Disclaimer: I'm not sure when the stats start because the earliest game on the list is from 1951, but the playoff list starts in 1919.

Bad news first, 'cause as my grandma always said, the good news is probably a lie.

  1. It's happened only 21 times since 1951. Edit: The last three times were in 2022 (devils), 2019 (bruins) and 2010 (hawks).
  2. The pens (2) and devils (2) are the only non-original six teams to have lost more than 1 game up 4+ points in the 3rd. The others: Bruins (2), Rangers (3), Leafs (3).
  3. It's the 5th latest (worst) comeback start time.
  4. The other pens game on the list? The 2nd latest comeback start. The pens were up 6-2 till 11:25 in the 3rd. The Sabres proceeded to score 5 straight and win in regulation, christ. Powerplays were 3-0 pens that game. So yesterday could have been worse?

Edit: credit to @heyhayyhay – 5. The pens are the only team this year to blown 3 3+ goal leads in the 3rd. They're also the only team to blow any.

Good news:

  1. We're not on the list of losers in the playoff version of this list
  2. I found this: https://www.nhl.com/gamecenter/nyi-vs-pit/1991/10/15/199102005. It's the 10/15/1991 pens-islanders and looks like a blast. I'm saving it for our next 3 goal choke. The pens and islanders played 6 games that year with a average of 10 goals scored per game. The pens scored 6.5 per game.
  3. The Blackhawks lost 5-6 to the Wild. They were up 5-1 till 6:44 in the 3rd. On 01/09/2010. đź‘€

Misery loves company:

  1. The Leafs are the only team to have lost a game with a 5 goal lead in the third in the regular season. They're also the only team to do it twice.
  2. 6 teams (kings, leafs, pens :(, rangers, panthers and whalers) have blown a 4 goal lead in the third and lost in regulation. The Rangers did it twice. (Regular season)
  3. The Oilers lost 3 games while leading by 3 till the last ten minutes. In the playoffs. In two, they were leading by 3 up until the last 5 minutes. They lost two of those series by one game.

Edit: wow – in those series, Gretzky's team lost to the Kings in 91-92 and Mario's pens won the cup for the second time in a row and Mcdavid's team lost to the Ducks in 16-17 and Sid's pens won the cup for second time in a row

Also, credit to u/Hotdog79 – The Oilers are the only team to blow a 5 goal lead in the third in the playoffs. They're also the only team to blow a 4+ lead (in the same).

5 comments

  2. Remember that game against the Devils where we gave up six in the third and *squeaked* by? The residual effects of a Mike Sullivan-led team have not dissipated, clearly.

  3. Does point 1 of the “Misery loves company” section only include regular season? Cos of course the Oilers blew a 5 goal 3rd period lead in the Miracle on Manchester

  4. They’ve been flashing a Stat on ESPN. The penguins have blown 3 3rd period 3 goal leads. The rest of the nhl 0.

  5. This list does not necessarily mean the team was up 4 in the 3rd so it’s a smaller list. I was stunned at the Toronto Boston game from 89 where the list makes it look like the comeback took place in the last 65 seconds, but it actually started in the 2nd period.

    If you want to see the actual number you’d have to look game by game

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