Islanders all-time playoff history against Penguins

1974-75 Round 1

Result: 4-3 series win
Islanders top scorer: JP Parise & Jude Drouin (8 points)

Not many teams are able to come back from a 3-0 series deficit. In fact, only four teams in NHL history have ever done it. In 1975 it had only been done once. The Toronto Maple Leafs were the only team to ever win a series after being down 3-0. They did it in the 1942 Stanley Cup Finals no less.

For 35 years that achievement was left unmatched. Until the Islanders were down 3-0 to the Penguins in the second round of the 1975 playoffs.

They lost Game 1 in a 5-4 nailbiter and were outmatched by a combined score of 9-5 in the following two games. While facing elimination in Game 4 the Isles put up 38 shots to the Penguins 28 as they won 3-1 with goals from St Laurent, Gillies, and Parise.

From there the Islanders just kept on rolling. They picked up another three wins with a combined score of 9-3. They completely outclassed the Penguins over the final four games of the series to become only the second NHL team to ever come back from a 3-0 series deficit.

Chico Resch would step in to take over in the blue paint and was absolutely infallible. In four games he averaged a 0.969SV% and a flat 1.00 GAA. Those are Ilya Sorokin KHL playoff numbers. Incredible stuff.