* The final weekend of the 2023 First Round wrapped up with a pair of Wild Card teams advancing to the Second Round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the fourth time.
* The Panthers brought the Bruins’ record-setting season to an end Sunday, becoming just the eighth team to defeat the Presidents’ Trophy winner in the opening round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
* The Kraken defeated the Avalanche in their first-ever Game 7 and became the first franchise in NHL history to earn its first series win against a reigning Stanley Cup champion.
* The latest instalment of the “Hudson River Rivalry” will come to a close tonight as the Devils and Rangers clash in Game 7, with the winner advancing to the Second Round.
WILD CARD CLUBS WRAP UP WEEKEND WITH WINS
The Panthers (WC2, East) and Kraken (WC1, West) wrapped up the final weekend of the First Round by ousting the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Bruins and reigning Stanley Cup champion-Avalanche, respectively. Here are all the #NHLStats you need to know as the ‘Night of the Underdogs’ capped action Sunday:
* The 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs are the fourth to feature multiple Wild Card teams advance to the Second Round. The others: 2019 (CAR: WC1, CBJ: WC2, DAL: WC1 & COL: WC2), 2017 (NYR: WC1 & NSH: WC2) and 2016 (NYI: WC1 & NSH: WC1).
* Three of four series in the 2023 Second Round are first-time playoff matchups. That has happened only six times in the round of eight during the NHL’s modern era (since 1943-44); the most recent occurrence was in the 2003 Conference Semifinals (TBL vs. NJD, ANA vs. DAL & MIN vs. VAN).
* The 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs are the fifth in the NHL’s expansion era (since 1967-68) to feature the reigning Stanley Cup Finalists (postseasons in which both teams qualified) and the League’s No. 1 overall team from the current season all eliminated in the opening round. The previous occurrences: 2019 (WSH, VGK & TBL: No. 1 seed), 2012 (BOS & VAN, also No. 1 seed), 2006 (TBL, CGY & DET: No. 1 seed) and 1971 (BOS, also No. 1 seed & STL).
* Road teams are 31-18 overall this postseason, establishing an NHL record for road wins in any round – visiting clubs were 30-18 in the 2012 Conference Quarterfinals. This is the second postseason in the NHL’s expansion era (since 1967-68) to have all playoff teams win at least one road game (also 2012).
IT WAS 3-1: PANTHERS COMPLETE RALLY TO STUN BRUINS IN GAME 7. . .
Brandon Montour (2-0—2) tied the game with one minute remaining in regulation and Carter Verhaeghe (1-1—2) scored 8:35 into overtime as the Panthers became the eighth team to defeat the Presidents’ Trophy winner in the opening round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs (since it was introduced in 1985-86) and third to do so via a Game 7 victory.
* The Panthers joined the Blue Jackets (4-0 W vs. TBL in 2019 R1), Kings (4-1 W vs. VAN in 2012 CQF), Canadiens (4-3 W vs. WSH in 2010 CQF), Ducks (4-2 W vs. SJS in 2009 CQF), Oilers (4-2 W vs. DET in 2006 CQF), Sharks (4-3 W vs. STL in 2000 CQF) and North Stars (4-2 W vs. CHI in 1991 DSF).
* Florida, which advanced past the opening round of the playoffs for the third time in franchise history, completed the 2022-23 regular season with 92 points (42-32-8, 92 points), 43 behind the Presidents’ Trophy-winning and NHL record-setting Bruins (65-12-5, 135 points). It marked the second-largest regular-season point differential by a team in a series win behind the 1982 Kings (3-2 W vs. EDM in DSF), who finished 48 points behind the Wayne Gretzky-led Oilers.
* Montour’s tying tally was the third goal of the third period – in total, the Panthers and Bruins combined for 27 third-period goals throughout their seven-game showdown (BOS: 14 & FLA: 13). Boston and Florida became the first series in NHL history to feature as high a combined total, besting the 1985 Conference Finals (25) between Edmonton (16) and Chicago (9) as well as the 1993 Division Semifinals (25) between Los Angeles (14) and Calgary (11).
* Nearly one million brackets were submitted in the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs Bracket Challenge presented by GEICO, up 5% from last year, with only 0.5% selecting the Panthers to win the Stanley Cup – the lowest of any of the 16 playoff clubs. By contrast, 35.9% of brackets predicted the Bruins would hoist the Cup.
. . . THE KEY CONTRIBUTORS FOR THE ‘COMEBACK CATS’
A trio of Panthers players left their mark in Game 7 and throughout the series for the ‘Comeback Cats’, who advanced to the Second Round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs and now have their first-ever postseason meeting against the Maple Leafs.
* Sergei Bobrovsky (33 saves), who also backstopped the Blue Jackets past the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Lightning in the 2019 First Round in historic fashion, became the seventh goaltender in the NHL’s expansion era (since 1967-68) to post multiple career wins in series-clinching games against the League’s top team from the regular season. The others: Grant Fuhr (2), Billy Smith (2), Mike Vernon (2), Martin Brodeur (2), Marc-Andre Fleury (2) and Andrei Vasilevskiy (2).
* Prior to his Game 7 winner, Verhaeghe had only scored once in the 2023 postseason – the game-winning goal in Game 2. Five of the forward’s 10 career playoff goals have been game winners, which also includes his series-clinching overtime tally in Game 6 of the 2022 First Round. Verhaeghe is now the only player in Panthers history with multiple series-clinching markers and the only Florida skater with at least one since the franchise made a trip to the 1996 Stanley Cup Final.
* Montour opened the scoring in Game 7 and later potted his second of the night with a minute left in regulation to finish the First Round with five goals – the most by a defenseman in a single series since Ed Jovanovski 20 years ago (5 in 2003 CSF w/ VAN). Only four blueliners in NHL history have tallied more: Bobby Orr (7 in 1970 QF w/ BOS), Al Iafrate (6 in 1993 DSF w/ WSH), Paul Reinhart (6 in 1983 DF w/ CGY) and Denis Potvin (6 in 1981 QF w/ NYI).
* Florida owns an all-time series record of 4-5 in its first head-to-head playoff round with a franchise, while Toronto is 12-13. Click here for more #NHLStats on their matchup.
KRAKEN UPSET REIGNING CHAMPS TO WIN FIRST-EVER PLAYOFF SERIES
Oliver Bjorkstrand (2-0—2) scored the series-clinching goal and Yanni Gourde (0-2—2) put up a multi-point performance as the Kraken defeated the reigning Stanley Cup-champion Avalanche in Game 7 to secure their first-ever series win. Seattle became the 10th NHL franchise – and sixth in the NHL’s modern era (since 1943-44) – to win at least one series within its first two seasons in the League.
* The Kraken are also the 13th NHL franchise to win at least one series during its first-ever trip to the Stanley Cup Playoffs, following the Golden Knights (3 in 2018), Wild (2 in 2003), Ducks (1 in 1997), Panthers (3 in 1996), Sharks (1 in 1994), Islanders (2 in 1975), Penguins (1 in 1970), Blues (2 in 1968), Stars/North Stars (1 in 1968), Bruins (2 in 1927), Montreal Maroons (3 in 1926) and Maple Leafs/Arenas (2 in 1918).
* Bjorkstrand is no stranger to playing a pivotal role in a historic series-clinching win. Like Sergei Bobrovsky, Bjorkstrand was also a member of the Blue Jackets who defeated the Lightning in the 2019 First Round – the first team to sweep the Presidents’ Trophy winner in the opening round. The now-Kraken forward netted the winners in Games 3 and 4, with the latter being the series clincher.
* Bjorkstrand, who was one of 15 Kraken players to find the back of the net in the 2023 First Round, became just the ninth player in NHL history to record multiple goals in a franchise’s first-ever Game 7, and the first since Paul Stastny (2-1—3) and Mark Scheifele (2-0—2) did so with the Jets in the 2018 Second Round.
* Gourde (1-5—6 in 7 GP) became the third Kraken player to record five-plus points in the 2023 First Round (also Jaden Schwartz & Justin Schultz). Seattle is the seventh franchise to have three or more players with five-plus points in its first-ever playoff series, following the Stars/North Stars (8 in 1968 QF), Avalanche/Nordiques (5 in 1981 PRLM), Ducks (4 in 1997 CQF), Panthers (3 in 1996 CQF), Wild (3 in 2003 CQF) and Cleveland Barons (3 in 1969 QF).
* Nearly one million brackets were submitted in the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs Bracket Challenge presented by GEICO, up 5% from last year, with only 0.9% selecting the Kraken to win the Stanley Cup – tied for the third-lowest of any of the 16 playoff clubs.
* The Kraken will face the Stars in the Second Round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Seattle went 1-1-1 against Dallas in the 2022-23 regular season (DAL: 2-0-1) and are 2-3-1 against them since entering the League (DAL: 4-1-1). Click here for a few more #NHLStats on their matchup.
QUICK CLICKS
* April 30, 2023 Edition of #NHLStats: Live Updates
* NHL announces schedule for Games 1, 2 of the Second Round for the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs
* Rangers to bring experience, ‘desperation’ into Game 7 against Devils
* Devils confident heading home for Game 7 against Rangers
* Patrice Bergeron undecided on future with Bruins
FIRST ROUND READY TO CONCLUDE WITH GAME 7 BETWEEN DEVILS AND RANGERS
For the first time since their epic double-overtime thriller in the 1994 Conference Finals, the Hudson River rival Devils and Rangers will meet in a Game 7 to decide their Eastern Conference First Round series at Prudential Center. The winner will advance to the Second Round and matchup with their Metropolitan Division rival Hurricanes.
* Facing off in a playoff series for the seventh time, Monday marks the third Devils-Rangers Game 7 and the first to be played on the New Jersey side of the Hudson. The Rangers won both previous showdowns at Madison Square Garden, defeating the Devils 8-4 in the 1992 Patrick Division Semifinals and 2-1 in double overtime in the 1994 Eastern Conference Final.
* The Devils, 7-7 all-time in Game 7s, will be appearing in their first since 2012, when they defeated the Florida Panthers 3-2 in double overtime to win their Conference Quarterfinals series and kickstart their run to the Stanley Cup Final. The Rangers (11-6 all-time) are 8-1 in their past nine Game 7s since 2012, including wins in all three road games in that span – the most recent being a 6-2 victory at Carolina in the 2022 Second Round.
* The Devils player with the most Game 7 experience is forward Ondrej Palat, a two-time Stanley Cup champion with the Lightning, who has played in six such contests (4-2). The corresponding player for the Rangers is forward Chris Kreider, who will be skating in his ninth Game 7 (7-1). Kreider’s total of seven Game 7 wins is one shy of the NHL record shared by Brad Richards (8-0), Ray Bourque (8-1), Justin Williams (8-1), Carl Hagelin (8-2), Ryan McDonagh (8-2) and Glenn Anderson (8-4).
