Game 6 Trends

* Teams with a 3-2 lead in a best-of-seven hold an all-time series record of 337-92 (.786), including a 5-4 (.556) mark in 2022 and a 70-16 (.814) clip in the round before the Stanley Cup Final.

* Of the 70 teams with a 3-2 lead in a best-of-seven Conference Finals/Semifinals that advanced to the Final, a total of 50 did so via a series-clinching win in Game 6.

New York

Game 6 record: 23-21 (.523) overall, 9-12 (.429) on the road

Game 7 record: 11-6 (.647) overall, 8-1 (.889) at home

Trailing 3-2 in a best-of-seven: 7-19 (.269) overall, 4-7 (.364) when starting at home

Tampa Bay

Game 6 record: 10-8 (.556) overall, 5-4 (.556) at home

Game 7 record: 7-3 (.700) overall, 3-2 (.600) on the road

Leading 3-2 in a best-of-seven: 8-2 (.800) overall, 3-1 (.750) when starting on the road

Pre-Game

* The Eastern Conference Final shifts back to AMALIE Arena for Game 6, with the hosts hoping to become the first team in nearly 40 years to reach the Stanley Cup Final in three consecutive seasons. The Lightning can reach the Final for the fifth time overall (also 2021, 2020, 2015 & 2004), which would trail only the Flyers (8x), Oilers (7x) and Penguins (6x) for the most berths among non-Original Six franchises.

* The “No Quit in New York” Rangers look to reel off their sixth straight win when facing elimination and force the seventh Game 7 of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs – that would match the NHL’s most in a single postseason (7 in 2014, 2011 & 1994). The Rangers’ 5-0 record when facing elimination this postseason trails only the 1975 Islanders (8-0), 2014 Kings (7-0) and 2003 Wild (6-0) for the longest such winning streak by an NHL team in a playoff year.

* Corey Perry (10-12—22 in 33 GP) leads current Tampa Bay players in career goals, assists and points during potential series-clinching games, including two tallies in five contests when a trip to the Final is on the line. Perry, who competed in the championship series in 2020 and 2021 with the Stars and Canadiens, respectively, can become the second player in NHL history to reach the Final in three consecutive seasons with a different franchise each time (Marian Hossa: 2008 w/ PIT, 2009 w/ DET & 2010 w/ CHI).

* Anthony Cirelli has collected 2-2—4 in six potential series-clinching contests during the round before the Final, which includes scoring an overtime goal in Game 6 of the 2020 Conference Finals and corralling the primary assist on Yanni Gourde’s shorthanded winner in Game 7 of the 2021 Stanley Cup Semifinals. Alex Killorn assisted on both clinchers.

* The only player in NHL history to factor on a series-clinching goal during the Conference Finals/Semifinals in three straight seasons was Bryan Trottier with the Islanders from 1981 to 1983.

* Andrei Vasilevskiy has appeared in 23 career potential series-clinching contests, going 12-9 with a 1.65 goals-against average, .942 save percentage and NHL-record six shutouts in those games. He has allowed just one goal against over his last three potential series-clinching contests dating to Game 5 of the 2021 Stanley Cup Final (0.33 GAA, .990 SV%, 2 SO).

* Igor Shesterkin has backstopped the Rangers to victory in each of their five wins when facing elimination this postseason. The only goaltenders in NHL history with more than five wins when facing elimination during a single playoff year are Jonathan Quick with the 2014 Kings (7-0 in 7 GP) and Glenn “Chico” Resch with the 1975 Islanders (7-1 in 8 GP).

* Mika Zibanejad (4-7—11 in 5 GP) and Adam Fox (2-8—10 in 5 GP) lead the League in points and assists, respectively, when facing elimination during the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs, while Chris Kreider (5-1—6 in 5 GP) tops the NHL with five goals under that criteria. Zibanejad’s 11 points when facing elimination are tied for the highest such total in League history during a single postseason (w/ Anze Kopitar & Justin Williams in 2014), while Fox’s 10 are already the most by an NHL defenseman in a playoff year.

* Chris Kreider needs one goal to match the League record for most in a single postseason when facing elimination, a mark shared by Justin Williams with the 2014 Kings (6 G in 7 GP), Michael Cammalleri with the 2010 Canadiens (6 G in 6 GP), Geoff Courtnall with the 1994 Canucks (6 G in 6 GP) and Babe Dye with the 1922 Toronto St. Patricks (6 G in 3 GP). Kreider (15-4—19 in 26 GP) has 15 career goals when facing elimination, also one back of the most in NHL history (Mark Messier: 16 G in 24 GP).

* * *