Facts and Figures: Hedman chasing history for Lightning in Cup Final

Victor Hedman became the third defenseman in NHL history to score 10 goals in one postseason when the Tampa Bay Lightning defeated the Dallas Stars 5-2 in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final at Rogers Place in Edmonton on Wednesday to take a 2-1 lead in the best-of-7 series.

Paul Coffey holds the NHL record with 12 goals for the Edmonton Oilers in 1985. Brian Leetch is second with 11 for the New York Rangers in 1994.

Hedman scored three points (one goal, two assists) in Game 3 and has seven points (three goals, four assists) in his past five games. He's third on the Lightning with 20 points (10 goals, 10 assists) in 22 postseason games and joined Miro Heiskanen of the Stars (24 points; six goals, 18 assists) as the second defenseman to score 20 points this postseason. The 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs mark the fifth time in NHL history multiple defensemen have scored at least 20 points and first since 1991 (Larry Murphy, Pittsburgh Penguins; Ray Bourque, Boston Bruins). The others: 1985, 1983 and 1978.
Hedman scored 54 seconds into the second period for his third game-winning goal of the postseason, one shy of the NHL record for most in one playoff year shared by Slava Voynov (Los Angeles Kings, 2013), Leetch (Rangers, 1994), Al MacInnis (Calgary Flames, 1989) and Coffey (Oilers, 1985).

Stamkos makes impact in return

Steven Stamkos scored on his first shot in his postseason debut, 6:58 into his
first game in 211 days
. The forward, who had been unfit to play with an injury sustained before training camp began July 13, ended his regular season with a 15-game point streak from Jan. 14-Feb. 25 (22 points; 12 goals, 10 assists).
He is the second NHL player to score a goal playing his first game of a postseason during the Stanley Cup Final, joining Billy Taylor Sr. for the Toronto Maple Leafs against the Rangers in Game 2 of the 1940 Final. Frank Nighbor (two goals) and Jack Darragh (one) each scored for the original Ottawa Senators in Game 1 of the 1920 Final after they proceeded
directly to the championship series
.

Depth powering Lightning in Playoffs

Center Brayden Point and forward Ondrej Palat each had a goal and an assist to get Tampa Bay two wins from its second Stanley Cup championship. Point's 11 goals are two shy of the Lightning record for most in one playoff year (forward Tyler Johnson, 13 in 2015). Palat scored his 10th goal to make Tampa Bay the third team in 10 years to have at least three players with at least 10 goals in one postseason.

Game 4 is in Edmonton, the hub city for the Cup Final, on Friday (8 p.m. ET; NBC, CBC, SN, TVAS). The winner of Game 3 is 22-7 (.759) since 1939 when the best-of-7 Final is tied 1-1.