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The 2022 Stanley Cup playoffs was the playoff tournament of the
National Hockey League The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranked professional ...
(NHL). The playoffs began on May 2, 2022, one day after the 2021–22 NHL regular season, and concluded on June 26, 2022, with the
Colorado Avalanche The Colorado Avalanche (colloquially known as the Avs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference. The Avalanche play thei ...
winning their third
Stanley Cup The Stanley Cup (french: La Coupe Stanley) is the championship trophy awarded annually to the National Hockey League (NHL) playoff champion. It is the oldest existing trophy to be awarded to a professional sports franchise in North America, an ...
in franchise history, defeating the
Tampa Bay Lightning The Tampa Bay Lightning (colloquially known as the Bolts) are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. They play th ...
four games to two in the
Stanley Cup Finals The Stanley Cup Finals in ice hockey (also known as the Stanley Cup Final among various media, french: Finale de la Coupe Stanley) is the National Hockey League's (NHL) championship series to determine the winner of the Stanley Cup, North America ...
. With the
Government of Canada The government of Canada (french: gouvernement du Canada) is the body responsible for the federal administration of Canada. A constitutional monarchy, the Crown is the corporation sole, assuming distinct roles: the executive, as the ''Crown ...
allowing cross-border travel for fully vaccinated players and team personnel between
Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
and the
United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
, the league was able to return to its usual two conference, four division alignment. As a result, the standard 16-team playoff format that was used before the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
from
2014 File:2014 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Stocking up supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Western African Ebola virus epidemic; Citizens examining the ruins after the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping; Bundles of wat ...
2019 File:2019 collage v1.png, From top left, clockwise: Hong Kong protests turn to widespread riots and civil disobedience; House of Representatives votes to adopt articles of impeachment against Donald Trump; CRISPR gene editing first used to experim ...
was reinstated. The
Florida Panthers The Florida Panthers are a professional ice hockey team based in the Miami metropolitan area. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern ...
made the playoffs as the
Presidents' Trophy The Presidents' Trophy (french: Trophée des présidents) is an award presented by the National Hockey League (NHL) to the team that finishes with the most points (i.e. best record) during the NHL regular season. If two teams are tied for the mo ...
winners with the most points (i.e. best record) during the regular season. The
Pittsburgh Penguins The Pittsburgh Penguins (colloquially known as the Pens) are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division of the Eastern Conference, and have playe ...
increased their postseason appearance streak to 16 seasons, the longest active streak in the four major North American professional sports leagues. Three of the semifinalists from the previous season (the
Montreal Canadiens The Montreal CanadiensEven in English, the French spelling is always used instead of ''Canadians''. The French spelling of ''Montréal'' is also sometimes used in the English media. (french: link=no, Les Canadiens de Montréal), officially ...
,
New York Islanders The New York Islanders (colloquially known as the Isles) are a professional ice hockey team based in Elmont, New York. The Islanders compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference ( ...
and
Vegas Golden Knights The Vegas Golden Knights are a professional ice hockey team based in the Las Vegas metropolitan area. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference. Founded in 2017 as an expan ...
) failed to qualify for the playoffs. The
Los Angeles Kings The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles. The team competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference and was founded on June 5, 1967, after Jack Kent ...
ended a two-year run in which no teams from California qualified for the playoffs. All eight playoff teams from the Eastern Conference finished the season with at least 100 points, marking the first playoffs in NHL history in which all eight teams in a single conference qualified with at least 100 points. Florida's opening round series victory over the
Washington Capitals The Washington Capitals (colloquially known as the Caps) are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. The team competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL) ...
was their first series win since the 1996 Eastern Conference Finals. This postseason marked the third time that the league has played 50 or more games in opening round of the playoffs since this round was changed to a best-of-seven format in
1987 File:1987 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The MS Herald of Free Enterprise capsizes after leaving the Port of Zeebrugge in Belgium, killing 193; Northwest Airlines Flight 255 crashes after takeoff from Detroit Metropolitan Airport, k ...
. The First Round featured five Game 7s, the most in a single playoff round since
1992 File:1992 Events Collage V1.png, From left, clockwise: 1992 Los Angeles riots, Riots break out across Los Angeles, California after the Police brutality, police beating of Rodney King; El Al Flight 1862 crashes into a residential apartment buildi ...
, when there were six Game 7s in the Division Semifinals. On May 15, for the first time since
1997 File:1997 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The movie set of ''Titanic'', the highest-grossing movie in history at the time; ''Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'', is published; Comet Hale-Bopp passes by Earth and becomes one of t ...
, and the second time in League history, both Game 7s went into overtime. With their Conference Final series victory, the
Tampa Bay Lightning The Tampa Bay Lightning (colloquially known as the Bolts) are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. They play th ...
became the third team in league history to win at least eleven consecutive playoff series; joining the
Montreal Canadiens The Montreal CanadiensEven in English, the French spelling is always used instead of ''Canadians''. The French spelling of ''Montréal'' is also sometimes used in the English media. (french: link=no, Les Canadiens de Montréal), officially ...
(1976–1980) and
New York Islanders The New York Islanders (colloquially known as the Isles) are a professional ice hockey team based in Elmont, New York. The Islanders compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference ( ...
(1980–1984) in accomplishing this feat.


Playoff seeds

This was the seventh year and first since
2019 File:2019 collage v1.png, From top left, clockwise: Hong Kong protests turn to widespread riots and civil disobedience; House of Representatives votes to adopt articles of impeachment against Donald Trump; CRISPR gene editing first used to experim ...
, in which the top three teams in each division made the
playoffs The playoffs, play-offs, postseason or finals of a sports league are a competition played after the regular season by the top competitors to determine the league champion or a similar accolade. Depending on the league, the playoffs may be eithe ...
, along with two wild cards in each conference (for a total of eight playoff teams from each conference). The following teams qualified for the playoffs:


Eastern Conference


Atlantic Division

#
Florida Panthers The Florida Panthers are a professional ice hockey team based in the Miami metropolitan area. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern ...
, Atlantic Division champions, Eastern Conference regular season champions,
Presidents' Trophy The Presidents' Trophy (french: Trophée des présidents) is an award presented by the National Hockey League (NHL) to the team that finishes with the most points (i.e. best record) during the NHL regular season. If two teams are tied for the mo ...
winners – 122 points #
Toronto Maple Leafs The Toronto Maple Leafs (officially the Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey Club and often referred to as the Leafs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Div ...
– 115 points #
Tampa Bay Lightning The Tampa Bay Lightning (colloquially known as the Bolts) are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. They play th ...
– 110 points (39 )


Metropolitan Division

#
Carolina Hurricanes The Carolina Hurricanes (colloquially known as the Canes) are a professional ice hockey team based in Raleigh, North Carolina. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference, ...
,
Metropolitan Division The National Hockey League's Metropolitan Division (often referred to simply as the "Metro Division") was formed in 2013 as one of the two divisions in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Conference as part of a league realignment. It is also a ...
champions – 116 points #
New York Rangers The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the New York City borough of Manhattan. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference. The team plays its home ...
– 110 points (44 ) #
Pittsburgh Penguins The Pittsburgh Penguins (colloquially known as the Pens) are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division of the Eastern Conference, and have playe ...
– 103 points


Wild Cards

#
Boston Bruins The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston. The Bruins compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. The team has been in existence since 1924, making t ...
– 107 points #
Washington Capitals The Washington Capitals (colloquially known as the Caps) are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. The team competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL) ...
– 100 points


Western Conference


Central Division

#
Colorado Avalanche The Colorado Avalanche (colloquially known as the Avs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference. The Avalanche play thei ...
, Central Division champions, Western Conference regular season champions – 119 points #
Minnesota Wild The Minnesota Wild are a professional ice hockey team based in Saint Paul, Minnesota. The Wild competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference and play their home games at the Xcel Ener ...
– 113 points #
St. Louis Blues The St. Louis Blues are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Louis. The Blues compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference. The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the s ...
– 109 points


Pacific Division

#
Calgary Flames The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary. The Flames compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference, and ...
, Pacific Division champions – 111 points #
Edmonton Oilers The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton. The Oilers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. They play their home games at Rogers Place, which ...
– 104 points #
Los Angeles Kings The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles. The team competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference and was founded on June 5, 1967, after Jack Kent ...
– 99 points


Wild Cards

#
Dallas Stars The Dallas Stars are a professional ice hockey team based in Dallas. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference, and were founde ...
– 98 points #
Nashville Predators The Nashville Predators (commonly referred to as the Preds) are a professional ice hockey team based in Nashville, Tennessee. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference, and ha ...
– 97 points


Playoff bracket


First Round


Eastern Conference First Round


(A1) Florida Panthers vs. (WC2) Washington Capitals

The Florida Panthers earned the
Presidents' Trophy The Presidents' Trophy (french: Trophée des présidents) is an award presented by the National Hockey League (NHL) to the team that finishes with the most points (i.e. best record) during the NHL regular season. If two teams are tied for the mo ...
as the NHL's best regular season team with 122 points. Washington finished as the Eastern Conference's second wild card, earning 100 points. This was the first playoff meeting between these two teams. Florida won two of the three games in this year's regular season series. The Panthers defeated the Capitals in six games and won their first playoff series since
1996 File:1996 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: A Centennial Olympic Park bombing, bomb explodes at Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta, set off by a radical Anti-abortion violence, anti-abortionist; The center fuel tank explodes on TWA Flight 8 ...
. In Game 1, the Capitals overcame a one-goal deficit in the third period and gained the lead at 10:37 on
T. J. Oshie Timothy Leif "T. J." Oshie (born December 23, 1986) is an American professional ice hockey right winger for the Washington Capitals of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected by the St. Louis Blues in the first round of the 2005 NHL ...
's goal to win 4–2.
Aleksander Barkov Aleksander Aleksandrovich "Sasha" Barkov (russian: Александр Александрович Барков; born 2 September 1995) is a Finnish professional ice hockey centre and captain of the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League ...
and
Carter Verhaeghe Carter Verhaeghe ( ; born August 14, 1995) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre for the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted in the third round, 82nd overall in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft by the Toronto Mapl ...
both scored a goal and an provided an assist in the Panthers' 5–1 victory in Game 2.
Ilya Samsonov Ilya Alexeyevich Samsonov (, russian: Илья Алексеевич Самсонов; born 22 February 1997) is a Russian professional ice hockey goaltender for the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League (NHL). Growing up in Magnitog ...
made 29 saves for the Capitals in Game 3, outscoring the Panthers 6–1 and taking a 2–1 series lead. Verhaeghe scored twice in Game 4, including the overtime-winning goal for the Panthers, tying the series up 2–2 in a 3–2 triumph. In Game 5, Verhaeghe scored twice and assisted on the other three Panthers’ goals in Florida's three-goal comeback, taking the game 5–3 to lead the series 3–2. In Game 6,
Claude Giroux Claude Giroux (; born January 12, 1988) is a Canadian professional ice hockey forward and alternate captain for the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League (NHL). He has previously played for the Philadelphia Flyers and the Florida Panthe ...
scored a goal and provided two assists and Verhaeghe scored the overtime goal in a 4–3 victory sending the Panthers to the Second Round for the first time in 26 years.


(A2) Toronto Maple Leafs vs. (A3) Tampa Bay Lightning

The Toronto Maple Leafs finished second in the Atlantic Division, earning 115 points. The Tampa Bay Lightning earned 110 points to finish third in the Atlantic Division. This was the first playoff meeting between these two teams. These teams split their four-game regular season series. The Lightning defeated the Maple Leafs in seven games. In Game 1, Maple Leaf's forward
Auston Matthews Auston Taylour Matthews (born September 17, 1997) is an American professional ice hockey center and alternate captain for the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League (NHL). Born in San Ramon, California, Matthews and his family moved ...
provided two goals and an assist in Jack Campbell's 24-save 5–0 shutout.
Victor Hedman Victor Erik Olof Hedman (; born 18 December 1990) is a Swedish professional ice hockey defenseman and alternate captain for the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League (NHL). Hedman was selected second overall by the Lightning in the 20 ...
had a goal and three assists for the Lightning in Game 2, giving Tampa Bay a 5–3 victory. In Game 3,
Pierre Engvall Pierre Engvall (born 31 May 1996) is a Swedish professional ice hockey player for the New York Islanders of the National Hockey League (NHL). Engvall was selected by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the seventh round (188th overall) of the 2014 NHL Ent ...
provided three assists for the Maple Leafs, staving off a potential comeback from Tampa Bay and winning 5–2. In Game 4, the Lightning got off to a quick start, scoring three goals within the first eight minutes of the game en route to a 7–3 victory. The Maple Leafs came back from a 2–0 deficit in Game 5 with
William Nylander William Andrew Michael Junior Nylander Altelius (born 1 May 1996) is a Canadian-born Swedish professional ice hockey right winger for the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League (NHL). Nylander was selected by the Maple Leafs in the ...
providing a goal and two assists in a 4–3 victory. In Game 6, although the Maple Leafs came back from a two-goal deficit, the Lightning's
Brayden Point Brayden Point (born March 13, 1996) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre playing for the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League (NHL). The Lightning selected Point in the third round, 79th overall in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft. P ...
scored in overtime to extend the series to a seventh game in a 4–3 affair. In Game 7,
Nick Paul Nicholas Paul (born March 20, 1995) is a Canadian professional ice hockey left winger for the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League (NHL). A left winger, he was selected by the Dallas Stars in the fourth round, 101st overall, of the 2 ...
scored twice while the Lightning defended their 2–1 lead onto the victory and a Second Round advancement. With their loss in Game 7 the Maple Leafs have lost eight consecutive playoff series.


(M1) Carolina Hurricanes vs. (WC1) Boston Bruins

The Carolina Hurricanes finished first in the Metropolitan Division earning 116 points. Boston finished as the Eastern Conference's first wild card earning 107 points. This was the seventh playoff meeting between these two teams, with Boston winning five of the six previous series. They last met in the 2020 Eastern Conference First Round, which Boston won in five games. Carolina won all three games in this year's regular season series. The Hurricanes defeated the Bruins in seven games, with the home team victorious in every game.
Antti Raanta Antti Raanta (born 12 May 1989) is a Finnish professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing for the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League (NHL). Raanta was initially signed by the Chicago Blackhawks as an undrafted free agent. H ...
made 35 saves in Game 1, backstopping the Hurricanes in a 5–1 victory. Upon Hurricanes forward
Nino Niederreiter Nino Niederreiter (born 8 September 1992) is a Swiss professional ice hockey winger for the Winnipeg Jets of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected fifth overall by the New York Islanders in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, making him the hi ...
's two goals and Pyotr Kochetkov's 30 saves in relief of Raanta, Carolina gained 2–0 series lead by defeating Boston 5–2. In Game 3,
Brad Marchand Brad Marchand ( ; born May 11, 1988) is a Canadian professional ice hockey Winger (ice hockey), left winger and alternate captain for the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League (NHL). The Bruins selected Marchand in the third round, 71st o ...
scored a goal and provided two assists in the Bruins' 4–2 victory. In Game 4, Marchand scored or provided an assist on every Bruins goal in Boston's 5–2 victory, tying the series 2–2. In Game 5,
Seth Jarvis Seth Jarvis (born February 1, 2002) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre for the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League (NHL). Jarvis was selected 13th overall by the Hurricanes in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft. Early life Jarvis w ...
scored twice and
Teuvo Teravainen Teuvo is a masculine given name predominantly found in Finland. Individuals bearing the name include: * Teuvo Aura (1912–1999), Finnish politician *Teuvo Hakkarainen (born 1960), Finnish politician and member of Finnish Parliament * Teuvo Hatun ...
assisted thrice in the Hurricanes 5–1 victory, taking a 3–2 series lead in the process. In Game 6,
Charlie Coyle Charles Robert Coyle (born March 2, 1992) is an American professional ice hockey forward currently playing for the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League (NHL). He has also played for the Minnesota Wild. Coyle played part of a single sea ...
and Marchand each scored a goal and provided an assist in the Bruins' 5–2 victory tying the series 3–3.
Max Domi Maxwell Johannes Domi (born March 2, 1995) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player for the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected by the Phoenix Coyotes in the first round, 12th overall, of the 2013 NHL Ent ...
scored twice and added an assist in Game 7, granting Carolina a 3–2 victory and an advancement to the Second Round.


(M2) New York Rangers vs. (M3) Pittsburgh Penguins

The New York Rangers finished second in the Metropolitan Division with 110 points. The Pittsburgh Penguins earned 103 points to finish third in the Metropolitan Division. This was the eighth playoff meeting between these two teams with Pittsburgh winning five of the seven previous series. They last met in the 2016 Eastern Conference First Round, which Pittsburgh won in five games. New York won three of the four games in this year's regular season series. The Rangers came back from a 3–1 series deficit to defeat the Penguins in seven games. In Game 1, although
Igor Shesterkin Igor Olegovich Shestyorkin (russian: Игорь Олегович Шестёркин, commonly spelled as Shesterkin; born 30 December 1995) is a Russian professional ice hockey goaltender for the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League (N ...
made 79 saves for the Rangers, Penguins forward
Evgeni Malkin Evgeni Vladimirovich Malkin ( rus, Евге́ний Влади́мирович Ма́лкин, p=jɪvˈɡʲenʲɪj ˈmaɫkʲɪn; born 31 July 1986) is a Russian professional ice hockey centre and alternate captain for the Pittsburgh Penguins of ...
scored for Pittsburgh at 5:58 of triple overtime to win 4–3. In Game 2,
Artemi Panarin Artemi Sergeyevich Panarin (russian: Арте́мий Серге́евич Пана́рин; born 30 October 1991), nicknamed the "Breadman", or simply "Bread", is a Russian professional ice hockey winger and alternate captain for the New York ...
and
Frank Vatrano Frank Vatrano (born March 14, 1994) is an American professional ice hockey player for the Anaheim Ducks of the National Hockey League (NHL). He has previously played for the Boston Bruins, Florida Panthers, and New York Rangers. Playing career ...
both scored a goal and provided two assists in the Rangers' 5–2 victory. In Game 3, although the Rangers tied the game after being down 4–1, Penguins forward
Danton Heinen Danton Heinen (born July 5, 1995) is a Canadians, Canadian professional ice hockey Winger (ice hockey), left wing for the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected by the Boston Bruins in the fourth round, 116th ov ...
's goal proved to be the game-winning goal at 11:02 of the third period giving Pittsburgh a 7–4 victory. The Penguins scored five times in the second period of Game 4, chasing goalie Shesterkin in a 7–2 route. In Game 5, the Rangers successfully came back from a two-goal deficit to win 5–3, forcing a sixth game.
Chris Kreider Christopher James Kreider (born April 30, 1991) is an American professional ice hockey winger and alternate captain for the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League (NHL). Raised in the Charlestown neighborhood of Boston, Kreider previo ...
gave the Rangers a lead late in the third period of Game 6, giving his team a 5–3 victory and tying the series 3–3. In Game 7 and the subsequent overtime, Panarin scored for New York sending the Rangers to the Second Round with a 4–3 victory. This marked the first time the Penguins lost a Game 7 on the road in franchise history after winning the previous six instances. The Rangers equalled both the
Montreal Canadiens The Montreal CanadiensEven in English, the French spelling is always used instead of ''Canadians''. The French spelling of ''Montréal'' is also sometimes used in the English media. (french: link=no, Les Canadiens de Montréal), officially ...
and
Vancouver Canucks The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference, and play their home games at Rogers Arena. Bruce B ...
for most comebacks from a 3–1 series deficit with three. The Rangers also became the first team in Stanley Cup playoff history to record three consecutive comeback wins in elimination games within the same series.


Western Conference First Round


(C1) Colorado Avalanche vs. (WC2) Nashville Predators

The Colorado Avalanche finished first in the Central Division and Western Conference earning 119 points. The Nashville Predators earned 97 points to finish as the Western Conference's second wild card. This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams. Their only previous meeting was in the 2018 Western Conference First Round, which Nashville won in six games. Nashville won three of the four games in this year's regular season series. The Avalanche defeated the Predators in a four-game sweep. Colorado scored five times in the first period of Game 1, forcing Nashville to switch goalies in a 7–2 affair. In Game 2, the Avalanche shot 51 times at Predators' goalie Connor Ingram and at 8:31 of overtime,
Cale Makar Cale Douglas Makar (born October 30, 1998) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman for the Colorado Avalanche of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected with the fourth overall pick by the Avalanche in the 2017 NHL Entry Draf ...
scored to give Colorado a 2–1 victory.
Gabriel Landeskog Gabriel Landeskog (; born 23 November 1992) is a Swedish professional ice hockey left winger and captain of the Colorado Avalanche of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected second overall in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft by Colorado. On 4 ...
scored and assisted twice in Game 3, helping the Avalanche obtain both a 7–3 victory and 3–0 series lead. In Game 4, Andre Burakovsky's goal and two assists helped lift the Avalanche to a 5–3 victory, advancing to the Second Round.


(C2) Minnesota Wild vs. (C3) St. Louis Blues

The Minnesota Wild finished second in the Central Division earning 113 points. The St. Louis Blues earned 109 points to finish third in the Central Division. This was the third playoff meeting between these teams with the teams splitting the two previous series. They last met in the 2017 Western Conference First Round, which St. Louis won in five games. St. Louis won all three games in this year's regular season series. The Blues defeated the Wild in six games. In Game 1,
Ville Husso Ville Husso (born 6 February 1995) is a Finnish professional ice hockey goaltender for the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League (NHL). He has also played for the St. Louis Blues. Playing career Husso started his career in the youth s ...
made 37 saves for the Blues and
David Perron David Perron (born May 28, 1988) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player for the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League (NHL). Growing up in Sherbrooke, Quebec, Perron played his junior hockey for the Lewiston Maineiacs of the ...
scored a hat trick in St. Louis' 4–0 victory. The Wild returned with a hat trick of their own in Game 2 when
Kirill Kaprizov Kirill Olegovich Kaprizov (russian: Кирилл Олегович Капризов; born 26 April 1997) is a Russian professional ice hockey left winger for the Minnesota Wild of the National Hockey League (NHL). Before joining the Wild, Kaprizov ...
scored Minnesota's first playoff hat trick in a 6–2 victory. Marc-Andre Fleury made 29 saves for the Wild in Game 3, backstopping Minnesota into a 5–1 victory. Blues captain
Ryan O'Reilly Ryan O'Reilly (born February 7, 1991) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre and captain of the St. Louis Blues of the National Hockey League (NHL). He has previously played for the Colorado Avalanche and Buffalo Sabres. O'Reilly was dra ...
scored a goal and two assists in Game 4, leading St. Louis to a 5–2 victory.
Vladimir Tarasenko Vladimir Andreyevich Tarasenko (russian: Влади́мир Андре́евич Тарасе́нко; born 13 December 1991) is a Russian professional ice hockey right winger and alternate captain for the St. Louis Blues of the National Hockey ...
scored a hat trick in Game 5 spearheading his team to another 5–2 victory and a 3–2 series lead. In Game 6,
Jordan Binnington Jordan Binnington (born July 11, 1993) is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender for the St. Louis Blues of the National Hockey League (NHL). Binnington was raised in Richmond Hill and Toronto. He was drafted by the Blues in the third ...
made 25 saves for the Blues, defeating the Wild 5–1 and advancing to the Second Round.


(P1) Calgary Flames vs. (WC1) Dallas Stars

The Calgary Flames finished first in the Pacific Division earning 111 points. The Dallas Stars finished as the Western Conference's first wild card earning 98 points. This was the third playoff meeting between these two teams with Dallas winning both previous series. They last met in the 2020 Western Conference First Round, which Dallas won in six games. Calgary won two of the three games in this year's regular season series. The Flames defeated the Stars in seven games. In Game 1, Calgary's defence limited the Stars' offence to 16 shots as goalie
Jacob Markstrom Jacob (; ; ar, يَعْقُوب, Yaʿqūb; gr, Ἰακώβ, Iakṓb), later given the name Israel, is regarded as a patriarch of the Israelites and is an important figure in Abrahamic religions, such as Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Ja ...
claimed a 1–0 victory. The Stars responded with their own shutout victory in Game 2, scoring twice in a 2–0 affair with
Jake Oettinger Jakob Oettinger ( ; born December 18, 1998), nicknamed Otter, is an American professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing for the Dallas Stars of the National Hockey League (NHL). He played for Boston University during his collegiate ca ...
making 29 saves in the process.
Joe Pavelski Joseph James Pavelski (born July 11, 1984) is an American professional ice hockey player and alternate captain for the Dallas Stars of the National Hockey League (NHL). He previously played for the San Jose Sharks for the first thirteen years of ...
lead the Stars with two goals in Game 3, giving Dallas a 4–2 victory and a 2–1 series lead. The Flames put 54 shots on the Stars goaltender, and with four shots turning into goals, Calgary won Game 4, 4–1. In Game 5,
Mikael Backlund Mikael Backlund (born 17 March 1989) is a Swedish professional ice hockey centre and alternate captain for the Calgary Flames of the National Hockey League (NHL). Backlund was a first round selection, 24th overall, of the Flames in the 2007 NH ...
and
Andrew Mangiapane Andrew Mangiapane (born April 4, 1996) is a Canadians, Canadian professional ice hockey Winger (ice hockey), left winger currently playing for the Calgary Flames of the National Hockey League (NHL). He previously played with the Barrie Colts of ...
each scored a goal and provided an assist in Calgary's 3–1 comeback victory. In Game 6, Oettinger made 36 saves for the Stars leading his team to a 4–2 victory and forcing a seventh game. The Flames put on 67 shots in Game 7, but with two finding the back of the net on both sides, the game went into overtime. In the extra period, Calgary forward
Johnny Gaudreau John Michael Gaudreau (born August 13, 1993) is an American professional ice hockey winger who currently plays for the Columbus Blue Jackets of the National Hockey League (NHL). He played for the NCAA Division I's Boston College Eagles from 2 ...
scored to give the Flames a 3–2 victory and a Second Round advancement. In the loss, Oettinger became the second goalie since 1955 to post 60 or more saves in a seventh game.


(P2) Edmonton Oilers vs. (P3) Los Angeles Kings

The Edmonton Oilers finished second in the Pacific Division with 104 points. The Los Angeles Kings earned 99 points to finish third in the Pacific Division. This was the eighth playoff meeting between these two teams with Edmonton winning five of the seven previous series. They last met in the 1992 Smythe Division Semifinals, which Edmonton won in six games. Edmonton won three of the four games in this year's regular season series. The Oilers defeated the Kings in seven games. In Game 1,
Phillip Danault Phillip Danault (born February 24, 1993) is a Canadian professional ice hockey center and an alternate captain for the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted 26th overall by the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2011 NHL En ...
's goal with 5:14 left in the third period proved to be the game-winning goal for the Kings who edged the Oilers 4–3. Mike Smith stopped all 30 shots in Game 2, ending his ten-game playoff losing streak with a 6–0 shutout victory. The Oilers dominated Game 3, forcing Los Angeles to switch goalies and giving
Evander Kane Evander Frank Kane (born August 2, 1991) is a Canadian professional ice hockey left winger for the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League (NHL). He has previously played for the Atlanta Thrashers, Winnipeg Jets, Buffalo Sabres, and San ...
a hat trick in the process of an 8–2 rout.
Jonathan Quick Jonathan Douglas Quick (born January 21, 1986) is an American professional ice hockey goaltender for the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League (NHL). Quick was selected in the third round, 72nd overall, by Los Angeles at the 2005 NHL ...
claimed a 31-save shutout in Game 4, backstopping the Kings to a 4–0 victory. In the process, he became the leading United States-born goalie in playoff shutouts with 10. In Game 5, the Oilers came back from a two-goal deficit to tie the match, however, Kings forward
Adrian Kempe Adrian Kempe (born 13 September 1996) is a Swedish professional ice hockey player for the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League (NHL). Kempe was selected by the Kings in the first round (29th overall) of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft. Pla ...
's overtime goal, his second score of the affair, gave Los Angeles the 5–4 victory and a 3–2 series lead. In Game 6,
Connor McDavid Connor Andrew McDavid (born January 13, 1997) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre and captain of the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League (NHL). The Oilers selected him first overall in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft. McDavid spen ...
scored a goal and provided two assists in the Oilers' 4–2 victory, forcing a seventh game in Edmonton. In Game 7, McDavid scored and assisted in a 2–0 victory as they advanced to the Second Round.


Second Round


Eastern Conference Second Round


(A1) Florida Panthers vs. (A3) Tampa Bay Lightning

This was the second consecutive and the second overall playoff meeting between these two
rivals A rivalry is the state of two people or groups engaging in a lasting competitive relationship. Rivalry is the "against each other" spirit between two competing sides. The relationship itself may also be called "a rivalry", and each participant o ...
. Tampa Bay won the previous year's Stanley Cup First Round series in six games. These teams split their four-game regular season series. The Lightning defeated the Panthers in a four-game sweep. In Game 1,
Corey Perry Corey Perry (born May 16, 1985) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player for the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League (NHL). He played the first 14 years of his career with the Anaheim Ducks. He then played for the Dallas Stars ...
and
Nikita Kucherov Nikita Igorevich Kucherov (russian: Никита Игоревич Кучеров; born 17 June 1993) is a Russian professional ice hockey right winger for the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League (NHL). Regarded as one of the best p ...
both scored a goal and assisted in Tampa Bay's 4–1 victory. Ross Colton's goal with 3.8 seconds left in Game 2 provided Tampa Bay with a 2–1 victory and a 2–0 series lead. Kucherov scored a goal and assisted three times in the Lightning's 5–1 victory of Game 3, who took a 3–0 series lead in the process. In Game 4,
Andrei Vasilevskiy Andrei Andreyevich Vasilevskiy (russian: Андрей Андреевич Василевский; born 25 July 1994) is a Russian professional ice hockey goaltender for the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted i ...
made 49 saves in a 2–0 shutout, advancing the Lightning to the Conference Final for the third consecutive season. With their victory, they became the first team since the 1980–1984
New York Islanders The New York Islanders (colloquially known as the Isles) are a professional ice hockey team based in Elmont, New York. The Islanders compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference ( ...
dynasty to win ten consecutive playoff series and they equalled the 1956–1960 Montreal Canadiens in consecutive series victories.


(M1) Carolina Hurricanes vs. (M2) New York Rangers

This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams. Their only previous meeting was in the 2020 Eastern Conference Qualifying Round, which Carolina won in a three-game sweep. Carolina won three of the four games in this year's regular season series. The Rangers defeated the Hurricanes in seven games. After
Sebastian Aho Sebastian Antero Aho (born 26 July 1997) is a Finns, Finnish professional ice hockey player and Captain (ice hockey)#Alternate captains, alternate captain for the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League (NHL). Aho formerly played with ...
tied the game late for Carolina in Game 1,
Ian Cole Ian Douglas Cole (born February 21, 1989) is an American professional ice hockey defenseman currently playing for the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League (NHL). Cole won the Stanley Cup with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2016 and 201 ...
scored in overtime to give the Hurricanes a 2–1 victory. In Game 2, Aho scored a goal and provided an assist in
Antti Raanta Antti Raanta (born 12 May 1989) is a Finnish professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing for the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League (NHL). Raanta was initially signed by the Chicago Blackhawks as an undrafted free agent. H ...
's 21 save shutout for the Hurricanes' 2–0 victory. The Rangers rebounded in Game 3; aided by
Igor Shesterkin Igor Olegovich Shestyorkin (russian: Игорь Олегович Шестёркин, commonly spelled as Shesterkin; born 30 December 1995) is a Russian professional ice hockey goaltender for the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League (N ...
's 43 saves, New York defeated Carolina 3–1. In Game 4,
Andrew Copp Andrew Copp (born July 8, 1994) is an American professional ice hockey forward for the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected in the fourth round, 104th overall, by the Winnipeg Jets in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft. ...
notched a goal and two assists in the Rangers 4–1 victory, evening the series 2–2. The Hurricanes shot 34 times at Shesterkin in Game 5, banking in three goals for a 3–1 victory and a 3–2 series lead. In Game 6, Shesterkin made 37 saves and
Filip Chytil Filip Chytil (born 5 September 1999) is a Czech professional ice hockey centre for the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted by the Rangers in the first round, 21st overall, in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft. Internat ...
scored twice for the Rangers who defeated Carolina 5–2 to force a seventh game. New York shut the door on Carolina in Game 7, outscoring the Hurricanes 6–2 to advance to the Conference Final for the first time since
2015 File:2015 Events Collage new.png, From top left, clockwise: Civil service in remembrance of November 2015 Paris attacks; Germanwings Flight 9525 was purposely crashed into the French Alps; the rubble of residences in Kathmandu following the Apri ...
.


Western Conference Second Round


(C1) Colorado Avalanche vs. (C3) St. Louis Blues

This was the second consecutive playoff meeting and the third overall between these two teams with Colorado winning both previous series. Colorado won the previous year's Stanley Cup First Round series in a four-game sweep. Colorado won two of the three games in this year's regular season series. The Avalanche defeated the Blues in six games. In Game 1, the Avalanche poured 51 shots at Blues goaltender
Jordan Binnington Jordan Binnington (born July 11, 1993) is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender for the St. Louis Blues of the National Hockey League (NHL). Binnington was raised in Richmond Hill and Toronto. He was drafted by the Blues in the third ...
, however, the final shot in overtime by defenceman
Josh Manson Joshua David Manson (born October 7, 1991) is a Canadian-American professional ice hockey defenceman for the Colorado Avalanche of the National Hockey League (NHL). Manson was selected by the Anaheim Ducks in the sixth round, 160th overall, of th ...
gave Colorado a 3–2 victory.
David Perron David Perron (born May 28, 1988) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player for the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League (NHL). Growing up in Sherbrooke, Quebec, Perron played his junior hockey for the Lewiston Maineiacs of the ...
scored twice in Game 2 and with Binnington stopping 30 shots, St. Louis won 4–1. Binnington was injured and knocked out of the remainder of the series in the first period of Game 3, and
Artturi Lehkonen Artturi Lehkonen (born 4 July 1995) is a Finnish professional ice hockey player for the Colorado Avalanche of the National Hockey League (NHL). Lehkonen was selected by the Montreal Canadiens in the second round (55th overall) of the 2013 NHL Ent ...
scored twice for the Avalanche, as Colorado downed the Blues 5–2 for a 2–1 series lead. In Game 4,
Nazem Kadri Nazem Kadri (born October 6, 1990) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player for the Calgary Flames of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs seventh overall in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft. He played his juni ...
scored a hat trick and provided an assist in the Avalanche's 6–3 victory. Game 5 featured a wild scoring affair as the Avalanche had gained a three-goal lead and lost it, but banking off
Nathan MacKinnon Nathan Raymond MacKinnon (born September 1, 1995) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre and alternate captain for the Colorado Avalanche of the National Hockey League (NHL). MacKinnon was selected first overall by the Avalanche in the 201 ...
's hat trick goal with 2:46 remaining in the third period, Colorado retrieved a one-goal lead. St. Louis managed to tie the game again, and in the subsequent overtime period,
Tyler Bozak Tyler Bozak (born March 19, 1986) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre who is currently a free agent. He most recently played for the St. Louis Blues of the National Hockey League (NHL). Bozak has also previously played for the Toronto M ...
scored to give the Blues a 5–4 victory. In Game 6,
Darren Helm Darren Helm (born January 21, 1987) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player for the Colorado Avalanche of the National Hockey League (NHL). He previously played for the Detroit Red Wings. Helm is a two-time Stanley Cup champion, winning with ...
's goal with 5.6 seconds remaining proved to be the series-winning goal for Colorado, who advanced to the Conference Final for the first time since
2002 File:2002 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 2002 Winter Olympics are held in Salt Lake City; Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother and her daughter Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon die; East Timor gains East Timor independence, indepe ...
.


(P1) Calgary Flames vs. (P2) Edmonton Oilers

This was the sixth playoff meeting between these two
rivals A rivalry is the state of two people or groups engaging in a lasting competitive relationship. Rivalry is the "against each other" spirit between two competing sides. The relationship itself may also be called "a rivalry", and each participant o ...
with Edmonton winning four of the five previous series. They last met in the 1991 Smythe Division Semifinals, which Edmonton won in seven games. These teams split their four-game regular season series. The Oilers defeated the Flames in five games. Game 1 was an offensive outburst on both sides with a total of fifteen goals, the most in a playoff game within the
Battle of Alberta The Battle of Alberta is a term applied to the intense rivalry between the Canadian cities of Calgary, the province's most populous city (since 1976), and Edmonton, the capital of the province of Alberta (since 1905). Most often it is used to ...
. The Flames who reached a 6–2 lead had that advantage disappear as the Oilers tied the game, however, two of
Matthew Tkachuk Matthew Tkachuk (; born December 11, 1997) is an American professional ice hockey winger for the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League (NHL). Tkachuk was selected sixth overall at the 2016 NHL Entry Draft by the Calgary Flames. Playing ...
's hat trick goals sealed the victory for Calgary in a 9–6 affair. The Oilers successively overcame a two-goal deficit in Game 2 with
Leon Draisaitl Leon Tim Draisaitl (; born 27 October 1995) is a German professional ice hockey centre and alternate captain for the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League (NHL). Draisaitl grew up playing hockey in Germany until he was selected second ove ...
providing a goal and two assists in a 5–3 victory. The Oilers line of
Evander Kane Evander Frank Kane (born August 2, 1991) is a Canadian professional ice hockey left winger for the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League (NHL). He has previously played for the Atlanta Thrashers, Winnipeg Jets, Buffalo Sabres, and San ...
,
Connor McDavid Connor Andrew McDavid (born January 13, 1997) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre and captain of the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League (NHL). The Oilers selected him first overall in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft. McDavid spen ...
, and Draisaitl dominated the second period of Game 3 with Kane scoring a natural hat-trick, Draisaitl assisting four times, an NHL playoff record, and McDavid assisting three times, leading to an eventual 4–1 victory. In Game 4, the Flames tied the game after being down by three goals; however,
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins Ryan Jarromie Noel Nugent-Hopkins (born April 12, 1993) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre and alternate captain for the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League (NHL). Nicknamed "Nuge" by Oilers fans, Nugent-Hopkins was selected ...
's second goal broke the tie for Edmonton, scoring with 3:37 left in the game to lead the Oilers to a 5–3 victory and a 3–1 series lead. Game 5 was mainly a back-and-forth affair, with exception to the two-goal comeback by the Oilers. During the second period, Calgary and Edmonton combined to score four goals in 1:11, setting an NHL record for the fastest four goals in a playoff game. During the third period, Calgary had a late goal by
Blake Coleman Blake Coleman (born November 28, 1991), nicknamed "Pickles", is an American professional ice hockey winger for the Calgary Flames of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected in the third round, 75th overall, by the New Jersey Devils dur ...
disallowed after video review determined that the puck was kicked into the net. With the game tied at the end of the third period, both teams headed to overtime where McDavid scored to send Edmonton to the Conference Final for the first time since
2006 File:2006 Events Collage V1.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2006 Winter Olympics open in Turin; Twitter is founded and launched by Jack Dorsey; The Nintendo Wii is released; Montenegro 2006 Montenegrin independence referendum, votes to declare ...
.


Conference Finals


Eastern Conference Final


(M2) New York Rangers vs. (A3) Tampa Bay Lightning

This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams. New York made their seventh Semifinals/Conference Final appearance since the league began using a 16-team or greater playoff format in
1980 Events January * January 4 – U.S. President Jimmy Carter proclaims a grain embargo against the USSR with the support of the European Commission. * January 6 – Global Positioning System time epoch begins at 00:00 UTC. * January 9 – ...
. They lost their most recent appearance in the 2015 Eastern Conference Final, also the most recent playoff meeting between these two teams, in seven games to Tampa Bay. This was Tampa Bay's eighth Semifinals/Conference Final since entering the league and their third consecutive Third Round appearance, the first team to accomplish this feat since the 2015 Chicago Blackhawks. They won the previous year's Semifinals against the
New York Islanders The New York Islanders (colloquially known as the Isles) are a professional ice hockey team based in Elmont, New York. The Islanders compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference ( ...
in seven games. New York won all three games in this year's regular season series. The Lightning defeated the Rangers in six games.
Filip Chytil Filip Chytil (born 5 September 1999) is a Czech professional ice hockey centre for the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted by the Rangers in the first round, 21st overall, in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft. Internat ...
scored twice for the Rangers in Game 1, who defeated Tampa Bay 6–2. In Game 2,
Igor Shesterkin Igor Olegovich Shestyorkin (russian: Игорь Олегович Шестёркин, commonly spelled as Shesterkin; born 30 December 1995) is a Russian professional ice hockey goaltender for the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League (N ...
made 29 saves for the Rangers in a 3–2 affair which ended the Lightning's 18-game win streak after losing the prior game. The Lightning recovered in Game 3, coming back from a 2–0 deficit, and with
Ondrej Palat Ondrej is a Slovak male given name, equivalent to Andrew. Notable people with the name include: * Ondrej Duda, Slovak football player * Ondrej Otčenáš (1987), Slovak ice hockey player * Ondrej Nepela, Slovak figure skater ** Ondrej Nepela Arena ...
's goal with 42 seconds left in the game, Tampa Bay defeated New York 3–2. In Game 4, Palat scored a goal and provided two assists in goalie
Andrei Vasilevskiy Andrei Andreyevich Vasilevskiy (russian: Андрей Андреевич Василевский; born 25 July 1994) is a Russian professional ice hockey goaltender for the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted i ...
's 34 save performance to defeat New York 4–1 and tie the series 2–2. Palat continued his late-goal antics into Game 5, scoring with 1:50 left in the third period to lead the Lightning to a 3–1 victory and a 3–2 series lead. In Game 6, the captain
Steven Stamkos Steven Stamkos (born February 7, 1990) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre and captain of the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League (NHL). Stamkos was selected first overall in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft by the Lightning. He ...
scored twice to give the Lightning a 2–1 victory and an advancement to the Stanley Cup Finals for the third consecutive season.


Western Conference Final


(C1) Colorado Avalanche vs. (P2) Edmonton Oilers

This was the third playoff meeting between these two teams with both teams splitting the two previous series. They last met in the 1998 Western Conference Quarterfinals, which Edmonton came back from a 3–1 series deficit to win in seven games. This was Colorado's ninth appearance in the Conference Final. They were defeated in seven games by the
Detroit Red Wings The Detroit Red Wings (colloquially referred to as the Wings) are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit. The Red Wings compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the East ...
in their most recent Conference Finals appearance in
2002 File:2002 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 2002 Winter Olympics are held in Salt Lake City; Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother and her daughter Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon die; East Timor gains East Timor independence, indepe ...
. Edmonton made their tenth appearance in the Conference Finals. Their most recent appearance was in the 2006 Western Conference Final, which Edmonton won against the
Mighty Ducks of Anaheim Mighty may refer to: * ''Mighty'' (The Planet Smashers album) * ''Mighty'' (Kristene DiMarco album) * ''The Mighty'' (1929 film), a 1929 American action film *''The Mighty'', a 1998 comedy-drama film * ''The Mighty'' (comics), a DC Comics title *Th ...
in five games. Colorado won two of the three games in this year's regular season series. The Avalanche defeated the Oilers in a four-game sweep. In Game 1, the Avalanche held off a potential four-goal comeback with an empty net goal to win 8–6. During the game,
Cale Makar Cale Douglas Makar (born October 30, 1998) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman for the Colorado Avalanche of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected with the fourth overall pick by the Avalanche in the 2017 NHL Entry Draf ...
's goal appeared to be offside due to
Valeri Nichushkin Valeri Ivanovich Nichushkin (russian: Валерий Иванович Ничушкин; born March 4, 1995) is a Russian professional ice hockey right winger who currently plays for the Colorado Avalanche of the National Hockey League (NHL). He w ...
still needing to exit the offensive zone, however, the goal was deemed onside with Makar pushing the puck across the blue line and not in possession until Nichushkin became onside.
Pavel Francouz Pavel Francouz (; born 3 June 1990) is a Czech professional ice hockey goaltender for the Colorado Avalanche of the National Hockey League (NHL). Francouz won the Stanley Cup with the Avalanche in 2022. Playing career Czech Republic Francouz f ...
stopped all 24 shots he faced in Game 2 and with
Nazem Kadri Nazem Kadri (born October 6, 1990) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player for the Calgary Flames of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs seventh overall in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft. He played his juni ...
's three assists, Colorado won 4–0. In Game 3, Nichushkin's two goals helped Colorado obtain a 4–2 victory and a 3–0 series lead. In Game 4, the Avalanche came back from a two-goal deficit to take the lead, but the Oilers tied the game and it went to overtime. In overtime,
Artturi Lehkonen Artturi Lehkonen (born 4 July 1995) is a Finnish professional ice hockey player for the Colorado Avalanche of the National Hockey League (NHL). Lehkonen was selected by the Montreal Canadiens in the second round (55th overall) of the 2013 NHL Ent ...
scored to send Colorado to the Finals for the first time since
2001 The September 11 attacks against the United States by Al-Qaeda, which Casualties of the September 11 attacks, killed 2,977 people and instigated the global war on terror, were a defining event of 2001. The United States led a Participants in ...
.


Stanley Cup Finals

This was the first playoff meeting between these two teams. Colorado made their third Finals appearance. They last appeared in the Finals in
2001 The September 11 attacks against the United States by Al-Qaeda, which Casualties of the September 11 attacks, killed 2,977 people and instigated the global war on terror, were a defining event of 2001. The United States led a Participants in ...
, which Colorado won against the
New Jersey Devils The New Jersey Devils are a professional sports, professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey. The Devils compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern ...
in seven games. This was Tampa Bay's third consecutive Finals appearance and fifth overall, they were the first team to appear in three consecutive Finals since the 1985 Edmonton Oilers. They won the previous year's Finals against the
Montreal Canadiens The Montreal CanadiensEven in English, the French spelling is always used instead of ''Canadians''. The French spelling of ''Montréal'' is also sometimes used in the English media. (french: link=no, Les Canadiens de Montréal), officially ...
in five games. Colorado won both games in this year's regular season series.


Player statistics


Skaters

These are the top ten skaters based on points, following the conclusion of the playoffs.


Goaltenders

This is a combined table of the top five goaltenders based on
goals against average Goals against average (GAA) also known as "average goals against" or "AGA" is a statistic used in field hockey, ice hockey, lacrosse, soccer, and water polo that is the mean of goals allowed per game by a goaltender or goalkeeper (depending on s ...
and the top five goaltenders based on
save percentage Save percentage (often known by such symbols as SV%, SVS%, SVP, PCT) is a statistic in various goal-scoring sports that track saves as a statistic. In ice hockey and lacrosse, it is a statistic that represents the percentage of shots on goal ...
, with at least 420 minutes played. The table is sorted by GAA, and the criteria for inclusion are bolded.


Television and radio

In Canada, for the eighth postseason under
Rogers Media Rogers Media Inc., operating as Rogers Sports & Media, is a Canadian subsidiary of Rogers Communications that owns the company's mass media and sports properties, such as the Citytv and Omni Television terrestrial television stations, Sportsnet, ...
's 12-year contract, coverage was broadcast by Sportsnet networks and
CBC Television CBC Television (also known as CBC TV) is a Canadian English-language broadcast television network owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the national public broadcaster. The network began operations on September 6, 1952. Its French-l ...
under the ''
Hockey Night in Canada CBC Television has aired National Hockey League (NHL) broadcasts under the ''Hockey Night in Canada'' (often abbreviated ''Hockey Night'' or ''HNiC'') brand that is primarily associated with its Saturday night NHL broadcasts throughout its hi ...
'' brand, and streamed on Sportsnet Now, CBCSports.ca (for games televised by CBC), or the subscription service NHL Live. For selected U.S.–U.S. series in the First Round, Sportsnet was simulcasting the U.S. feed instead of producing their own telecast. In the U.S., this marked the first Stanley Cup playoffs under the NHL's 7-year broadcast rights deals with
ESPN ESPN (originally an initialism for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by ESPN Inc., owned jointly by The Walt Disney Company (80%) and Hearst Communications (20%). The ...
and
TNT Trinitrotoluene (), more commonly known as TNT, more specifically 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene, and by its preferred IUPAC name 2-methyl-1,3,5-trinitrobenzene, is a chemical compound with the formula C6H2(NO2)3CH3. TNT is occasionally used as a reagen ...
; during the First Round, games aired across
ESPN ESPN (originally an initialism for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by ESPN Inc., owned jointly by The Walt Disney Company (80%) and Hearst Communications (20%). The ...
,
ESPN2 ESPN2 is an American multinational pay television network owned by ESPN Inc., a joint venture between The Walt Disney Company (which owns a controlling 80% stake) and Hearst Communications (which owns the remaining 20%). ESPN2 was initially fo ...
, TBS, and
TNT Trinitrotoluene (), more commonly known as TNT, more specifically 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene, and by its preferred IUPAC name 2-methyl-1,3,5-trinitrobenzene, is a chemical compound with the formula C6H2(NO2)3CH3. TNT is occasionally used as a reagen ...
. For the Second Round onward, the games aired on either ESPN or TNT (except one game in the Second Round which aired on ESPN2 due to the main networks airing of
Sunday Night Baseball ''Sunday Night Baseball'' is an exclusive weekly telecast of a Major League Baseball game that airs Sunday nights at 7:00 p.m. EDT on ESPN during the regular season. The games are preceded most weeks by the studio show ''Baseball Tonight: ...
). Other ESPN and
Turner Turner may refer to: People and fictional characters *Turner (surname), a common surname, including a list of people and fictional characters with the name * Turner (given name), a list of people with the given name *One who uses a lathe for turni ...
channels (such as
ESPNU ESPNU is an American multinational digital cable and satellite sports television channel owned by ESPN Inc., a joint venture between the Disney Media Networks division of The Walt Disney Company (which owns a controlling 80% stake) and the Hears ...
,
ESPNews ESPNews (pronounced "ESPN News", stylized ESPNEWS) is an American multinational digital cable and satellite television network owned by ESPN Inc., a joint venture between the Disney Media Networks division of The Walt Disney Company (which owns ...
, and
TruTV TruTV (stylized as truTV) is an American basic cable channel owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The channel primarily broadcasts comedy, docusoaps and reality shows. The channel was originally launched in 1991 as Court TV, a network that focu ...
) continued to be used in the event of overflow situations. As before, each U.S. team's regional broadcaster televised local coverage of games during the First Round, after which all other games are exclusive to the ESPN networks and TNT. In assigning broadcasters for each game, the NHL has also had to work around the
2022 NBA playoffs The 2022 NBA playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 2021–22 season. The playoffs began on April 16 and ended on June 16 with the conclusion of the 2022 NBA Finals. The playoffs also returned to its no ...
, which share
ESPN ESPN (originally an initialism for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by ESPN Inc., owned jointly by The Walt Disney Company (80%) and Hearst Communications (20%). The ...
and
TNT Trinitrotoluene (), more commonly known as TNT, more specifically 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene, and by its preferred IUPAC name 2-methyl-1,3,5-trinitrobenzene, is a chemical compound with the formula C6H2(NO2)3CH3. TNT is occasionally used as a reagen ...
as rightsholders, and started ahead of the Stanley Cup playoffs. As per the new alternating rotation,
ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...
exclusively aired the Stanley Cup Finals. Unlike past seasons, there was no coverage of playoff games on U.S. broadcast television until the Stanley Cup Finals (previous rightsholders such as
NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an Television in the United States, American English-language Commercial broadcasting, commercial television network, broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Enterta ...
had traditionally offered weekend games on broadcast television during the early rounds). Conversely, the Finals were carried in their entirety on broadcast television for the first time since
1980 Events January * January 4 – U.S. President Jimmy Carter proclaims a grain embargo against the USSR with the support of the European Commission. * January 6 – Global Positioning System time epoch begins at 00:00 UTC. * January 9 – ...
(which was aired primarily by the
Hughes Television Network HTN Communications, better known as Hughes Television Network (HTN) and formerly Sports Network, was an American television network created by Richard Eugene Bailey. The company is now in the business of providing video and audio services to spor ...
, but with
CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainmen ...
acquiring the rights to the series-deciding Game 6 as a one-off ''
CBS Sports Spectacular ''CBS Sports Spectacular'' is a sports anthology television program that is produced by CBS Sports, the sports division of the CBS television network in the United States. The series began on January 3, 1960, as ''The CBS Sports Spectacular'', a ...
'' broadcast); since then, the Finals were either partially or exclusively carried on cable. There were no live games on over-the-top streaming services until the third round, as
ESPN+ ESPN (originally an initialism for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by ESPN Inc., owned jointly by The Walt Disney Company (80%) and Hearst Communications (20%). The ...
only streamed select simulcasts of live playoff games aired by its networks, and Turner Sports did not invoke its option to carry or simulcast games on
HBO Max HBO Max is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. Launched in the United States on May 27, 2020, the service is built around the libraries of HBO, Warner Bros., Cartoon Netw ...
. All playoff games were available on demand on ESPN+ after their conclusion (due to its rights with NHL.tv). American national radio rights to select Stanley Cup playoff games, including the entire Conference Finals and Stanley Cup Finals, were broadcast on the
Sports USA Radio Network Sports USA Media is the largest independent sports broadcasting radio network in the United States, specializing in live broadcasts of American football, specifically of the NCAA football Division I-A and National Football League. In 2018, more th ...
via
NHL Radio NHL Radio is the official national radio broadcaster of the National Hockey League, covering the Stanley Cup Finals, both Conference Finals, selected early round playoff action, the All-Star Game, the NHL Winter Classic and a selected number of ...
. This was the first of a four-year deal signed between the NHL and Sports USA to syndicate NHL games on U.S. national radio.


Announcers


First Round announcers


Second Round announcers


Conference Finals announcers


Stanley Cup Finals announcers


References


External links


Stanley Cup playoffs
{{Stanley Cup playoffs Stanley Cup playoffs
playoffs The playoffs, play-offs, postseason or finals of a sports league are a competition played after the regular season by the top competitors to determine the league champion or a similar accolade. Depending on the league, the playoffs may be eithe ...