Facts and Figures: Hurricanes win sets up third Game 7 in first round

The first round of the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs will feature three Game 7s, marking the 14th time in NHL history and first since there were three in 2014 that at least three such games will be played in the opening round. There have been four postseasons with more opening-round Game 7s. The record is six set in 1992.

Teams that score first in Game 7 are 128-44 (.744) and home teams are 100-72 (.581). Forty-one Game 7s have gone to overtime (23.8 percent) and home teams are 21-20.

Hurricanes push defending champion Capitals to limit

The Carolina Hurricanes will play Game 7 of the Eastern Conference First Round against the Washington Capitals at Capital One Arena on Wednesday (7:30 p.m. ET; NBCSN, SN, SN360, TVAS, NBCSWA, FS-CR).

Carolina is the 12th NHL team to extend the defending Stanley Cup champions to seven games in the opening round and 10th in the expansion era (since 1967-68). Six have won, most recently the 2016 St. Louis Blues, who defeated the 2015 champion Chicago Blackhawks.
The Capitals are 5-11 in 16 Game 7s, including 3-8 at home. They will play a Game 7 for the 12th time in their past 20 playoff series since 2008, more than 17 current teams have played in their history.
The Hurricanes are 4-3 in Game 7s and 2-3 on the road but have won their past four. The only teams with longer winning streaks are the New York Rangers (six from 2012-15), Boston Bruins (six from 1983-94) and Detroit Red Wings (six from 1949-64).
The home team has won every game in the best-of-7 series, the 21st time that has happened in playoff history. The home team has won all seven games 10 times, most recently in 2016, when the San Jose Sharks defeated the Nashville Predators in the Western Conference Second Round.
Carolina's Rod Brind'Amour and Washington's Todd Reirden will become the seventh set of first-year coaches to meet in a Game 7. The last time it happened was the 1990 Adams Division Semifinals when the Bruins, coached by Mike Milbury, defeated the Hartford Whalers, coached by Rick Ley.

Maple Leafs, Bruins renew Game 7 rivalry

The Toronto Maple Leafs will try for their first series win in 15 years when they face the Bruins in Game 7 at TD Garden on Tuesday (7 p.m. ET; NBCSN, CBC, SN, TVAS, NESN).
It's the third time since 2013 and second in as many years that the Original Six rivals have gone to Game 7 in the opening round. The Maple Leafs, who last won a playoff series with a seven-game victory against the Ottawa Senators in the 2004 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals, can also eliminate the Bruins for the first time in the expansion era.

Boston is going for its sixth consecutive series win against Toronto, which would match the third-longest head-to-head series winning streak in NHL history. It will be an NHL-record 27th Game 7 for the Bruins, who are 14-12 in their previous 26 and 13-8 at home. Boston is tied with Montreal (14-9) and Detroit (14-11) for the most Game 7 victories in the NHL, and first in most Game 7s at home (21) and most Game 7 wins at home (13).
This is the 24th Game 7 for the Maple Leafs, who are 12-11 but 5-10 on the road. They will try to win a series by earning three victories on the road for the fourth time. Two of the three (1949 and 1951 NHL Semifinals) have come against the Bruins.

Sharks try to complete comeback against Golden Knights

The Sharks will try to win a best-of-7 series after trailing 3-1 for the first time since entering the NHL in 1991 when they play Game 7 of the Western Conference First Round against the Vegas Golden Knights at SAP Center (10 p.m. ET; NBCSN, SN, SN360, TVAS, NBCSCA, ATTSN-RM).

The Sharks are 6-4 in Game 7s, and 3-1 at home. This is the first Game 7 in the two-year history of the Golden Knights.
Vegas can become the 16th NHL team to win its first Game 7 and second in as many seasons. The Winnipeg Jets eliminated the Predators from the second round with a 5-1 victory at Bridgestone Arena.
Vegas goalie Marc-Andre Fleury has won three Game 7s, all on the road while he was with the Pittsburgh Penguins (2009 Eastern Conference Semifinal against Washington, 2009 Stanley Cup Final against Detroit, 2017 Eastern Conference Second Round against Washington). The NHL record for Game 7 wins by a goalie is six shared by Patrick Roy, Henrik Lundqvist and Martin Brodeur.

Stars eliminate Predators in OT

Defenseman John Klingberg scored at 17:02 of overtime to give the Dallas Stars a 2-1 win against the Predators in Game 6 at American Airlines Center for their first series win since 2016.
The Stars improved to 16-8 in 24 potential series-clinching games at home and will face the Blues in the second round. It will be the 14th playoff series between the Blues and Stars/Minnesota North Stars. St. Louis leads 7-6 and has won the past two, including a seven-game victory in the 2016 second round.