Home Teams are 12-5 In Stanley Cup Final Game 7s

Published on June 22nd, 2024
Written By: Dave Manuel


Edmonton and Florida are about to clash in a Game 7 in the Stanley Cup Finals.

This will be the 18th time that the Stanley Cup Finals have gone to a Game 7 since the league switched to the best-of-7 format in 1939.

The Florida Panthers will be the home team when they host the Edmonton Oilers in Game 7 on Monday night.

There is some good and some bad news for the Panthers.

The good news?

Home teams are 12-5 in lifetime Stanley Cup Final Game 7s.

The bad news?

The road team has won the last three Stanley Cup Final Game 7s - the St. Louis Blues beat the Boston Bruins 4-1 on the road in Game 7 of their series in 2019.

The Boston Bruins beat the Vancouver Canucks 4-0 on the road in 2011.

The Pittsburgh Penguins beat the Detroit Red Wings 2-1 on the road in 2009.

It should be noted, however, that none of these series involved comebacks from 3-0.

-

Only TWO teams have come back from 3-0 to tie the Stanley Cup Finals prior to the Edmonton Oilers pulling off the feat in 2024.

The Red Wings came all the way back from 3-0 down to tie the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 1945 Stanley Cup Final, only to lose in the seventh and deciding game.

Three years prior, in 1942, the Maple Leafs came back from 3-0 down in the Stanley Cup Finals to WIN it all.

It was April 18th, 1942. After losing the first three games of the series 3-2, 4-2 and 5-2, the Leafs had come storming back to tie the series at 3.

The Leafs, which had a team that included the likes of Syl Apps and Turk Broda, were playing at home at Maple Leafs Gardens.

Syd Howe opened the scoring in the second period for the Red Wings, and they were leading the game 1-0 heading into the third period.

The Leafs came out like a team possessed in the third period, led by Sweeney Schriner, who scored twice. The Leafs would score three goals in the period, eventually winning the game by a score of 3-1.

-

The pressure on the home team is immense in Game 7, as they obviously don't want to lose in Game 7 in front of their home fans.

To give up a 3-0 lead AND have to play in front of your fans in Game 7? That is the definition of a pressure cooker.