Every team's Most Crushing Losses

[DudeWhereIsMakar]

For the Jets the 1996 elimination game in Winnipeg verses Detroit.

 

[Dynamite Time]

The Stars-2nd seed vs. Oilers-7th seed in ‘97 playoffs was bad. Blew game 3 losing a 3-0 lead with only 4 mins. remaining in the game. Game 7 was horrible though when we lost in overtime.

We had a really good team that year and the Oilers got us 1st round; we hadn’t won a Cup at that point either. 2000 Cup vs. Devils was bad as well, especially with Langenbrunner on the other team. The series loss to Oilers though I remember much more.

 

[ThatGuy22]

Wild's 2017 loss to the Blues was much worse then 2014 loss to the Hawks.

Wild's best team ever, having home getting stone-walled by Allen while basically controlling play is much worse than a wild card team getting swept by the eventual cup champs.

 

[SnuggaRUDE]

An awful lot of really recent events on these lists.

 

[ChuckLefley]

For the Blues, I would think the Game 7 double OT loss to the Wings in 96 was the worst. Almost finally got the monkey off their backs and then did the same thing they always do

Easily this. Though I’m not sure how they “did the same thing they always do” considering what a fantastic shot it was by Yzerman and it was against our backup goalie, thanks to Kypreos defying the laws of physics.

 

[sharks9]

Game 1 to the Rangers in 2014, I knew we didn't have a chance at that series with Price out which sucked because we had a real chance to make the Finals that year unlike 2010

 

[Rhaegar Targaryen]

Sens is probably Game 7 in 03, but last year really hurt, too. Another situation where they were essentially a goal away from the Cup and couldn’t get it done

 

[ZeroPucksGiven]

Pittsburgh’s losses to Florida, at home, in game of the the Eastern Confetence Finals hurt baaaad and the 2008 Stanley Cup against Detroit, who won in Pittsburgh, are honorable mentions. The isles loss was still probably the worst but these other 2 were rough.

I think this list (which is pretty good) is all about expectations.

The 93 Pens team was a juggernaut and was expected to breeze through for a 3 Peat

The 96 loss...yea certainly disappointing but there was s still a very tough Avs team awaiting even if the Pens did advance

The 2008 SCF was a function of "we're happy to be here". The Pens weren't in the same stratosphere of the Wings in Games 1 and 2. Then the games started to even out. Problem is the Pens already had an 0-2 hole to dig themselves out of. Do that vs Detroit back then and you're gonna have a bad time

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

Thanks for listing us anyways.
Signed,
Columbus Blue Jackets

 

[ZeroPucksGiven]

Wings losing game 7 at home to the Pens in 2009, after being up 2-0 and 3-2 in the series. I know this seems salty, but I truly think if the Wings didn’t have 3/4 of their best players playing hurt (Datsyuk 1 goal in 16 games, Hossa torn rotator cuff, and Lidstrom literally playing with a torn scrotum, in addition to Franzen gaving concussion issues), the Wings would have repeated.

They still outscored the Pena heavily in the series, and I truly think the NHL was very worried we were going to sweep them so instructed the refs to let things in Game 3 go. The Pens literally played with 6 players for 30+ seconds and the refs even noticed, but instead of calling the penalty, were told to “get off”. Seriously. I don’t see how any neutral fan can rewatch that game and say with a straight face there wasn’t favortisn.

Edit: to be fair, the pens have an argument for having Malkin hurt in 2008, though not as severe

Still some major butthurt I see. You'd think after 10 yrs there would be some healing and closure

 

[PuckSeparator]

Weren't the Bruins in 2010 up 3 games and then up 3-0 in game 7 as well? That has to be up there in terms of all time epic choke jobs.

 

[Number8]

2010 vs 1979 for the Bruins?

I go with '79 any day of the week -- particularly when one has benefit of hindsight.

'79 we had Habs beat -- our nemesis that we could never conquer -- Rags would be a cake walk in next series for either team. Break the curse, win the Cup. Perfect.

'10 was a gut punch but once Krejci went down we knew we'd have some issues. In hindsight, won Cup next year. To be truthful, as a fan 2010 is really not a big deal at all.

 

[Tomas W]

I go with '79 any day of the week -- particularly when one has benefit of hindsight.

'79 we had Habs beat -- our nemesis that we could never conquer -- Rags would be a cake walk in next series for either team. Break the curse, win the Cup. Perfect.

'10 was a gut punch but once Krejci went down we knew we'd have some issues. In hindsight, won Cup next year. To be truthful, as a fan 2010 is really not a big deal at all.

Joke aside, P Forsberg for instance I highly doubt was loved by all.

 

[DCDM]

Game 6 vs Tampa was the more crushing loss, in my opinion. From the highest of highs to the lowest of lows.

 

[Lateralous]

For NJ I would say the most crushing loss would be Game 7 vs the Hurricanes in 09. Still can't get over that one.

While that's up there, for the Devils I would still say game 6 against the Avs in 2001. IMO, the team didn't play up to their capability in any of the first 4 games of the cup finals and then everyone who had been snakebitten looked good in that game 5 blowout coming home up 3 games to 2. In game 6, the Devils come out flying, get a goal called back then then Adam Foote....You just knew they would never win game 7

I guess the 1994 Game 7 against the Rangers could be up there as well but I finally let that go after "Henrique, It's Over!"

 

[Rants Mulliniks]

There is a strong case to say that given that the Leafs were 1 win away from the Stanley Cup Final.

However some Leafs fans might say it's 2013 against Boston because of how it happened.

Personally I'm still never going to get over the Leafs losing to Carolina in the 2002 Eastern Conference Final.

Boston isn't even a blip on the radar. Leafs were never even supposed to be in that series and took it to 7.

93 was a million times worse.

 

[patnyrnyg]

For the Rangers, I would say 92 game 4 against the Pens was the worst. I know it was only the 2nd round, but about to go up 3-1 and that series was for the Cup.

 

[Number8]

Joke aside, P Forsberg for instance I highly doubt was loved by all.

I'm sorry. Not sure I follow. Forsberg was long gone from Philly by then?

 

[Rangediddy]

Game 6 vs Tampa was the more crushing loss, in my opinion. From the highest of highs to the lowest of lows.

This. Game 7 was a let down from the drop of the puck. Game 6 made people believe we were lifting the cup in the Dome that night.

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

I wasn't there, but Game 7 of 1950 SCF finals, Rangers lost in double OT. Doesn't get more heartbreaking than that.

 

[CBJx614]

Columbus' is probably the Game 3 double OT game this year against the Caps. IIRC we hit a couple posts and missed some golden opportunities during regulation and then Washington scored on a fluke goal.

 

[DrJustice]

Weren't the Bruins in 2010 up 3 games and then up 3-0 in game 7 as well? That has to be up there in terms of all time epic choke jobs.

As a fan I'd say Game 6 of the 12-13 Cup Finals hurt more.

 

[Cor]

There is a strong case to say that given that the Leafs were 1 win away from the Stanley Cup Final.

However some Leafs fans might say it's 2013 against Boston because of how it happened.

Personally I'm still never going to get over the Leafs losing to Carolina in the 2002 Eastern Conference Final.

While the dramatics of 2013 is up there, I honestly felt worse about this years Game 7 loss, than that Game 7. In 2013, it was pretty clear that Boston was the better team, and the Leafs hardly deserved to be in the playoffs, let alone going to round 2. This year, with a lead going into period 3, it was a chance for this team to continue to progress forward. While this year doesn't put the Leafs back, it was still more disappointing to me than 2013.

2002 against Carolina doesn't get enough attention. Game 6, Sundin ties it in the dying moments of the third, all the momentum on home ice, and after failing to win the game after tying the game in the dying moments in Game 2, a chance at redemption Then Martin Gelinas....

2004 vs the Philadelphia Flyers was brutal as well. Still remember JR's stupid dance after scoring the OT winner. With Belfour in net, McCabe, Kaberle, Leetch on defense, Sundin, Mogilny, Roberts, Tucker, Niewendyk up front, that team is arguably the team that had the best chance at a cup since 1993, if not since that 67 team. In terms of heartbreak, that tops the list for me personally.

I'd also rank the 1999 Eastern Conference Finals series loss to the 7th seeded Buffalo Sabres ahead of the 2013 series as well. Winning Game 2 in a dominant way heading back to Buffalo, should have had all the momentum, and then bam! 3 straight losses by at least 2 goals, and we're done. That series was a brutal way to end things after that thrilling series against the Penguins.

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

Columbus' is probably the Game 3 double OT game this year against the Caps. IIRC we hit a couple posts and missed some golden opportunities during regulation and then Washington scored on a fluke goal.

It's def this. I wish we had more choices.

 

[wingsfan17]

How about some regular season games? The Montreal vs. Detroit game where Roy asked for a trade?