WINNIPEG – The Winnipeg Jets have lost the first two games of their first-round NHL playoff series — but in the past 25 years, six teams in the same situation have gone on to win the Stanley Cup.
The Jets are returning to the MTS Centre tonight for Game 3 of the Winnipeg Jets-Anaheim Ducks first-round playoff series. They trail two games to none after the Ducks won come-from-behind games in Anaheim.
Sports reporter Jim Toth of CJOB isn’t disappointed in the Jets.
“I’m not upset with how the Winnipeg Jets have played. I think they can get to another level — if they can do certain things better,” Toth said on the Global Winnipeg Morning News Monday. “I don’t think it’s their best two games of the year, but overall, it’s pretty much what I expected.”
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The list of teams to lose the first two games in the first round and go on to win the Stanley Cup include last year’s Stanley Cup winners.
The Los Angeles Kings lost their first two games to the San Jose Sharks in 2014. In fact, they lost the first three. Despite their 3-6 loss in Game 1 and 2-7 loss in Game 2, the Kings won the series 4-3. They went on to beat the Anaheim Ducks 4-3 in the Western Conference semifinal, the Chicago Blackhawks 4-3 in the conference final and the New York Rangers 4-1 in the Stanley Cup final.
The Boston Bruins, the 2011 Stanley Cup champions, lost their first two games to the Montreal Canadiens. The Canadiens had a 0-2 victory in Game 1 and a 1-3 win in Game 2. The Bruins went on to win the series 4-3. They then beat the Philadelphia Flyers 4-0 in the Eastern Conference semifinal, the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-3 in the conference final and the Vancouver Canucks 4-3 in the Stanley Cup final.
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The Carolina Hurricanes also lost their first two games to the Montreal Canadiens in 2006. Despite their Game 1 1-6 loss and their Game 2 5-6 loss to the Canadiens, the Hurricanes went on to win the series 4-2. They advanced to beat the New Jersey Devils 4-0 in the Eastern Conference semifinal, the Buffalo Sabres 4-3 in the conference final and the Edmonton Oilers 4-3 in the Stanley Cup final.
Jets captain Andrew Ladd earned his first Stanley Cup ring with the Hurricanes that year.
In 2002, the Detroit Red Wings lost their first two games to Vancouver Canucks before winning the Cup. The Canucks led the series with a 3-4 Game 1 win and a 2-5 Game 2 win. The Red Wings picked it up and won the series 4-2. They went on to beat the St. Louis Blues 4-1 in the Western Conference semifinal, the Colorado Avalanche 4-3 in the conference final and the Carolina Hurricanes 4-1 in the Stanley Cup final.
The Montreal Canadiens won the Cup in 1993, but not before they lost their first two games to the Quebec Nordiques. The Nordiques led with a 2-3 victory in Game 1 and a 1-4 victory in Game 2. The Canadiens went on to win the series 4-2. They then beat the Buffalo Sabres 4-0 in the Prince of Wales Conference semifinal, the New York Islanders 4-1 in the conference final and the Los Angeles Kings 4-1 in the Stanley Cup final.
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The 1992 Stanley Cup champions, the Pittsburgh Penguins, lost their first two games to the Washington Capitals. After losing to the Capitals 1-3 in Game 1 and 2-6 in Game 2, the Penguins won the series 4-2. They went on to beat the New York Rangers 4-2 in the Prince of Wales Conference semifinal, the Boston Bruins 4-0 in the conference final and the Chicago Blackhawks 4-1 in the Stanley Cup final.
The Winnipeg Jets look for their first win tonight against the Anaheim Ducks at 8 p.m.
— Stats via NHL.com
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