.
Los Angeles won three game sevens in this playoff year and holds the record for most elimination games won in a single playoff year for a Stanley Cup champion, with seven.
Unsuccessful comebacks
Six other NHL teams have evened a series after being down 3–0, only to lose game seven (~3%).[14] Five of these teams were the visiting team in game seven, while the 1945 Detroit Red Wings were the only home team in game seven.
The Presidents' Trophy-winning Canucks won game seven in overtime after Chicago tied it 1–1 with a shorthanded goal by forward and captain Jonathan Toews with 1:56 left in the third period. Should Chicago have won, it would have been the third straight playoff year that they beat Vancouver, as they eliminated them in six games in the conference semifinals in both 2009 and 2010. It also would've been the fourth time in NHL history and first time a Presidents' Trophy winner would lose a series after initially taking a 3–0 series lead.
For the second time in the same year, a team forced a game seven after being down 3–0. Except for an empty net goal in game six, every game in this series was decided by one goal.
Florida won their first Stanley Cup in franchise history. Edmonton forward and captain Connor McDavid became only the sixth player to win the Conn Smythe Trophy despite losing the Finals.
Major League Baseball
Successful comebacks
One MLB team has overcome a 3–0 deficit to win the series.[8]
Boston trailed in the ninth inning in game four before tying the game and eventually winning in the 12th inning. Boston also trailed by two runs in the eighth inning of game five before tying the game in that inning and eventually winning in the 14th inning. Boston would then go on to sweep the St. Louis Cardinals to win the World Series for the first time since 1918.
Unsuccessful comebacks
One MLB team has evened a series after being down 3–0, but lost game seven.[15]
There has never been a successful comeback from a 3–0 series deficit in the NBA to date. Of the 157 NBA teams (as of June 17, 2024[update]) that faced a 3–0 deficit, only 4 of them (~3%) forced a game seven which they ultimately lost.[16]
Portland went on a 21–0 run in the third quarter of game four to avoid a 4–0 sweep by Dallas. Portland led game seven 90–88 with 4:43 left and tied the score 93–93 with 4:28 left, but Dallas dominated in the final minutes to win by 12 points.[17] This was the first year the first round expanded to a best-of-seven series; the series would have been a 3–0 sweep if played one year earlier.[18]
Boston became the first team to host a game seven after trailing 3–0 in a series.
Other leagues
Outside of MLB, the NBA, and the NHL, there are some other known instances of successful comebacks from 3–0 series deficits. The Slovak ice hockey club HK Dukla Trenčín and the Swiss ice hockey club EV Zug are the only teams that managed to overcome a 3–0 deficit twice.
Tijuana was 1 base away from elimination in Game 5, when Yucatán had the winning run at third base in the bottom of the ninth inning. However, Fernando Rodney struck out the next batter to send the game to extra innings, where Tijuana eventually won to extend the series.
Game 7 won by Hershey in overtime on a goal by Garrett Roe.
3–0 Comebacks in a best-of-seven with ties
While ties can prolong the series to eight games or more, these are still best-of-seven series in that only seven of the games can have a decisive winner. Four victories still takes the series, thus overcoming a 3–0 deficit is still equally difficult.
Game one ended in a tie; games two, three, and four were lost; but games five, six, seven, and eight were won. Nippon Professional Baseball does allow for games to be ended in ties, and this is also, to date, the only time a Japan Series went to a game eight.
^Due to the Mexican League playoff rules, Puebla also advanced to the following round as the losing team with the most wins in the first round despite losing the series.
