seattle kraken – CanucksBanter

By NHL Public Relations

May 15, 2023

It will be either the Kraken or Stars who will extend their season with a Game 7 win and punch their ticket to the 2023 Western Conference Final. Seattle will be contesting a winner-take-all showdown for the second straight series, while Dallas will look to change the result of its last seventh-and-deciding game – which was exactly a year ago today.

* The Kraken are the sixth franchise in NHL history to require a Game 7 in each of their first two playoff series and the first since the Wild captured both during their run to the Western Conference Final in 2003. Seattle can also become the sixth franchise all-time to win each of its first two Game 7s at any point and would jointhe Wild (3), Blues (3), Lightning (3), Bruins (2) and Nordiques (2). Minnesota and Colorado are the only teams to claim their first two or more Game 7 wins on the road.

* Jaden Schwartz (5-0), who sits second on the Kraken in goals through the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs, can become the 17th player in NHL history to win each of his first six-plus career Game 7s. The only active players to have done so are Anton Stralman (7-0 from 2012 to 2015), Ryan McDonagh (6-0 from 2012 to 2015), Carl Hagelin (6-0 from 2012 to 2015), Derek Stepan (6-0 from 2012 to 2015) and Eric Staal (6-0, active streak).

* Monday marks the one-year anniversary of the Stars’ most recent Game 7 and the standout performance of goaltender Jake Oettinger, who made 64 saves in their 3-2 overtime loss at Calgary.

Oettinger became the second goaltender to record 60-plus saves in a Game 7, following Kelly Hrudey (73 saves in the ‘Easter Epic’ 1987 DSF w/ NYI). Oettinger will have the opportunity to help his club win its first seventh-and-deciding contest at home in nearly 23 years – Dallas claimed a 3-2 win against Colorado in Game 7 of the Conference Finals on May 27, 2000 at Reunion Arena.

* Peter DeBoer is 6-0 in Game 7s, collecting wins with three franchises (NJD, SJS & VGK). Two coaches have posted wins with four: Darryl Sutter (CHI, SJS, CGY & LAK) and Scotty Bowman (STL, MTL, PIT & DET). Tommy Ivan (4-0 with DET from 1949 to 1954) and Paul Maurice (4-0 with CAR, WPG & FLA from 2009 to 2023) are the only other head coaches in NHL history to win at least their first four career Game 7s.