Times the Oilers have come back from 3-2 down to win a playoff series

The Edmonton Oilers have been here before: Facing elimination, down 3-2 in a playoff series with everything on the line.

Now, against the Florida Panthers in the Stanley Cup Final, the Oilers find themselves once again needing a comeback to keep their championship dreams alive.

Since Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl broke into the NHL, Edmonton has faced a 3-2 series deficit five times. Impressively, they’ve rallied to force a decisive Game 7 on four of those occasions. The only exception came in the second round of the 2023 playoffs against the Vegas Golden Knights, when the Oilers, despite an early 2-1 lead, fell 5-2 on home ice in Game 6.

Twice during the McDavid and Draisaitl era, the Oilers have successfully overcome a 3-2 hole and advanced after winning Game 7:

First Round vs. Los Angeles in 2022

In a rollercoaster series, the Oilers found themselves trailing after a tough Game 5 loss in overtime. Facing elimination in Los Angeles, Edmonton responded decisively in Game 6, with clutch goals from Connor McDavid, Evander Kane, and Tyson Barrie sealing a 4-2 victory.

In a tense Game 7 back home, Cody Ceci, known now as “Mr. Game 7”, scored the crucial opening goal. McDavid added an electrifying insurance goal late in the third, clinching a memorable 2-0 win and sending Edmonton onward for the first time in five years.

Second Round vs. Vancouver in 2024

Another tense Canadian rivalry saw the Oilers trailing once again after heartbreakingly losing a pivotal Game 5, thanks to a last-minute goal by Vancouver’s J.T. Miller. However, Edmonton refused to crumble under pressure in Game 6, powered by timely goals from Zach Hyman, Evan Bouchard, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, and Evander Kane in a convincing 5-1 win.

In Game 7, Edmonton built a commanding 3-0 lead through Ceci, Hyman, and Nugent-Hopkins. Though Vancouver mounted a late surge, cutting the lead to 3-2, Edmonton held firm, securing another memorable series comeback victory.

Close Calls and Heartbreak

However, the Oilers have also felt the sting of coming up short in Game 7 twice in recent memory:

Second Round vs. Anaheim in 2017: After a controversial Game 5 overtime loss, highlighted by Ryan Kesler’s infamous pad interference, the Oilers bounced back to crush the Ducks 7-1 in Game 6. Sadly, Game 7 ended in a heartbreaking 2-1 defeat.

The Stanley Cup Final in 2024: Down 3-0 in the series, the Oilers rallied remarkably to force Game 7, only to suffer another narrow 2-1 loss in Florida. Edmonton was one win shy of becoming just the second team in NHL history to win the Cup after falling behind 3-0 in a series.

Ready for Another Comeback?

Once again, the Oilers stand on familiar ground, determined to write a different ending. With the leadership of McDavid and Draisaitl, the clutch performances from Ceci, Kane, Bouchard, and Nugent-Hopkins, and backed by their history of resilience, Edmonton aims to add another memorable comeback to their storied playoff legacy.

The Oilers have proven they thrive under pressure. Now, against the Panthers, they have another chance to show that their greatest performances come when their backs are against the wall.