2022 NHL Conference Finals Recap – 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs

A mix of #NHLStats from the 2022 Conference Finals and to date in the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs:


669–Number of total saves Vezina and Hart Trophy finalist Igor Shesterkin concluded the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs with, which stands as the most by any goaltender through three rounds this postseason and second most on record by a Rangers netminder (since 1955-56 when shots on goal began being tracked) behind Henrik Lundqvist (683 in 2014).

204 – Combined games of Stanley Cup Final experience on Tampa Bay’s current roster, 175 more than the Avalanche, who have 29 between Darren Helm (13), Andrew Cogliano (6), Andre Burakovsky (5) and Artturi Lehkonen (5).

124 –Time, in seconds, in which Nazem Kadri collected three points in Game 2. Only nine different players in Stanley Cup Playoffs history registered three points in a faster span.

101 – Average percentage of capacity for crowds at NHL arenas through the 2022 Conference Finals, with 1,544,769 fans attending the 83 postseason games to date.


97 –Appearances for Andrei Vasilevskiy to record his 60th career playoff win. Only four goaltenders in Stanley Cup Playoffs history required fewer games to hit the mark: Grant Fuhr (60-21 in 83 GP), Billy Smith (60-21 in 85 GP), Ken Dryden (60-26 in 86 GP) and Jacques Plante (60-28 in 91 GP).
 

83 – Number of games played through the Conference Finals, the most through three best-of-seven rounds in a playoff year since 2014 and tied for the fifth most behind 2014 (88), 1991 (86), 2016 (85) and 2002 (85).


65 –Combined points Connor McDavid (10-23—33) and Leon Draisaitl (7-25—32) concluded the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs with. Only two players in NHL history collected more points in a postseason prior to the Final than McDavid: Wayne Gretzky (36 in 1985, 34 in 1983 w/ EDM) and Doug Gilmour (35 in 1993 w/ TOR).
 

51 – Wins by the home team so far this postseason, already tied for the ninth most in NHL history in a single playoff year.
 

41 – Percentage of games this postseason won by a team that trailed by at least one goal (34 of 83 GP), the highest percentage of comeback wins in one playoff year since 2013 (42%; 36 of 86 GP).

35 – Combined goals in the Western Conference Final between the Avalanche (22) and Oilers (13), one shy of the most in a four-game series in Stanley Cup Playoffs history.

27 – Years since a postseason was averaging at least 6.35 goals-per-game at this stage (83 GP), with the last occurrence coming in 1995 (6.36 G/GP through 81 GP).
 

15 – Consecutive series wins by forward Pat Maroon, who has been part of 11 straight victories with the Lightning since 2020 after claiming four in a row with the Blues in 2019. Maroon is the 19th player in NHL history to be involved with a run of at least that length, with the longest streak standing at 19 all held by members of the Islanders dynasty in the 1980s.


14 – Number of combined goals scored by the Avalanche and Oilers in Game 1 of the Western Conference Final. Only two games in the Conference Finals, Semifinals or Stanley Cup Final saw teams combine for more.

12 –Number of multi-point games for Connor McDavid in the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs, joining Wayne Gretzky (14x in 1988, 13x in 1985 & 12x in 1984), Mario Lemieux (14x in 1991), Sidney Crosby (12x in 2009) and Evgeni Malkin (12x in 2009) as the only players in NHL history with as many in one postseason.
 

11 – Consecutive series wins by the Lightning, the third longest stretch in Stanley Cup Playoffs history behind the Islanders (19; 1980-1984) and Canadiens (13; 1976-1980).

10 – Number of series this postseason that have required six or seven games, with the chance to go to 11 in the Stanley Cup Final. Only eight playoff years in NHL history have had at least 11 series require 6+ games, with half of those coming in the first four years under the Wild Card format from 2014 to 2017.

9 – Consecutive years that at least one final-four series has required six or seven games, tied for the longest such stretch since the Conference Finals were introduced in 1982 (also 1983 to 1991).


–Points by Cale Makar in potential series-clinching games this postseason, tying Brian Leetch (3-6—9 in 1994 w/ NYR; 7 GP) and Miro Heiskanen (3-6—9 in 2020 w/ DAL; 5 GP) for the most by a defenseman in one playoff year.

– Number of players with a game-winning goal for the Avalanche this postseason, which trails only 2001 (11) for the most in a single playoff year in Avalanche/Nordiques history.
 

– Number of times a team has overcome a 2-0 series deficit to win a best-of-seven in the Conference Finals/Semifinals, with the Lightning becoming the first team in 31 years to do so. The only club to do so and then win the Stanley Cup was the 1991 Penguins.


– Number of teams in Stanley Cup Playoffs history to overcome a deficit to win during each of their first three series-clinching games in a playoff year. Colorado joined Dallas (3 in 2020), Carolina (3 in 2006), Anaheim (3 in 2003), Montreal (3 in 1989 & 1971) and Boston (3 in 1970).

– Number of three-point games for Leon Draisaitl in the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Only one other player in NHL history recorded as many in a single postseason: Wayne Gretzky (9x in 1985, 8x in 1988 & 7x in 1993).

–The length of Pavel Francouz’s win streak entering the Stanley Cup Final, matching Philipp Grubauer (2021) and Mario Gosselin (1987 w/ QUE) for the longest playoff win streak by a goaltender in franchise history.

–Points by Cale Makar in Game 4 of the Western Conference Final, when he became the first defenseman in NHL history to record five points in a potential series-clinching game. Only two skaters have posted more points in such a scenario: Wayne Gretzky (3-4—7 in Game 4 of 1985 DF w/ EDM) and John Anderson (2-4—6 in Game 3 of 1986 DSF w/ HFD).

–Number of assists by Leon Draisaitl in Game 4 of the Western Conference Final. He became the first player in Oilers history to record four assists in a game when facing elimination and fell one shy of the most by any player in NHL history in that situation (Doug Gilmour: 0-5—5 in Game 5 of 1986 DSF w/ STL).

– Consecutive seasons the Lightning have reached the Final, the first team to do so since the Oilers (1983, 1984 & 1895). They will now look to become the first team to win three consecutive Stanley Cup championships since the Islanders dynasty from 1980-83.
 

– Losses suffered by the Avalanche en route to a berth in the Stanley Cup Final, tied for the fewest among all teams since 1987 (when all rounds became a best-of-seven).

– Teams in NHL history to score three game-winning goals within the final two minutes of regulation in a single postseason: the 2022 Lightning and 1995 Devils.

2 – Game-winning goals by Ondrej Palat in the Conference Finals, both coming within the final two minutes of regulation. He became the first player in NHL history to score multiple such tallies in a playoff year.
 

Attachments:

Conference Finals Recap – 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs.pdf

NHL Explanation Of Artturi Lehkonen Overtime Winning Goal

Situation Room Initiated Challenge: COL @ EDM – 1:19 of Overtime

NHL.com @NHLdotcom

Challenge Initiated By: Situation Room

Type of Challenge: Missed Game Stoppage Event – High-Sticking the Puck

Result: Original call upheld – Goal Colorado

Explanation: The Situation Room determined that Artturi Lehkonen‘s stick made contact with the puck at or below the normal height of his shoulders before he scored on his rebound off the goaltender. The decision was made in accordance with Rule 80. 

NOTE: In the final minute of play in the third period and at any point in overtime (regular season and playoffs), Hockey Operations will initiate the review of any scenario that would otherwise be subject to a Coach’s Challenge.