The Cubs' season is one loss away from being over. After a 5-2 loss against the Mets in Game 3 of the National League Championship Series on Tuesday night, the North Siders need to win four consecutive games, two in Chicago and two in New York, or they'll be watching the World Series from their couches. Coming back from a 3-0 deficit in a best-of-seven playoff series, to put lightly, is extremely rare. It's only been done once in MLB history, and only a handful of times in the NBA and NHL.
That said, don't dive into the "there's always next year" mindset too soon. Some of the most memorable championships in American sports history have come by way of spectacular comebacks. The Cubs have been defying expectations all season–don't expect them to stop now.
Here are five playoff rallies from the past 80 years that can give Cubs fans a glimmer of hope.
1942 Toronto Maple Leafs
The 1942 Maple Leafs were the first major American sports team to win a best-of-seven series after falling behind 3-0 to the Detroit Red Wings. Toronto irked out a 4-3 win in the fourth game and went on to blowout Detroit in the following three games to secure the franchise's fourth-ever Stanley Cup.
1975 New York Islanders
The Islanders did not end up winning a Stanley Cup in 1975, but they did make history when they came back from a 3-0 deficit against the Pittsburgh Penguins in the playoff quarterfinals. They forced a Game 7 against top-seeded Philadelphia Flyers in the following round, but couldn't complete the upset. Either way, their unexpected playoff surge was pretty legendary.
2004 Boston Red Sox
The 2004 Red Sox were the only MLB team to ever win a playoff series after falling behind 3-0. The Yankees were three outs away from advancing to the World Series in Game 4, but Boston rallied and won the game in 12 innings. They won the next game in 14 innings, and smoked the Yankees in the final two games in New York. They went on to sweep the St. Louis Cardinals in the World Series to win their first championship in 86 years. The Cubs, who are in the middle of an even longer championship drought, can find some hope in the outcome of that series.
2010 Philadelphia Flyers
Philadelphia's 2010 playoff run seemed like it was over when they fell behind 3-0 against the Boston Bruins in the Eastern Conference semifinals. They not only managed to come back and win the series, but also advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals. They ended up losing to the Blackhawks that year, which gave birth to Chicago's modern NHL dynasty.
2013 Chicago Blackhawks
One of the most memorable comebacks in modern Chicago sports history was when the Blackhawks overcame a 3-1 deficit in the 2013 Western Conference semifinals against the rival Detroit Red Wings. Granted, it wasn't the 3-0 hole that the Cubs currently find themselves in, but it was a great show of resolve by a Chicago sports team. The Hawks ended up winning Game 7 in overtime with an unforgettable goal by Brent Seabrook, and would later win their second championship in four years.