Was the 2010 ECSF by the Bruins the biggest choke job in NHL history?

[bobholly39]

I don't think it's fair to cut a series in half and point it as a choke. Yes they failed to close the series, but noone would talk about a choke if they had won games in other order.
Biggest choke is Toronto without cup for over 50 years. Money well spent...

Considering Leaf Ownership's likely profit margin...i'd have to agree

 

[YEM]

the 3-Nil aspect in game 7 makes this the biggest choke ever for me

As has been pointed out already, the Bruins were devastated by injury over the course of the series, while the Flyers got key players back in their lineup at the same time.

Boucher got hurt for the Flyers in Game 5 and Michael Leighton played the rest of the series.

 

[blood gin]

1988 Flyers-Caps. Flyers blew a 3-1 series lead and 3-0 game 7 lead as well. Hunter won it in OT on a breakaway. Bigtime choke job

 

[BigBadBruins7708]

the 3-Nil aspect in game 7 makes this the biggest choke ever for me

Boucher got hurt for the Flyers in Game 5 and Michael Leighton played the rest of the series.

Boucher getting hurt was a blessing for them, he was awful. Leighton outplayed him that year

 

[YEM]

Boucher getting hurt was a blessing for them, he was awful. Leighton outplayed him that year

well...one had a 2.47 goals against and the other had a 2.46 goals against in that playoff and Leighton did get pulled for Boucher once he got healthy again
but yr point stands, Leighton did have 3 shutouts
that year's SCFinal featured some of the worst goaltending I've ever seen in a Finals: Leighton/Boucher v. Neimi

 

[Merya]

Considering Leaf Ownership's likely profit margin...i'd have to agree

That's a seriously heartbreaking thing.

 

[Big Phil]

It is among the biggest chokes of all-time, yes. The fact that it was a squandered 3-0 series lead with a 3-0 lead in Game 7 blown as well makes this a real doozy. First off, let's note the 3 other teams that blew a 3-0 lead in a Game 7. The 1988 Flyers, 1991 Flames and 2013 Maple Leafs. Only the Leafs did it in the 3rd period though. However, only the 1991 Flames and 2010 Bruins did it at home.

Some things to consider:
The Bruins had a power play in overtime in Game 4 with a great scoring chance (I can't remember which player nearly jammed it in on the short side during that power play). Yet they blew it, were never really in the game for Game 5 and 6 and coughed up a 3-0 lead in Game 7.

I don't think this one was as bad as the Kings/Sharks in 2014. Yeah, I have no idea why that one still gets off the hook all of the time. The Bruins at least won the Cup the next year, the Sharks are still exorcising their demons to this day. Plus the Sharks had an 11 point lead over L.A. compared to three for the Bruins over the Flyers and the Sharks were never in the series after Game 3. At least the Bruins nearly won it in two different games and were right there in the thick of things. The Kings blew the Sharks out the final 4 games.

Out of the 4 times that an NHL team has coughed up a 3-0 series lead the 2014 Sharks are easily the best team to do this and should have known better. The 1942 Red Wings, while in the Cup final, were not a great team all year. Neither were the 1975 Penguins. So I'll let the Bruins off the hook a bit with that one, they weren't heavy favourites if barely at all.

I consider this series more of a comeback than a choke. Yes, the Bruins blew chances to put it away, but when I think of "choke" I think of the 1993 Penguins or 1982 Oilers or even the 1945 Canadiens. Teams that had no business losing to the other team. The 1982 Oilers have a 5-0 third period lead in Game 3 and let the 63-point Kings tie it with 5 seconds left and then lose in overtime. Not only that, but the Oilers win in Game 4 to even the series and have a chance to win at home in the best of 5 for Game 5 and lose that 7-4. That was just criminal.

The 1993 Penguins don't have that "choke" moment in the series, but it is more of a failure to close the deal and bury the Islanders. They lost close games in Game 4 and 6 that would have sealed the deal and then Barrasso lets in some softies in Game 7. That was bad, and I'd call that a choke over a 91 point team failing to finish off an 88 point team.

 

[rfournier103]

Yup, easily. The only reason it isn't talked about more is because the Bruins won the next year in 2011. If they were cupless it would be the worst in sports history.

Since losing a 3-0 series lead has happened 4 times in NHL history, how might 2010 be the worst? As someone else said, Toronto’s 1942 Finals win over the Red Wings would be worse (well done, Maple Leafs!).

Worst in SPORTS history? The 2004 New York Yankees (up 3 games to 0 and 3 outs away from the World Series) and 2016 Atlanta Falcons say ‘hello.’

 

[MeHateHe]

Gotta think the 2010 Capitals ranks up there. First overall and led a mediocre Habs team 3-1 in their first-round matchup, only to lose the series in 7.

 

[WingsFan95]

To me yes. Whatever injuries you have hockey is a game where a great goaltender should get you a game by themselves at least 1 in 4. People talk a lot about Game 7 and it really is one of the weirdest coincidences in sport to be up 3-0 in that game and lose 3-4 like in the series but there was also Game 4.

In Game 4, up 3-0 looking for the death nail, the Bruins had it tied for 11 min in the 3rd before needing a last minute goal to go into OT. Still that's a Game 4 up 3-0 and you lose in OT.

i would say wings in 1942 against leafs was even bigger because that was in the SCF

Game 1: Tied 2-2 after 1, Wins held game winner last 26 minutes.
Game 2: 3-2 game after 2 periods.
Game 3: Leafs actually lead 2-0.
Game 4: Good back and forth in 2nd and 3rd, Leafs win 4-3.
Game 5: Leafs return home and go up 7-0, obvious momentum swing.
Game 6: 1-0 after 2 periods but Leafs get insurance late win 3-0.
Game 7: Wins went up 1-0 early in the 2nd but Leafs 2 goals in 2 minutes and win 3-1 in the 3rd.

Other than Game 3 where the Wings came home, I think it was just law of averages. Boston should have won in Games 4 & 7.

I'll also post up a 1-3 series comeback I think needs mentioning:

1989 Kings over Oilers
I think a lot forget this was a 1-3 hole for the Great One. The first game was close but Oilers ultimately came away 4-3. Kings rock them back in Game 2 but then Oil win Game 3 going away 4-0. Game 3 was a close win for Edmonton but you got to think these are the 2 time defending champs. Game 5 Kings lead 3-1 for a while and win last two 4-1 and 6-3. It was a glorious comeback, only the 6th time back then and in convincing fashion. This same team then goes and loses 0-4 to the Flames (mind you champs) and the following year 0-4 in the 2nd Round again, this time to the Oilers, who win Games 3 & 4 by a goal each and in OT in Game 4. Now you might not think this a choke, but seriously the Oilers played way down considering what happened the following season and how badly the Kings lost to the Flames. Talent top to bottom was no contest. Then again they finished the regular season winning 2 of their last 12.....

 

[The Panther]

I dunno about '89 Edmonton -- L.A. That was probably the weirdest series ever.

I mean, imagine if Crosby in 2014 had been traded to The Flyers, and then the following spring The Flyers faced The Pens in the first round. If it didn't actually happen, no one would believe it. But that's what happened with Gretzky - Edmonton.

I think the Oilers get a pass for that one, although they did blow a 3 - 1 series lead.

 

[GMR]

i would say wings in 1942 against leafs was even bigger because that was in the SCF

There was also like the biggest war in history going on at the time. I doubt the Wings were being crucified by the sports media.

 

[C77]

If this series was the 2010 Stanley Cup Final, it would have been the greatest choke job. Blowing a 3-0 lead in your own building would have made it worse than the 1942 Final. As it was, it was just the 2nd round and not the biggest choke job.

From what I remember, in two of the Flyers losses, they came back from 2 goal deficits only to see Boston pull it out at the end. It wasn't as though Boston was dominating the Flyers in the first 3 games. In hindsight, the momentum shifted when Krejci was injured, while Gagne simultaneously returned for the Flyers. Boston more than redeemed themselves the next season.

See this is why I don't consider it really too much of a choke job.

With Krejci and Savard out and Gagne coming back, Philadelphia was the better team. And when healthy that Philly team was outstanding and Cup-worthy if not up against that unworldly Chicago team. Anyone who saw what transpired in Game 5 knew Philly had a good shot to complete the comeback.

 

[Kyle McMahon]

See this is why I don't consider it really too much of a choke job.

With Krejci and Savard out and Gagne coming back, Philadelphia was the better team. And when healthy that Philly team was outstanding and Cup-worthy if not up against that unworldly Chicago team. Anyone who saw what transpired in Game 5 knew Philly had a good shot to complete the comeback.

This is how I remember it as well. Boston was such a weird team that year. A great, deep team the year before and after. But somehow in 2010 you had Miro Satan's corpse and soon-to-be-shown-the-door Dennis Wideman leading the charge by the time Game 7 rolled around. The bigger surprise was that they managed to build a 3-0 lead in the first place. Once Krejci went down and they failed to win Game 4, I remember thinking..."geez, they could actually be in some trouble here..." I didn't think they'd outright lose the series up 3-0, but I'd say Washington honking a 3-1 lead to Montreal the previous round was a bigger shock.

 

[blood gin]

I dunno about '89 Edmonton -- L.A. That was probably the weirdest series ever.

I mean, imagine if Crosby in 2014 had been traded to The Flyers, and then the following spring The Flyers faced The Pens in the first round. If it didn't actually happen, no one would believe it. But that's what happened with Gretzky - Edmonton.

I think the Oilers get a pass for that one, although they did blow a 3 - 1 series lead.

I remember a total no name (Dale Degray) scored a huge goal to make it 5-3 Kings in Game 7. One of the more forgotten huge playoff goals by a guy who did nothing at the NHL level

iirc Edmonton had a ton of playoff hockey behind them by 1989. They actually seemed kind of gassed after going up 3-1

 

[blood gin]

Gotta think the 2010 Capitals ranks up there. First overall and led a mediocre Habs team 3-1 in their first-round matchup, only to lose the series in 7.

I'd take issue calling that a choke. They never stopped playing. Were never tentative or afraid. They absolutely peppered Halak and couldn't get one passed him

 

[BigBadBruins7708]

This is how I remember it as well. Boston was such a weird team that year. A great, deep team the year before and after. But somehow in 2010 you had Miro Satan's corpse and soon-to-be-shown-the-door Dennis Wideman leading the charge by the time Game 7 rolled around. The bigger surprise was that they managed to build a 3-0 lead in the first place. Once Krejci went down and they failed to win Game 4, I remember thinking..."geez, they could actually be in some trouble here..." I didn't think they'd outright lose the series up 3-0, but I'd say Washington honking a 3-1 lead to Montreal the previous round was a bigger shock.

with the injuries, a lot of the 2010 Bruins team was smoke and mirrors.

14th in the league in points with 91
29th in goals with only 206 (league leader had 318)
2nd in GA at 200, but only +6 on the season as a team
high scorer on the team only had 52 points

they made the playoffs really on the back of Rask. 22-12-5, 1.97 GAA, .931 sv%, 5 SO. He led the league in GAA, SV% and GA%.

Even in the playoffs, they really had no business beating that Buffalo team in the 1st round.

 

[MeHateHe]

I'd take issue calling that a choke. They never stopped playing. Were never tentative or afraid. They absolutely peppered Halak and couldn't get one passed him

I'd define "choke" as being overwhelming favourites, being in a very good position to win, and coming away empty handed. They were the first-overall team, had the #8 seed down to their last life, and couldn't close the deal. To be sure, there are lots of examples of #1s losing to #8s, but very few examples of President's Trophy winners losing in the first round to a team they had a 3-1 lead on. This is not a comment on effort, but rather on the outcome vs expectation.

 

[Big Phil]

Since losing a 3-0 series lead has happened 4 times in NHL history, how might 2010 be the worst? As someone else said, Toronto’s 1942 Finals win over the Red Wings would be worse (well done, Maple Leafs!).

Worst in SPORTS history? The 2004 New York Yankees (up 3 games to 0 and 3 outs away from the World Series) and 2016 Atlanta Falcons say ‘hello.’

I personally find it the 3rd worst out of the 4 times an NHL team has blown a 3-0 lead. 2014 Sharks are worse because they got blown out in the games they lost, the Bruins were at least in it. I remember thinking that even after the Kings made it 3-2 that the Sharks would blow that series. The Pens/Isles in 1975 is similar to 2010. Both were average teams at the time (89 points to 88) and what might make it worse is that the Islanders were three years from being an expansion team. The 4th worst is the 1942 Red Wings. I know, I know, it was the Cup final, but this may have been the worst team to ever win the Cup if they did it. They had a 19-25-4 record and they were playing against the 2nd best team points-wise in the NHL.

The Yankees did worse in 2004, I think. That might be as ugly as it gets. Two losses in extra innings, lots of chance to win. Curt Schilling owns them in Game 6 with the bloody sock game and then in Game 7 the game was over by the 2nd inning. All this from a team that won 101 games.

The Falcons? Yeah, nothing is worse in NFL history than that. Squandering a 25 point lead in the Super Bowl with 18 minutes left in the game requires therapy to get over.

 

[Iggys Dome]

Since losing a 3-0 series lead has happened 4 times in NHL history, how might 2010 be the worst? As someone else said, Toronto’s 1942 Finals win over the Red Wings would be worse (well done, Maple Leafs!).

Worst in SPORTS history? The 2004 New York Yankees (up 3 games to 0 and 3 outs away from the World Series) and 2016 Atlanta Falcons say ‘hello.’

Blowing a 3-0 lead in game 7, after blowing a 3-0 series lead seals it for me regardless of context. You couldn't write that stuff. That's just a choke of epic proportions. However, you won the cup in 2011 so it isn't that bad.