Predators vs Canucks: What NHL playoff history says about erasing 3-1 deficits
A devastating loss in Game 4 for the Nashville Predators changed everything in their NHL playoff series against the Vancouver Canucks.
Instead of heading back to Vancouver for Game 5 with the series tied 2-2, Nashville now faces elimination.
Not only must the Predators win in enemy territory to avoid elimination, their path to winning the series requires beating the Canucks in three straight games − including two on the road.
Especially given the dramatic nature of their 4-3 loss on Sunday − where they allowed two goals in the final three minutes of regulation, then lost on Elias Lindholm's overtime winner − winning three in a row seems a gargantuan task.
But a look at recent NHL playoff history shows a glimmer of hope.
History of NHL teams recovering from 3-1 series deficit
According to Hockey Reference, 32 teams have come back to win after being down 3-1 or 3-0 in a series. Of those, most were down 3-1 in a series: only four teams have come back from down 3-0, the most recent being the 2014 Los Angeles Kings over the San Jose Sharks.
Given the number of playoff series to have been played in the league's long history, that's not very often. It's extraordinarily difficult to pull off.
But also, it's happened at least once in the playoffs in four of the last five years − and every time it's happened in the first round.
In 2019, the Sharks were down 3-0 in the third period of Game 5 against the Vegas Golden Knights. They pulled off a come back win in that game, winning on a Barclay Goodrow overtime goal, then went on to win their series.
Two years later, the Montreal Canadiens were down 3-1 in their series with the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Canadiens won two straight games in overtime to force Game 7 in Toronto, where Carey Price made 30 saves in a 3-1 win for Montreal.
In 2022, the New York Rangers overcame a 3-1 deficit to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Then last year, the Florida Panthers did the same to the Presidents' Trophy winning Boston Bruins.
Nashville Predators' history in playoff series comebacks
The Predators have played 22 playoff series in their history, but only once have they come from behind to close it out.
In 2016, the Predators were down 3-2 in their first round series with the Anaheim Ducks before forcing Game 7 with a win at home in Game 6. They went on to win Game 7 in Anaheim behind a 36-save performance from Pekka Rinne.
However, recent history for Nashville does not bode well.
In 2022, they were down 3-0 to the Colorado Avalanche, then lost 5-3 on home ice, getting swept in the playoffs for the first time.
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In 2021, the Predators hosted the Hurricanes in an elimination game. They had a lead in the third period, but a late game tying goal by Dougie Hamilton forced overtime, leading to a series winning goal by Sebastian Aho.
Nashville has a 6-15 record in elimination games.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Predators vs Canucks: What NHL playoff history says about 3-1 deficits
