THREE HARD LAPS: GAME 7 QUICK HITS
* The First Round came to a close with the Hurricanes knocking off the defending Stanley Cup champions in the third-longest Game 7 in NHL history.
* Ten games required overtime in the First Round, matching the total from the entire 2018 postseason.
* For the first time in NHL history, the top team from each conference and all division winners were eliminated in the opening round. Washington’s defeat guarantees that there will be a new Stanley Cup champion for the 19th time in the past 20 seasons.
HURRICANES RALLY FOR FIRST SERIES WIN IN A DECADE
Carolina overcame a 3-1 deficit and Brock McGinn (1-1—2) scored the winner at 11:05 of the second overtime as the Hurricanes rallied past the Capitals in Game 7 and advanced to the Second Round of the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Carolina earned its first Stanley Cup Playoff series win since the 2009 Conference Semifinals – a seven-game triumph over Boston.
* The Hurricanes, who earned the only road win in their First Round series with the Capitals, improved to 5-3 in eight all-time Game 7s – including five straight victories. Their five consecutive Game 7 wins dating to the 2006 Conference Finals (4-2 W vs. BUF) are the fourth-longest such run in League history.
* Carolina has overcome a deficit to earn four of its five all-time Game 7 wins, including each of its last three (also 2006 CF, 2009 CQF and 2009 CSF). The Hurricanes became the sixth franchise in NHL history to record as many come-from-behind Game 7 wins, joining the Maple Leafs (5), Bruins (4), Canadiens (4), Flyers (4) and Oilers (4).
* The Hurricanes became the 13th team in NHL history and second in as many days to overcome a multi-goal deficit to win a Game 7 (also SJS in 2019 R1). Carolina became the second team in League history to accomplish the feat against a defending Stanley Cup champion, joining Los Angeles in the 2014 Conference Finals (5-4 OT W at CHI).
* Wednesday’s contest was the longest Game 7 in Hurricanes/Whalers franchise history, eclipsing the 1992 Division Semifinals versus the Canadiens (85:26). In fact, it marked the third-longest Game 7 in League history, behind only the 1987 Division Semifinals between the Islanders-Capitals dubbed the “Easter Epic” (128:47) and the 1939 Semifinals between the Bruins-Rangers (108:00).
* The Hurricanes will face the Islanders in the Second Round of the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs, their first-ever postseason meeting. New York held a 3-1-0 edge through the four-game season series (CAR: 1-2-1).
BEHIND THE NUMBERS: THE PLAYERS BEHIND THE COMEBACK
Brock McGinn became the second player in Hurricanes/Whalers franchise history to score an overtime goal in a Game 7, joining Scott Walker in the 2009 Conference Semifinals (3-2 OT W at BOS). Aside from McGinn and Walker, only two other players in franchise history have scored a series-clinching goal in overtime: Martin Gelinas in Game 6 of the 2002 Conference Finals (2-1 OT W at TOR) and Cory Stillman in Game 6 of the 2006 Conference Quarterfinals (2-1 OT W at MTL).
* McGinn became the 12th player in NHL history to score the decisive goal in a Game 7 that required multiple overtimes and first since Pittsburgh’s Chris Kunitz in the 2017 Conference Finals (3-2 2OT vs. OTT). He became the first Hurricanes/Whalers player to score the winner in any postseason game that required multiple overtimes.
* “Mr. Game 7” Justin Williams provided the primary assist on the overtime winner to record his 15th career point in a seventh and deciding game (7-8—15 in 9 GP), extending his NHL record. His eight career Game 7 assists are the fourth-most in League history behind Doug Gilmour (3-10—13 in 11 GP), Jaromir Jagr (1-10—11 in 8 GP) and David Krejci (0-9—9 in 10 GP).
* Jaccob Slavin (0-3—3) established a franchise record for most points in a Game 7 by a defenseman, eclipsing the previous mark of two set by Tim Gleason (0-2—2) in the 2009 Conference Quarterfinals (4-3 W at NJD) as well as Dennis Seidenberg (0-2—2) and Joni Pitkanen (0-2—2) in the 2009 Conference Semifinals (3-2 OT W at BOS). Hurricanes defenseman Brett Pesce (0-2—2) also collected two points on Wednesday.
* Slavin became the eighth defenseman in NHL history to record three points in a Game 7 and first since the Red Wings tandem of Nicklas Lidstrom (2-1—3) and Brian Rafalski (0-3—3) in the 2010 Conference Quarterfinals (6-1 W at PHX). No defenseman in League history has ever recorded more than three points in a Game 7.
* Jordan Staal scored the tying goal at 2:56 of the third period, his third career goal in a Game 7 and first with the Hurricanes (3-0—3 in 5 GP). His older brother, Eric Staal, also scored a Game 7 goal with the Hurricanes – doing so during the 2009 Conference Quarterfinals (1-1—2 at NJD).
* They became the fourth set of brothers in NHL history to each score at least one Game 7 goal with the same franchise, joining Henri Richard and Maurice Richard (w/ MTL), Dennis Hull and Bobby Hull (w/ CHI) and Andrei Kostitsyn and Sergei Kostitsyn (w/ MTL).
GAME 7 QUICK HITS
* Capitals forwards Nicklas Backstrom and Alex Ovechkin made their 12th career Game 7 appearance. The only players in NHL history who have appeared in more Game 7s are Patrick Roy (13), Scott Stevens (13) and Zdeno Chara (13).
* Each of the last six Stanley Cup champions have won at least one Game 7. Since 1987 when all rounds became best-of-seven, 21 of 31 Cup winners have contested at least one Game 7 en route to winning a title.
* The team that scores first is 129-46 (.737) in the 175 all-time Game 7s in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, including a 1-2 mark in 2019. Home teams own a 102-73 (.582) advantage.
* Forty-three Game 7s in the Stanley Cup Playoffs have required overtime (24.5%). Home teams have a 22-21 edge.
SIXTY IS NOT ENOUGH
The First Round of the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs featured two Game 7s that required overtime, with each occurring on consecutive days.
* Only three other rounds in NHL history have featured two Game 7s that required overtime, with each occurring on either the same day or on consecutive days: the 1997 Conference Quarterfinals (2 on April 29), 2011 Conference Quarterfinals (April 26-27) and 2012 Conference Quarterfinals (April 25-26). No postseason in NHL history has ever featured more than two Game 7s that have required overtime.
* Overall, 10 of 46 games required overtime in the First Round (21.7%), matching the total from the entire 2018 postseason (10 of 84 GP; 11.9%).
SECOND ROUND OPENS IN BOSTON, ST. LOUIS ON THURSDAY
After three Game 7s over two days thrilled fans to conclude the opening round of the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs, half of the Second Round series will contest Game 1 on Thursday when the Bruins host the Blue Jackets at TD Garden and the Blues welcome the Stars to Enterprise Center.
* The Bruins and Blue Jackets are meeting in the postseason for the first time. Columbus is coming off a historic First Round sweep of the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Lightning to advance past the opening round of the playoffs for the first time in franchise history while Boston was victorious in an opening-round, seven-game series against Toronto for the second straight season.
* The Bruins held a 2-1-0 edge in their three-game season series (CBJ: 1-1-1). Boston and Columbus combined for 22 goals through their three head-to-head meetings in 2018-19 for an average 7.3 per game.
* The Stars and Blues franchises, meanwhile, will face off in the postseason for the 14th time, with St. Louis holding a 7-6 series edge. They have split the four series since the Stars relocated to Dallas in 1993-94, with the Blues winning the last two meetings including a seven-game triumph in the 2016 Second Round.
* The Stars are 6-1-0 in their last seven games against the Blues dating to Dec. 29, 2017 (STL: 1-5-1).
(NHL Media)
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