The Stanley Cup Playoffs, as is their way, kicked off with a wild fortnight that gave us surprise performances, nasty injuries, terrific fan support, two Game 7s, and a couple of nice upsets. We recount hockey’s Sweet 16 through 67 statistics…
46 years since both the defending champions and the defending NHL standings points leader both missed the playoffs (the 1968-69 Montreal Canadiens)
4 out of six times the winner of a Vancouver-Calgary series has advanced to the final (good omen, Flames fans!)
12 weeks, approximate time Patrick Kane would be sidelined after clavicle surgery, according to the Blackhawks doctor
7 weeks, time it took Kane to return
1st round of the draft choice (plus prospect Klas Dahlbeck) the Blackhawks traded to the Arizona Coyotes to rent Antoine Vermette
1st game of the playoffs Vermette was made a healthy scratch
4 nice, wholesome-looking people photo-bombed by Blues captain David Backes:
19 years since Winnipeg hosted an NHL playoff game
8 straight playoff losses by Jets/Thrashers, the ugliest post-season start of any NHL franchise
124 decibels, peak noise level of the Winnipeg crowd, measured during Game 3
6 of Ryan Kesler’s last 6 playoff goals to come in the third period
6 consecutive playoff overtime games the Penguins have lost at home
146 career playoff overtime games called by play-by-play man Bob Cole
$1.19 cost of the Bob Cole app
$50,000 fine paid by Calgary coach Bob Hartley for his role in a Game 2 brawl
52 comeback wins for the Ducks since the beginning of 2013-14, an NHL best
11 years since a St. Louis Blue registered a playoff hat trick. Vladimir Tarasenko picked up where Mike Sillinger left off:
5 minutes or less, time it took the Winnipeg Jets to sell all the tickets to games 3 and 4 of their first-round series
11/2 odds of the favoured Rangers winning the 2015 Stanley Cup
275 post-season man-games, combined, by the Calgary Flames, the least experienced team in the tournament
1,565 post-season man-games, combined, by the Chicago Blackhawks, the most experienced team in the tournament
28 games the Anaheim Ducks, the maximum, needed to win EA Sports’ simulated Stanley Cup. They’re now on pace for 16, the minimum
2 teams entering the playoffs with zero Stanley Cup rings, the Blues and Senators
16 points separating the No. 1 playoff seed from the No. 16 seed, the greatest parity since the Cup tournament expanded to 16 teams
7 teams that whiffed on the 2014-15 playoffs that qualified for the 2015-16 playoffs, the largest year-to-year change in NHL history
23-4-4 Senators’ record in their final 31 games to qualify for the playoffs
8 of the Capitals’ last 10 playoff series that have required a Game 7
1 time the Senators were shut out all season: Game 6 versus Montreal, in which goaltender Carey Price made 43 saves
12 seconds, length of silent treatment, suggested by Brandon Prust, the Habs gave Price after his series-clinching shutout:
10 points registered by Calgary’s top line of Jiri Hudler, Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan in Vancouver-ousting Game 6
17th Avenue, a.k.a. Red Mile, the street Flames fans flocked to after the series win on home ice:
(photo via imagur)
1 team in NHL history to have two separate goaltenders win games in relief in one round, the 2015 Blackhawks (Scott Darling bailing out Corey Crawford in Game 1; vice versa in Game 6)
101:00 length of Chicago’s triple-overtime victory in Game 4, the longest game in Predators history
60 per cent of the NHL’s last 10 double-OT-and-beyond games that have involved the Blackhawks
5 minutes and a game misconduct, served by P.K. Subban for his wrist-fracturing slash on Mark Stone’s wrist:
159 career points scored by Mark Reeds, former player and Senators assistant coach, who passed away just before the start of the playoffs
3 consecutive post-seasons in which the favoured Blues have lost in the opening round in six games and have scored just one goal in their elimination game
2 minutes served by Washington wrecking ball Tom Wilson for this hit on Lubomir Visnovsky:
.972 save percentage by Ottawa’s Craig Anderson (2-2), the best of any goaltender with a decision; his team was eliminated anyway
100 per cent of the games that Lightning have been shut out (three) this season that have come against Detroit
11 consecutive Game 3s on the road won by the Rangers, dating back to 1992
11 shots mustered by the Islanders in Game 7 versus Washington, the fewest ever in a Game 7
1 day after eliminating, then taunting the Toronto Raptors, Paul Piece was taunting the Islanders from the stands:
1 year Washington’s Wizards and Capitals have both won their opening-round playoff series (2015)
8 goaltenders to be awarded their first career playoff victory this round
10 stripes on the original Where’s Waldo’s long-sleeve:
402 calories in a traditional cinnamon sugar BeaverTail, the snack Ottawa’s mayor had to send to Montreal’s mayor after their first-round bet
14 of the New York Islanders’ 14 power plays killed by the Capitals — perfect
78 F-bombs Senators coach/dry wit Dave Cameron threatened to unleash at the beginning of a press conference:
3 months and counting since the Wild lost consecutive games in regulation (Jan. 11 and 13)
0 points for Evgeni Malkin in the Penguins’ five-game series loss to the Rangers
0 shots by Malkin in Game 3, the only time he failed to register a shot on goal in a home playoff game (50 games played)
8 days later it was reveled Malkin rushed coming back from a sprained ankle
0 goals for former 60-goal man Steven Stamkos, drafted first overall, in his series versus the Red Wings
6 goals for Tyler Johnson, drafted not at all, in his series versus the Red Wings
18 years, age of Sam Bennett, the youngest Flame to ever score in the playoffs:
6 points for Jakub Silfverberg in Anaheim’s four-game sweep of the Jets
2 points for Ottawa’s Bobby Ryan, traded for Silfverberg, in a six-game loss to Montreal
100 hits delivered by Detroit’s Niklas Kronwall this season (playoffs and regular season) for which he was not suspended
1 hit that cost him a place in Game 7’s lineup:
8 goaltenders who made their first playoff start
12 professional hockey teams Scott Darling played for before joining the Blackhawks
52 hits delivered in seven games by Islanders body-checker on a mission Matt Martin
57 years since the Red Wings blew a two-goal, third-period lead in a home playoff game (April 1, 1958 vs. Montreal)
2 games Jets defenceman Jacob Trouba played with a broken hand
185 career home runs for Tampa Rays’ Evan Longoria, who gave the cross-town Lightning a little eye-black love before Game 7:
7 questions into his post-elimination press conference that Detroit’s Mike Babcock was asked about his future
(Numbers pilfered with love from SN Stats, Elias, NHL.com, various teams.)
