re: NHL 2023-2024 Thread

Bring on Game 7

How bad would a Panthers loss be???

quote:

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Let’s start with the obvious comparison: The 1942 Stanley Cup Final, the only other time that a team came back from down 3-0 to win a championship. That’s not just in the NHL, by the way — it’s the only time it’s happened in any of MLB, NBA or NHL history. That year, the Maple Leafs came back to beat the Red Wings.

Does that work? Not really. Put aside that we’re talking more than eight decades ago, a series that virtually nobody reading this will have any recollection of watching. The early 1940s were also the middle of a World War, one that saw many of the world’s best young athletes called to serve overseas. The NHL’s MVP in 1942 was Tom Anderson. The points leader was Bryan Hextall. This wasn’t even the Original Six era, because that hadn’t started yet. I love NHL history as much as pretty much anyone out there, and even I’m not going to pretend that there’s any sort of comparison here.

Besides, those 1942 Red Wings weren’t very good. They’d finished fifth in a seven-team league, with a record well under .500, and had made the final only due to the league’s extremely strange playoff format. They were probably just happy to be there. Unlike, say, the Panthers, a team that’s spent weeks telling us about how they’ve promised themselves that they’d make it back to the final and finish the job.

So 1942 is out.

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This would be the biggest comeback/collapse in sports history

Even though 0-3 comebacks have happened more in the NHL (still only two in last 15 years), overall its so rare

I’d argue before this the biggest comeback was Red Sox Yankees - this would be worse. With that series you had the curse and rivals element.

Here you have the final, the fact the losing team if Panthers would lose two finals in a row and still had never won a cup in history, losing to the best player.

Also it seems McDavid will get Conn Smythe no matter what at this point and I can’t really argue. Bob has collapsed, Barkov hasn’t done enough since game 3 (unless he gets a game 7 hatty), and on Edmonton Leon and Hyman haven’t done enough this series.

ESPN Bet has each team at -110.

If Florida can stay even or ahead after the 1st period (they have a massive goal differential in the 1st) then we win.

The Panthers need Playoff Bob, and they need a shutdown effort from Barkov.

This has been a great series. Even if Edmonton loses I’m happy they pushed it this far. It looked over after game three.

Come on Panthers. I still believe in you.

My stomach has been in knots all day. I just need this evening to be over with.

Would a Panthers lose be one of the biggest collapses in sports history?

Gotta be huh?