During the 1941-42 NHL regular season, the Toronto Maple Leafs went 27-18-3, finishing second to the New York Rangers. Because things were done quite a bit differently back then, we actually faced the Rangers in the semi-finals, beating them 4 games to 2. That put is in the finals against the Detroit Red Wings.
The Red Wings won the first three games of that series, putting us down 3-0. Game four was in Detroit and we squeaked out a 4-3 win to force a fifth game in Toronto. This time, we tripled the Red Wings 9-3 and went back to Detroit for game six where a 3-0 shut out forced a game seven at Maple Leaf Gardens. Game seven was a thrilling 3-1 victory for the home team making the Maple Leafs the only team to overcome a 3 games to nothing deficit in the Stanley Cup finals. That feat hasn't been accomplished in the NBA Championship or World Series either. In fact, no NHL team has overcome a 3-1 deficit in the finals either, but tonight the Edmonton Oilers are attempting to become the second.
History sides with Carolina. 11 of 13 NHL finals to go seven games have been won by the home team. The last team to win a game seven on the road was the 1971 Canadiens. In the past 14 Game 7's in championship series in the NHL, NBA and MLB, the home team has won every one.
Will the 2006 Edmonton Oilers join the 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs as comeback kings? I, like you, will be watching tonight.
