This is the fifth consecutive season at least one conference finals series will require a Game 7. Two of those games also involved the Lightning -- they defeated the New York Rangers in 2015 and lost to the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2016. The others in that span: 2014 (Los Angeles Kings 5-4 overtime win against the Chicago Blackhawks in the Western Conference Final) and 2017 (Penguins 3-2 double-overtime win against the Ottawa Senators in the Eastern Conference Final).
Washington will play in its 11th Game 7 since the beginning of the 2008 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the most among all teams in that span.
Capitals center Nicklas Backstrom and forward Alex Ovechkin each are set to make his 11th NHL Game 7 appearances, one fewer than Zdeno Chara (12) for the most among active players. In addition to Chara, five other players in NHL history have appeared in more Game 7s: Patrick Roy (13), Scott Stevens (13), Glenn Anderson (12), Ken Daneyko (12) and Stephane Yelle (12).
This is the 33rd time in NHL history a Game 7 will be required to determine a Stanley Cup finalist. Home teams own a 21-11 edge in the previous 32 such contests.
Tampa Bay will host Game 7 on Wednesday. The Capitals are 7-2 on the road this postseason; the Lightning are 6-3 at home.
Of the 171 all-time Game 7s in the Stanley Cup Playoffs:
* The team that scores first is 127-44 (.743), including a 1-1 mark in 2018.
* Home teams own a 100-71 (.585) advantage, including a 1-1 record in 2018.
* Forty-one have required overtime (24.2 percent). Home teams have a 21-20 edge.