Winning a championship in any sport is one of the toughest things to do. Winning consecutive championships is even tougher due to back to back (or more) long playoff runs, which leads to shorter off-season’s. Below is a list of teams in the NFL, MLB, NBA, and NHL since 2000 that have made it back to the finals of their respective sport but were unable to finish the job in successfully defending their championship.
![Stanley Cup X Brodeur](https://985thesportshub.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/88/2024/07/GettyImages-581172_1721329582_.jpg?w=537)
2000-01 NEW JERSEY DEVILS – After winning the Stanley Cup in 2000 over the Dallas Stars (the Stars narrowly avoided this list as I wanted it all to be from 2000 and on and the Stars won in 1999), the New Jersey Devils came one game shy of successfully defending their Stanley Cup victory. The Devils lost game 7 to the Colorado Avalanche in Colorado.
![World Series GM7 X](https://985thesportshub.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/88/2024/07/GettyImages-641136_1721329617_.jpg?w=531)
2001 NEW YORK YANKEES – The New York Yankees are one of a few teams on this list that HAD successfully defended their title but their streak ultimately ended. The Yankees had won the World Series in 1998, 1999, and 2000 but the streak ended in 2001 when they failed to complete the four-peat in a seven game loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Yankees entered the bottom of the ninth with a one run lead but the Diamondbacks would ultimately win on a Luis Gonzalez walk-off single.