#NHLPeachy @NHL #NHLStats Pack: 2020 Stanley Cup Qualifiers – Eastern Conference Round Robin

NHL STATS & INFORMATION NOTES

2020 STANLEY CUP QUALIFIERS – EASTERN CONFERENCE ROUND ROBIN

ROUND ROBIN NOTES

* Teams in the Eastern Conference Round Robin have won the Presidents’ Trophy a combined four times in the past five years (BOS in 2019-20, TBL in 2018-19, WSH in 2015-16 & 2016-17) and five times in the last seven years (also BOS in 2013-14).

* The Stanley Cup Final has featured one of these four clubs in six of the past 10 years: Boston has made three appearances in that span (L in 2019, L in 2013 & W in 2011), while Washington (W in 2018), Tampa Bay (L in 2015) and Philadelphia (L in 2010) each have one.

* Since 2007-08, the Capitals (10x), Bruins (5x), Lightning (2x) and Flyers (1x) have combined for 18 division titles, including eight over the past five seasons.

* In all but two of 14 seasons since 2006-07, the Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy has been claimed by a player from one of these four teams. Since 2003-04, players with Tampa Bay and Washington have combined for four Art Ross Trophy wins.

#NHLSTATS: BOSTON BRUINS

* After falling in Game 7 of the 2019 Stanley Cup Final, Boston will return to the postseason for the fourth consecutive year and 11th time in the past 13 seasons. This will mark their 73rd all-time playoff appearance, second in NHL history behind Montreal.

* Boston can become the fifth franchise in the last 20 years to make consecutive trips to the Stanley Cup Final (PIT: 2016 & 2017, 2008 & 2009; DET: 2008 & 2009; NJD: 2000 & 2001; and DAL: 1999 & 2000).

* The Bruins set their sights on becoming the ninth team to win the Presidents’ Trophy and the Stanley Cup in the same season (since 1985-86).

* The Bruins made the playoffs each season from 1967-68 through 1995-96, a run of 29 consecutive postseason appearances that stands as the longest in NHL history.

* David Pastrnak is averaging 1.02 points per game in the playoffs (17-26—43 in 42 GP), highlighted by a performance in Game 2 of the 2018 First Round where he became the youngest player in NHL history to record six points in a playoff game. Pastrnak, who celebrated his 24th birthday on May 25, stands as one of six active players to average at least one point per game played in the postseason prior to his 25th birthday (min. 40 GP).

* Tuukka Rask (50-39) needs three wins during the Stanley Cup Playoffs to tie Gerry Cheevers (53-34) for the most in franchise history. Only Marc-Andre Fleury (78) and Henrik Lundqvist (61) have more career playoff wins among active goaltenders.

* Zdeno Chara’s last playoff game was his NHL-record 14th career Game 7 during the Stanley Cup Playoffs, surpassing Patrick Roy (6-7) and Scott Stevens (7-6) on the all-time list. Chara is 6-8 in those contests, with four assists.

* After becoming the second European-trained captain to win the Stanley Cup in 2011, Chara now aims to become the fifth player to hoist the Cup at age 42 or older. The only players to do so: Johnny Bower in 1967 (42), Dominik Hasek in 2008 (43), Mark Recchi in 2011 (43) and Chris Chelios in 2008 (46). Rangers coach Lester Patrick won the Cup at age 44 in 1928 after playing goal in one playoff game.

* Chara is one of five players who won the Stanley Cup with Boston in 2011 and remain with the team. The others: Patrice Bergeron, David Krejci, Brad Marchand and Rask.

* Bergeron and Krejci are tied for second place on the Bruins’ all-time playoff points list, with each player 58 points shy of franchise leader Ray Bourque. They also rank among the top 10 on franchise lists for career playoff goals and assists.

* The Bruins were the only team to reach the 100-point mark before the pause, making Bruce Cassidy the 11th head coach in NHL history to record 100+ points in each of his first three full seasons with a club. 

* The Bruins have faced the Flyers in three neutral-site games during the regular season, detailed in the PDF.

#NHLSTATS: TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING

* The Lightning will return to the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the sixth time in the past seven seasons (since 2013-14), advancing to at least the Conference Finals three times in that span.

* Tampa Bay has reached at least the Eastern Conference Final in four of the last nine years. Each of those four Conference Finals series have extended to seven games, against Boston (L in 2011), the NY Rangers (W in 2015), Pittsburgh (L in 2016) and Washington (L in 2018).

* In 2019, Tampa Bay was swept for the second time in its history and first time since 2014 (R1 vs. MTL). The Lightning rebounded from that 2014 sweep by reaching the Stanley Cup Final the next year.

* The Lightning own a .652 winning percentage in 23 playoff overtime games, the second-highest such percentage in NHL history behind the Islanders (.667; 34-17 in 51 GP).

* Nikita Kucherov needs seven points to match Martin St. Louis for the most playoff points in franchise history; Steven Stamkos, Tyler Johnson and Victor Hedman also rank among the top six.

* Kucherov also is four goals from tying St. Louis for the most in franchise playoff history, while Johnson is tied for third with Lecavalier – one more than Stamkos. Johnson also needs one game-winning goal to tie St. Louis for the most in Lightning playoff history.

* Andrei Vasilevskiy (15-15), the NHL wins leader in each of the past three regular seasons, trails only Nikolai Khabibulin (21-12) and Ben Bishop (21-13) for the most playoff wins in franchise history.

* Jon Cooper holds a career playoff record of 36-32 since taking over as Lightning head coach in 2013-14, accounting for nearly half of Tampa Bay’s all-time postseason wins – John Tortorella (24-21), Guy Boucher (11-7) and Terry Crisp (2-4) are a combined 37-32.

* The Lightning, who won two neutral-site games in 2019-20, have faced the Capitals in one neutral-site game during the regular season, detailed in the PDF.

#NHLSTATS: WASHINGTON CAPITALS

* The Capitals will enter the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the 12th time over the last 13 years, including six straight appearances dating to 2015. 

* Eleven of the 22 players who captured the Stanley Cup with Washington in 2018 remain with the team (Nicklas Backstrom, John Carlson, Lars Eller, Braden Holtby, Michal Kempny, Evgeny Kuznetsov, Dmitry Orlov, T.J. Oshie, Alex Ovechkin, Jakub Vrana & Tom Wilson).

* The Capitals are 8-1-0 in nine all-time neutral-site games during the regular season, including five consecutive wins. Their only loss was at Halifax Metro Centre on March 9, 1994 (7-5 L at NYR), where former Washington forward Mike Gartner factored on four of New York’s seven goals (1-3—4).

* The Capitals have faced the Lightning in one neutral-site game during the regular season, at O-Rena in Orlando, Fla. on March 20, 1994. Don Beaupre made 23 saves in a 3-0 victory.

* The Capitals and Flyers have met in one neutral-site game during the regular season, at Richfield Coliseum in Ohio on Feb. 2, 1994. Washington scored four unanswered goals to rally for a 5-2 win.

* Ovechkin is the franchise’s all-time leader in Stanley Cup Playoffs goals and points (65-61—126 in 128 GP), while Backstrom sits atop the Capitals’ all-time postseason assists list (36-70—106 in 123 GP).

* Ovechkin (65), who reached the 700-goal milestone in 2019-20, ranks third among active players for career playoff goals behind Penguins teammates Patrick Marleau (72) and Sidney Crosby (66). Ovechkin owns a career goals-per-game average of 0.51 in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, tied for eighth in NHL history (min. 100 GP).

* Backstrom has assisted on 23 of Ovechkin’s 65 career goals in the Stanley Cup Playoffs (35.4%). Only seven players in NHL history have assisted on more postseason goals by a teammate.

* Carlson, the franchise leader in playoff goals (18) and points (60) by a defenseman, is tied with Calle Johansson for the second-most postseason assists by a Capitals blueliner (42; Scott Stevens: 44).

#NHLSTATS: PHILADELPHIA FLYERS

* The Flyers have reached the Stanley Cup Playoffs every other year since a run of five straight postseason berths ended in 2012.

* Philadelphia last won a playoff series in 2012 when it defeated Pittsburgh in the Conference Quarterfinals. It is one of 10 series in Stanley Cup Playoffs history to feature at least 56 combined goals.

* The Flyers have faced the Bruins in three neutral-site games during the regular season, detailed in the PDF. Philadelphia’s lone victory came on New Year’s Eve in 1993 when Eric Lindros, Mikael Renberg and Mark Recchi each had 1-2—3 to help the Flyers rally from a three-goal deficit to win 4-3.

* The Flyers and Capitals have met in one neutral-site game during the regular season, at Richfield Coliseum in Ohio on Feb. 2, 1994.

* Two players who dressed at least one game during the Flyers’ run to the 2010 Stanley Cup Final remain with the team: Claude Giroux and James van Riemsdyk. The latter is in his second stint with Philadelphia after skating six seasons with Toronto from 2012-13 to 2017-18.

* Giroux has 24-41—65 in 69 career games during the Stanley Cup Playoffs to rank ninth on the Flyers’ all-time postseason points list. His 18 career multi-point playoff games – which include a club-record 3-3—6 showing in Game 2 of the 2012 Conference Quarterfinals – are the seventh-most by a Flyers player.

* Carter Hart, who is set to turn 22 on Aug. 13, can become the youngest Flyers goaltender to earn a win in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Pete Peeters currently holds that distinction, earning his first playoff win with Philadelphia at age 22 years, 235 days in Game 1 of the 1980 Preliminary Round.

* Matt Niskanen is the only Stanley Cup winner on the Flyers’ active roster – he won with the Capitals in 2018. His 125 career postseason games are the most among current Philadelphia players, ahead of Justin Braun (84 GP), Giroux (69 GP), Nate Thompson (62 GP), van Riemsdyk (59 GP) and Brian Elliott (45 GP).

* Alain Vigneault is 68-71 in 139 career playoff games as an NHL head coach. His 68 wins are the 14th-most in League history and second-most among active head coaches behind Joel Quenneville (118-97).