Only 23 teams in all of NHL playoff history have done what the Dallas Stars did on Wednesday, when the team rallied back from a three-goal deficit in the third period and defeated the Edmonton Oilers by a score of 6-3.
They call the three-goal lead the most dangerous lead in hockey for a reason. The team with the lead begins to sit back and get complacent, giving the team that's trailing an opportunity to strike.
That's what the postseason is all about: passion, energy, and seeing the unexpected come to life. In light of the Stars' explosive comeback, let's reminisce on some of the most unforgettable and unlikely playoff victories.
2019: Sharks rally to eliminate the Golden Knights in Game 7
In the first round of the 2019 playoffs, the San Jose Sharks were already considered the underdogs by the time Game 7 rolled around. The Vegas Golden Knights had a 3-1 series lead at one point, and the Sharks staved off elimination with two straight wins to force the winner-takes-all Game 7.
Vegas held onto a 3-0 lead in the third period when, with just over 10 minutes to go, Sharks captain Joe Pavelski took a cross-check up high off the faceoff. He went down hard, hitting his head on the ice and leaving the game in a bloody mess. Cody Eakin was handed a five-minute major on the play, giving San Jose an extended man advantage.
The injury to Pavelski ignited a fire in the Sharks. San Jose jumped into action just six seconds into the five-minute power play, as Logan Couture got his team on the board. "That's one," he told his teammates in the celebration, and the goals didn't stop there.
The Sharks would go on to score three more times on that power play. Kevin Labanc chipped in on every single one with a goal and three helpers, while Couture got the tally that made it 3-3. San Jose came out of the man advantage leading 4-3 after hitting the net four times in four minutes.
Jonathan Marchessault and the Golden Knights scored with less than a minute remaining to force overtime, but the momentum was all in favor of the Sharks. Barclay Goodrow got the dagger that eliminated Vegas and sent San Jose to the second round of the playoffs.
The Sharks went on to beat the Colorado Avalanche in another Game 7 thriller in the second round before ultimately falling to the eventual Stanley Cup champion St. Louis Blues in the Western Conference Final.