NHL Playoffs 2011: Ranking the Top 10 Postseason Upsets of the Last Decade
When you are watching the Stanley Cup playoffs, you have to learn pretty quickly to expect the unexpected.
Unlike other sports where the same teams seem to be near the top every year, anything can happen once the NHL playoffs start. Superstars thought to win it all are golfing at the end of the first round, and teams everyone scoffed at can end up winning the Stanley Cup.
Most hockey fans feel that playoff seedings are nothing but numbers, and it is hard to argue that notion with all the shocking series finishes we have seen since the beginning of hockey history.
Let's go back into a little piece of history, the last 10 years to be exact, and recap the best playoff upsets of that time period.
10. Los Angeles Kings Eliminate the Detroit Red Wings: 2001
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Round: Western Conference Quarterfinals
Seeding: The Red Wings were the second seed in the conference, and the Kings were seventh.
Detroit shut out the Kings by a score of 4-0 in Game 2, but Los Angeles bounced back with wins in Games 3 and 4 to tie the series. Game 4 was won by a score of 4-3 in overtime and saw Mathieu Schneider post three assists, while Eric Belanger had the game-winning goal and an assist.
In Game 5, Los Angeles took a 3-2 series lead by winning 3-2. Three different players scored, and Ziggy Palffy had a multi-point game with a goal and an assist.
The Kings finished off the heavily favored Wings in Game 6 with another overtime win and a repeat 3-2 score. Adam Deadmarsh and Jozef Stumpel each had three points, and Palffy had his second straight multi-point performance with two assists.
It marked the first time since 1993 that Los Angeles was victorious in the first round, and although they lost to the Colorado Avalanche, the milestone was still one to be proud of.
9. Edmonton Oilers Continue Magical Run with Upset of Sharks: 2006
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Round: Western Conference Semifinals
Seeding: The Sharks came in as the fifth seed, while the Oilers were eighth.
San Jose won the first two games by scores of 2-1, but the Oilers tied the series with two statement wins in Games 3 and 4. They started by winning Game 3 by a score of 3-2 in triple overtime. Although Vesa Toskala made 55 saves for the Sharks in defeat, Shawn Horcoff was the hero with the game-winning goal.
After a big game, the Oilers won 6-3 in Game 4 by getting six different players to put the puck in the net and getting multi-point performances from Chris Pronger and Sergei Samsonov.
They won by the same score in Game 5 to mark the first time a road team had won a game in the series. Horcoff was a key player once again by scoring a shorthanded goal. However, it was Fernando Pisani who played hero by scoring his second goal of the game to spark Edmonton to three straight goals for a win.
The Oilers put the Sharks away with a 2-0 shutout win in Game 6 and goals from Horcoff and Michael Peca. Dwayne Roloson made 24 saves to put Edmonton in the second round for the first time in 1998.
Edmonton's incredible playoff run ended at the hands of the Carolina Hurricanes in the Stanley Cup Finals, where they lost in seven games.
8. Nashville Predators Get a Taste of (Second Round) Glory: 2011
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Round: Western Conference Quarterfinals
Seeding: Nashville was the fifth seed, and Anaheim was ranked fourth. Both teams had 99 points in the regular season, but Anaheim had more wins to secure the tiebreaker.
The Predators and the Ducks exchanged wins the first five games, with Anaheim having an answer every time Nashville attempted to take control of the series.
That said, there were some great performances in this back-and-forth series. Several players, including Mike Fisher (Nashville), Bobby Ryan (Anaheim) and Nick Spaling (Nashville) had two-goal games. In Game 3, the Predators held the Ducks to just 16 shots, which required Pekka Rinne to make 13 saves in the victory.
When it was all said and done, the Predators won the series in six games.
It was a remarkable feat because the Ducks boasted offensive stars such as 50-goal scorer Corey Perry and veteran Teemu Selanne could still produce. Nashville only had two 50-point players in the regular season (Martin Erat and Sergei Kostistyn), and Kostistyn led the team with 23 goals.
However, the Preds were sparked by solid goaltending from Rinne and deadline acquisition Mike Fisher, who had seven points in the playoffs. Joel Ward also surprised with 13 points in 12 playoff games.
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7. Pittsburgh Penguins Defeat Wings in Cup Re-Match: 2009
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Round: Stanley Cup Finals
Seeding: The Penguins were the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference, while Detroit was the second seed in the Western Conference.
The Penguins were in a re-match for the Stanley Cup with the Red Wings, who lifted the Cup in Pittsburgh in 2008.
It seemed like the series would repeat itself from last year. Detroit took a 2-0 series lead after the opening meetings at Joe Louis Arena, but this time, Pittsburgh tied things up with two wins back at Mellon Arena.
But the Wings weren't going to give up so easily. They took a commanding 5-0 win in Game 5, and the Cup was headed to Pittsburgh for the second year in a row.
Pittsburgh didn't want a repeat of last year's Cup presentation and demonstrated it by winning Game 6 by a score of 2-1. Defenseman Rob Scuderi earned the nickname "The Piece" by stepping up and stopping three shots from Johan Franzen as time ticked down in the third period. Scuderi virtually took over goaltending for Marc-Andre Fleury, who was out of position in the net.
Game 7 was back in Detroit, and Pittsburgh got two goals from Max Talbot to allow the Penguins to celebrate on the ice at the Joe. It was the Penguins' third Cup in franchise history, and Crosby became the youngest captain in NHL history to lead his team to a championship.
It may not have seemed like an upset, but Pittsburgh had gone on a remarkable run to end up in the playoffs to begin with, and they were discounted out until the final seconds of the deciding game.
6. Anaheim Ducks Send the Sharks Home Early...Again: 2009
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Round: Western Conference Quarterfinals
Seeding: The Sharks were the top seed in the conference, and Anaheim was the eighth seed. The Sharks were the Presidents' Trophy winners and Pacific Division champions.
Anaheim jumped out to a 2-0 series lead thanks in part to two strong performances from goaltender Jonas Hiller. He made 35 saves in Game 1 for a 2-0 shutout win, which saw Scott Niedermayer and Ryan Getzlaf score in the third period after two scoreless frames.
In Game 2, Hiller made 42 saves as Anaheim pulled out a 3-2 win. The game was tied 1-1 after the second, but Andrew Ebbett and Drew Miller scored 3:33 apart in the third to put the Ducks ahead for good. Jonathan Cheechoo scored for the Sharks at 15:54 of the third, but it wasn't enough.
After the Sharks used a two-goal performance from Dan Boyle to cut the series lead in half in Game 3, the Ducks got right back on top in Game 4. Hiller got his second shutout with 31 saves and Bobby Ryan scored two second-period goals to help Anaheim to a 4-0 win.
The Sharks again pulled within one game with a 3-2 overtime victory in Game 5, but Hiller was still impressive, posting 45 saves in defeat. He had a 36-save performance in Game 6 to help the Ducks win 4-1 and clinch the series. Four different players had goals.
Anaheim lost to Detroit in the semifinals, but it is always impressive when a team who looks to have just squeaked into the playoffs takes down an almighty first place team.
5. Carolina Hurricanes Stun the New Jersey Devils in Game 7: 2009
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Round: Eastern Conference Quarterfinals
Seeding: The Devils were the third seed by virtue of winning the Atlantic Division, and the Hurricanes were the sixth seed.
The Devils and the Hurricanes exchanged wins in the first six games, which were filled with ups and downs for both teams. They played back-to-back overtime games in Games 2 and 3, with Carolina winning Game 2 by a score of 2-1 and New Jersey winning Game 3 3-2.
In Game 4, the Devils rallied to tie the game after being down 3-0. Martin Brodeur made 42 saves, but Jussi Jokinen ruined the Devils' hopes of overtime by scoring the game-winning goal with 0.2 seconds left in regulation. It was the latest game-winning regulation goal in Stanley Cup playoff history.
Games 5 and 6 brought shutouts for both side. The Devils took Game 5 by a 1-0 score, and Brodeur made 44 saves. The lone goal of the game was scored by David Clarkson on a second period power-play goal. Cam Ward was also solid, stopping 41 Devils shots.
Carolina then took Game 6 by a 4-0 score and got help from Eric Staal, who had two goals in the second period. Ward made 28 saves for the shutout.
In Game 7, the Devils were up 3-2 with under two minutes to go in the game, and Devils fans were beginning to give their team a standing ovation. But at 18:40, Jokinen tied things up. Many believed overtime was coming, but Staal delivered a huge shocker by scoring at 19:28, which gave the Canes a 4-3 win and ended the Devils' season in less than two minutes.
You don't get much more of an upset than that.
Oh you do, you say?
OK..well...if you insist...we'll keep counting down.
4. Tampa Bay Lightning Strike the Captials with a Sweep: 2011
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Round: Eastern Conference Semifinals
Seeding: The Capitals were the top team in the conference, and Tampa Bay was the fifth seed.
The Lightning had kicked off their first playoff run since 2007 by coming back from a 3-1 series deficit to defeat the Pittsburgh Penguins in seven games.
Still, no one believed the Bolts could knock off the Capitals. Sure, Tampa had Martin St. Louis and Vincent Lecavalier, but the Capitals had Alex Ovechkin, and many believed he had a good chance of finally winning a Stanley Cup.
In Game 1, the Caps took a 2-1 lead at 1:51 of the second when Eric Fehr scored his second goal of the playoffs. However, Steve Downie tied the game at 16:17, and the Bolts added two goals eight seconds apart in the third period to take a 4-2 win.
Tampa then got a two-goal night from team captain Lecavalier, which included the game-winning goal in overtime. Dwayne Roloson continued his red-hot play with 35 saves as the Lightning won 3-2 and took a 2-0 series lead.
The series shifted to Florida for Game 3. Washington again took a lead, this time a 3-2 lead on an Ovechkin power-play goal at 17:27 of the second, but like last time, Tampa erased it without hesitation. They got goals from Steven Stamkos and Ryan Malone 24 seconds apart in the third for a 4-3 win to push the Caps to the brink.
The Bolts wasted no time finishing the job in Game 4 and got a 5-3 victory. This time, the Lightning were the ones that took the second-period lead, and they never looked back. Carlson had a goal at 17:54 of the third to cut the lead to two goals, but the Caps could not find anymore offense. They were swept out of the playoffs, a loss that did not sit well with the organization and appeared to be an embarrassment.
Tampa is currently in the Eastern Conference Finals with the Boston Bruins, where they are tied at one game apiece.
3. Minnesota Goes Wild with a Second 3-1 Series Comeback: 2003
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Round: Western Conference Semifinals
Seeding: The Canucks were the No. 3 seed, while the Wild came in with the sixth position.
This series featured two teams who had accomplished 3-1 series comebacks in the conference quarterfinals. Minnesota had come back against the Avalanche, and the Canucks had done the same over the St. Louis Blues.
After the teams split the first two games, Vancouver took charge with 3-2 wins in Games 3 and 4, with Game 4 being won in overtime. But the Wild began their comeback in Game 5 by blowing out the Canucks 7-2. Although Cliff Ronning had two goals and Wes Walz had three points to lead the way, 10 different players were on the score sheet for Minnesota.
Minnesota posted a 3-1 win in Game 6 on the heels of two goals by Andrew Brunette, and Ronning had another good night with three assists. Dwayne Roloson made 30 saves.
The Wild completed another impossible upset in Game 7 by winning 4-2. Pascal Dupuis had two goals, and Minnesota got the win despite having just 16 shots on goal. They ended up losing to Anaheim in the Western Conference Finals.
It's difficult enough to complete a 3-1 series comeback once.
But to do it twice?
Unheard of, which makes it all the more remarkable.
2. Eighth-Seeded Canadiens Top the Capitals: 2010
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Round: Eastern Conference Quarterfinals
Seeding: The Capitals were the top seed after winning the Southeast Division and the President's Trophy, while the Canadiens were the eighth seed in the East.
The series opened with the Caps and Habs splitting two overtime victories. Montreal won Game 1 3-2, with Jaroslav Halak making 45 saves, and Varlamov made 35 saves to be just as impressive for Washington. The Capitals won Game 2 6-5 despite a hat trick from Andrei Kostitsyn, who scored twice 6:38 apart in the second period.
When the series went to Montreal, the Caps thrived on being the road team and came back to Verizon Center with a 3-1 series lead. However, in Game 5, Montreal won 2-1 with Michael Cammalleri's third goal in five games and a first-period tally by Travis Moen.
Game 6 was back at the Bell Centre, and Halak thrilled the home crowd with a 53 save outing as the Habs won 4-1. Cammalleri had two goals and an assist in the win.
In Game 7, Marc-Andre Bergeron scored his first goal of the postseason on a first period power play. The Canadiens held the 1-0 lead until 16:24 of the third, when Dominic Moore added a goal to make the game 2-0. Brooks Laich scored at 17:44, but Moore's goal was good enough for a series comeback.
Montreal became the first eighth-seeded team to defeat a first seed after falling behind three games to one in any playoff series. They moved on to upset the defending champion Penguins in the semifinals, but they were eliminated by the Philadelphia Flyers in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Which reminds me. I think the Flyers were doing something awesome themselves last year...
1. Philadelphia Flyers Pull off the Truly Unthinkable: 2010
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Round: Eastern Conference Semifinals
Seeding: The Bruins were the sixth seed, and the Flyers were the seventh seed.
Philadelphia was in the second round after upsetting the second-seeded Devils in five games, and the Bruins had eliminated the third-seeded Buffalo Sabres.
The Bruins raced out to a 3-0 series lead, which included a 5-4 overtime win in Game 1. However, in Game 4, the Flyers held off elimination in front of their fans at Wachovia Center with a 5-4 overtime win of their own. The game-winning goal was scored by Simon Gagne, who was returning to the lineup after an injury. Defenseman Matt Carle also put on a strong performance by posting four assists.
Gagne lit the lamp twice in Game 5 as the Flyers kept going with a 4-0 shutout of the Bruins. Eight different Flyers had at least a point, and Michael Leighton and Brian Boucher combined for 23 saves.
The Flyers tied the series in Game 6 with a 2-1 win. Mike Richards had a goal and an assist, and Leighton made 30 saves.
Boston looked like they were going to get things back together in Game 7, as they had a 3-0 lead in the first period. However, James van Riemsdyk scored at 17:12 to pull Philadelphia within two goals. The Flyers controlled the game from then on out, getting second-period goals from Scott Hartnell and Daniel Briere to tie the game. Gagne scored at 12:52 of the third to give the Flyers a 4-3 lead, which held up for the win.
Philadelphia became the third team in NHL history to win a series after being down three games to none, and they were the first to do so after being down three goals in the deciding game. They lost to the Chicago Blackhawks in the Stanley Cup Finals.
This comeback will not be topped for a very long time, and it is by far the best of the last 10 years.
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