2022 Stanley Cup Final – Page 3

NHL Morning Skate: Stanley Cup Final Edition – June 17, 2022
NHL Morning Skate: Stanley Cup Final Edition – June 18, 2022
Stanley Cup Final Information Guide – for registered users of media.nhl.com only

Game 2 Trends
* Teams with a 2-0 lead in a best-of-seven hold a series record of 341-54 (.863), including a 47-5 (.904) clip in the Stanley Cup Final. In 2022, teams are 4-2 in series after winning the first two games – the Lightning rallied to defeat the Rangers in the Conference Finals (4-2 W) and the Rangers did so in the Second Round against the Hurricanes (4-3 W).

* The five teams to win a Cup after overcoming a 2-0 series deficit in a best-of-seven Final are the 2011 Bruins (4-3 W vs. VAN), 2009 Penguins (4-3 W vs. DET), 1971 Canadiens (4-3 W vs. CHI), 1966 Canadiens (4-2 W vs. DET) and 1942 Maple Leafs (4-3 W vs. DET).

* Teams with a 2-0 lead in a best-of-seven when starting at home hold a series record of 256-34 (.883), including a 37-3 (.925) clip in the Stanley Cup Final and 3-2 (.600) mark in 2022.

* When a best-of-seven is tied 1-1, the winner of Game 3 holds an all-time series record of 231-115 (.668), including a 23-7 (.767) clip in the Stanley Cup Final and 3-5 (.375) mark in 2022.

Tampa Bay 
Game 2 record in best-of-seven: 24-11 (.686) overall, 11-4 (.733) on the road
Game 2 record in Stanley Cup Final: 4-0 (1.000) overall, have yet to play on road

Trailing 1-0 in best-of-seven: 12-8 (.600) overall, 4-4 (.500) starting on road; 2-0 in 2022

Trailing 2-0 in best-of-seven: 2-4 (.333) overall, 1-1 (.500) starting on road; 1-0 in 2022

Tied 1-1 in best-of-seven: 13-6 (.684) overall, 3-5 (.375) starting on road; 1-0 in 2022

Colorado

Game 2 record in best-of-seven:  28-21 (.571) overall, 21-9 (.700) at home

Game 2 record in Stanley Cup Final: 1-1 (.500) overall, both at home

Leading 1-0 in best-of-seven: 21-11 (.656) overall, 16-7 (.696) starting at home; 3-0 in 2022

Leading 2-0 in best-of-seven: 16-4 (.800) overall, 13-3 (.813) starting at home; 2-0 in 2022

Tied 1-1 in best-of-seven: 9-11 (.450) overall, 6-6 (.500) starting at home; 1-0 in 2022

Pre-Game
* It has been eight years since each of the first two games of the Stanley Cup Final required overtime, with 2014 capping a three-year run in which that happened. The only five Final series in which Game 1 and Game 2 required overtime: 2014 (LAK vs. NYR), 2013 (CHI vs. BOS), 2012 (LAK vs. NJD), 1951 (TOR vs. MTL), 1946 (MTL vs. BOS). The Kings (2014 and 2012) and Canadiens (1946) are the only clubs to take a 2-0 series lead in the Final via two overtime victories.

* The Lightning own a postseason record of 18-1 in the game immediately following a loss since the start of the 2020 Stanley Cup Qualifiers, with Andrei Vasilevskiy backstopping Tampa Bay to victory in all 18 contests (1.57 GAA, .939 SV%, 5 SO).

* Colorado can become the first team in 46 years to take a 2-0 series lead in a best-of-seven Stanley Cup Final against the defending champions. It has happened only four times in League history: 1976 (MTL: 2-0 vs. PHI), 1966 (DET: 2-0 vs. MTL), 1962 (TOR: 2-0 vs. CHI) and 1956 (MTL: 2-0 vs. DET).

* Valeri Nichushkin, Gabriel Landeskog and Mikko Rantanen all collected two points in the Stanley Cup Final opener. Chris Kunitz (2017 w/ PIT), Justin Williams (2014 w/ LAK), Mario Lemieux (1992 w/ PIT), Rick Tocchet (1992 w/ PIT) and Ray Bourque (1990 w/ BOS) are the the only players since 1990 to register multiple points in each of the first two games of a Stanley Cup Final.

NHLStats Resources:
Conference Finals Recap
Colorado Avalanche Stats Pack
Tampa Bay Lightning Stats Pack
Stanley Cup Final Information Guide – for registered users of media.nhl.com only
“When Was The Last Time…?” – Stanley Cup Final Edition

Morning Skates between end of Conference Finals and start of Stanley Cup Final:
NHL Morning Skate: Stanley Cup Final Edition – June 13, 2022
NHL Morning Skate: Stanley Cup Final Edition – June 14, 2022
NHL Morning Skate: Stanley Cup Final Edition – June 15, 2022

Series Scenarios
* Teams that own a 1-0 series lead in a best-of-seven Stanley Cup Final hold an all-time series record of 62-20 (.756), including a 49-10 (.831) mark when starting at home and 13-10 (.565) when pulling ahead on the road.

* Half of the series so far this postseason have been won by the winner of Game 1 (7-7, .500). Clubs that took a 1-0 series lead at home are 5-4 (.556) in the series and those that won the opener on the road are 2-3 (.400).

* Tampa Bay (2021 vs. MTL) is the only team in the past four years to win the Stanley Cup after winning Game 1 of the series. Dallas (2020 vs. TBL), Boston (2019 vs. STL) and Vegas (2018 vs. WSH) all did so and eventually fell to their opposition.

Tampa Bay 
Game 1 record in best-of-seven: 15-20 (.429) overall, 7-8 (.467) on the road; 1-2 in 2022
Game 1 record in Stanley Cup Final: 1-3(.250), have yet to start on road
Leading 1-0 in best-of-seven: 13-2 (.867)overall, 5-2 (.714) starting on road; 1-0 in 2022
Trailing 1-0 in best-of-seven: 12-8 (.600) overall, 4-4 (.500) starting on road; 2-0 in 2022

Colorado
Game 1 record in best-of-seven: 32-17 (.653) overall, 23-7 (.767) at home; 3-0 in 2022 
Game 1 record in Stanley Cup Final: 2-0(1.000), both at home
Leading 1-0 in best-of-seven: 21-11 (.656) overall, 16-7 (.696) starting at home; 3-0 in 2022
Trailing 1-0 in best-of-seven: 7-10 (.412) overall, 4-3 (.571) starting at home

Pre-game
* When Cale Makar and Victor Hedman hit the ice for Game 1, it will be the sixth time in the NHL’s expansion era (since 1967-68) that Norris Trophy finalists from that season meet in the Stanley Cup Final – the last instance was in 2001 when Ray Bourque (COL) and Scott Stevens (NJD) met.

* This can become the first Stanley Cup Final in 28 years to include at least five players who enter the series with a career points-per-game rate of 1.00 or better (min. 25 GP).

* The Avalanche (65 GF) already have the third-highest goal total in a single playoff year in franchise history, behind 1996 (80) and 2001 (69).

* Nikita Kucherov (51-99—150 in 130 GP) needs one assist for 100 in his playoff career, a benchmark reached by only three active skaters.

* Game 1 will mark the 50th career playoff contest for Cale Makar (12-41—53 in 49 GP). Only two defensemen in NHL history have recorded as many points through their first 50 postseason games: Bobby Orr (20-46—66) and Brian Leetch (21-44—65).