Winner Take All: How has every franchise fared in Sport 7s?

On Tuesday, the Toronto Maple Leafs and Boston Bruins will meet to determine their first-round matchup, with the Vegas Golden Knights visiting the San Jose Sharks in a series-deciding contest later within the night. On Wednesday, the Carolina Hurricanes and Washington Capitals will comply with go well with with a Sport 7 conflict of their very own. And the three winner-take-all video games within the first spherical will mark the primary time we’ve seen three opening-round collection go the gap because the 2011 marketing campaign.
That season, every of the first-round Sport 7s, save the Tampa Bay Lightning’s win over the Pittsburgh Penguins, have been received by the house groups, and in NHL historical past, it’s been the staff with final change who has the decidedly higher file in Sport 7s. Of the 179 instances a collection has gone the gap, 104 of these video games – 58.1 p.c – have been received by the house aspect. Thus, coming into Tuesday and Wednesday’s recreation, the percentages are going to be stacked towards Toronto, Vegas and Carolina.
No matter which dressing room every franchise has been in, although, how have they fared in Sport 7s all through their particular person histories? Right here’s a team-by-team breakdown of Sport 7 data:
Anaheim Geese – 9GP – 3W, 6LAfter successful two of the primary three Sport 7s in franchise historical past, the Geese misplaced 5 consecutive series-deciders between 2009 and 2016 earlier than lastly getting again on monitor two years in the past after they defeated the Oilers 2-1 within the second spherical of the 2017 post-season.
Arizona Coyotes – 5GP – 0W, 5LThe Coyotes have had no luck in Sport 7s relationship again to their days as the unique Jets. All 5 Sport 7s have resulted in the long run of the franchise’s season, and the franchise has been outscored by a mixed 19-2.
Boston Bruins – 26GP – 14W, 12LThe 2011 post-season run featured three Sport 7s and the Bruins received each en path to a Stanley Cup victory. Within the time since, Boston has two wins and two losses when a collection stretches to seven. These two wins? In opposition to the Maple Leafs.
Buffalo Sabres – 7GP – 1W, 6LGame 7 has been a nightmare for the Sabres. Buffalo misplaced every of the primary three Sport 7s in franchise historical past – all one-goal defeats, too – earlier than successful one, defeating the Senators in seven through the 1997 post-season. The Sabres have misplaced one other three in a row since then.
Calgary Flames – 12GP – 5W, 7LIt’s been greater than a decade because the Flames have performed a Sport 7, and so they’ve misplaced every of their previous three. Earlier than that got here a stretch of 5 consecutive additional time contests, with Calgary bookending the run with victories. In between got here a number of heartbreakers, together with double-overtime losses in back-to-back years.
Carolina Hurricanes – 7GP – 4W, 3LAs they enter their Sport 7 battle with the Capitals, the Hurricanes have received 4 consecutive seventh video games. It has been a decade because the franchise’s final Sport 7, although, and Carolina received each Sport 7s throughout their 2009 post-season run.
Chicago Blackhawks – 14GP – 7W, 7LThe Blackhawks’ have performed 5 Sport 7s throughout this period, however their file isn’t what you’d anticipate. Chicago misplaced in 2011 to Vancouver, 2014 to Los Angeles and 2016 to St. Louis. The wins included the Sport 7 additional time thriller towards Detroit in 2013 and a defeat of Anaheim in 2015.
Colorado Avalanche – 13GP – 6W, 7LThe 2002 playoff run had three Sport 7s, every of which featured a shutout. The Avalanche blanked the Kings in Spherical 1, the Sharks in Spherical 2 after which have been stopped of their tracks when the Pink Wings thrashed Colorado within the Western Convention last. The previous two Sport 7s for the Avalanche? These got here in 2003 and 2014. Each towards the Wild. Each additional time losses.
Columbus Blue Jackets – 0GPNo Sport 7s in 5 journeys to the post-season. The closest name was a six-game collection towards the Capitals in 2018.
Dallas Stars – 12GP – 5W, 7LFive instances because the transfer to Dallas the Stars have discovered themselves in a Sport 7. Their file? Two wins, three losses. Dallas’ most up-to-date outcome was a loss to St. Louis through the 2016 post-season.
Detroit Pink Wings – 25GP – 14W, 11LThe Pink Wings racked up the Sport 7s throughout their post-season streak. Within the post-lockout period, Detroit has three wins and 4 losses. They haven’t been in a position to win two Sport 7s in a single post-season throughout that stretch, nonetheless. The Pink Wings received one, misplaced one through the 2009 playoff run and the identical occurred through the 2013 playoffs.
Edmonton Oilers – 10GP – 6W, 4LThe Oilers’ first Sport 7 of the post-lockout period was a heartbreaker. Edmonton fell Three-1 to Carolina within the Stanley Cup-deciding contest in 2006, and the following time the Oilers confronted a seventh recreation in 2017, Anaheim downed Edmonton 2-1.
Florida Panthers – 2GP – 1W, 1LThe Panthers’ unbelievable run to the 1996 Stanley Cup last was helped alongside by a Three-1 victory over the Penguins in Sport 7 of the Japanese Convention last. The one different Sport 7 in franchise historical past noticed the underdog Cats fall in double additional time to the Devils.
Los Angeles Kings – 11GP – 7W, 4LThe 2014 post-season noticed the Kings go the gap in each collection main as much as the Stanley Cup last. Los Angeles defeated San Jose in Spherical 1, then Anaheim in Spherical 2 and Chicago fell by the hands of the Kings in additional time of the Western Convention last. Los Angeles captured the Cup that season.
Minnesota Wild – 3GP – 3W, 0LIn the considerably temporary historical past of the franchise, Minnesota has performed three Sport 7s, all on the highway, and so they’ve come out on the successful aspect every time. That features a pair of additional time victories over the Avalanche, in addition to a second-round win over the Canucks through the 2003 post-season.
Montreal Canadiens – 23GP – 14W, 9LSix Sport 7s previously 20 years, and the Canadiens have solely misplaced one. That was through the 2011 post-season, when Montreal fell in additional time to Boston. The Habs exacted some Sport 7 revenge three years later, downing the Bruins Three-1 in Sport 7 of the second spherical in 2014.
Nashville Predators – 3GP – 1W, 2LThe franchise didn’t play in a single Sport 7 by the primary decade and a half of its existence, which included eight journeys to the post-season. However the 2016 playoffs noticed two collection go the gap. The Predators received the primary, defeating Anaheim 2-1, earlier than getting blanked 5-Zero in a series-deciding contest towards San Jose within the second spherical.
New Jersey Devils – 14GP – 7W, 7LThe Devils have damaged even in Sport 7s all through franchise historical past, and that features Stanley Cup-deciding video games. Within the 2001 Stanley Cup last, New Jersey fell Three-1 to Colorado. The 2003 last towards the Mighty Geese was completely different, although, with the Devils choosing up a Three-Zero victory.
New York Islanders – 8GP – 3W, 5LEight instances the Islanders have gone to Sport 7, however there’s no contest that issues fairly just like the Easter Epic. The quadruple-overtime marathon towards New York is among the most memorable video games in NHL historical past. Pat LaFontaine delivered the sport winner.
New York Rangers – 15GP – 9W, 6LNo fanbase has recognized Sport 7 anxiousness fairly like Rangers trustworthy. Because the 2012 post-season, New York has gone to the winner-takes-all recreation seven instances, together with a number of Sport 7s in 2012, 2014 and 2015. The Rangers received 5 of these video games 2-1. That’s sufficient to shave some years off of a fan’s life.
Ottawa Senators – 6GP – 0W, 6LThe Senators have had some wonderful groups previously, however Ottawa hasn’t been in a position to win a single Sport 7 in franchise historical past. The latest instance was the double-overtime defeat within the Japanese Convention last, which got here proper earlier than the tailspin that despatched the franchise to the underside of the league’s standings.
Philadelphia Flyers – 16GP – 9W, 7LArguably probably the most memorable Sport 7 in franchise historical past is the victory over the Bruins within the second spherical of the 2010 playoffs. Trailing the collection Three-Zero, the Flyers clawed all the best way again and accomplished the so-called reverse sweep with a Four-Three Sport 7 win.
Pittsburgh Penguins – 17GP – 10W, 6LPittsburgh’s back-to-back Stanley Cup victories wouldn’t have been potential with out Sport 7 heroics. Attending to the 2016 last required a Sport 7 win over the Lightning within the Japanese Convention last, and the Penguins once more got here by within the convention last with a double-overtime win over the Senators in 2017.
San Jose Sharks – 10GP – 6W, 4LFor all of the post-season heartbreak the Sharks have suffered, San Jose is above .500 in Sport 7s, together with a Three-2 file within the post-lockout period. The latest Sport 7 outcome was a 5-Zero blanking of the Predators again in 2016.
St. Louis Blues – 16GP – 8W, 8LThe Blues’ inaugural season featured not one, however two Sport 7s, each of which noticed St. Louis emerge victorious. The primary spherical concluded with a Three-1 Blues victory over the Flyers and St. Louis downed the Minnesota North Stars – who they met in Sport 7s in 1968, 1972 and 1984 – in double additional time. The consecutive series-clinching wins despatched the Blues to the ultimate, the place they misplaced in 4 straight to the Canadiens.
Tampa Bay Lightning – 8GP – 5W, 3LGetting swept by the Blue Jackets was a brand new form of heartbreak, however Lightning followers are conversant in playoff ache lately. An opportunity to play for the Stanley Cup in 2016 was snuffed out by the Penguins in Sport 7 of the 2016 Japanese Convention last, and Tampa Bay suffered a Sport 7 defeat within the convention last by the hands of Washington final season.
Toronto Maple Leafs – 23GP – 12W, 11LEntering Tuesday, the Maple Leafs’ Sport 7 historical past is bookended with losses to the Bruins. The primary got here through the 1941 post-season, when Boston misplaced 2-1, and the latest was the 7-Four defeat in 2018.
Vancouver Canucks – 11GP – 6W, 5LHere’s hoping the following time the Canucks get to the Stanley Cup last it doesn’t go to seven video games. Why? As a result of two of the thrice in franchise historical past that Vancouver has made the ultimate, they’ve misplaced in seven. The primary was a Three-2 loss to the Rangers in 1994, the second was the 2011 loss to the Bruins.
Vegas Golden Knights – 0GPThe Golden Knights are getting ready for a primary in franchise historical past. Tuesday’s tilt with the Sharks would be the first time Vegas has seen Sport 7. The excellent news? San Jose is 1-2 in Sport 7s over the previous six seasons. The dangerous information? The one win got here within the Sharks’ final journey to a seventh recreation, which implies the present roster has expertise on this scenario.
Washington Capitals – 16GP – 5W, 11LThe worst successful proportion in Sport 7s of any staff with a double-digit video games performed whole, and it began with the Capitals ending up on the dropping aspect of the Easter Epic. Nevertheless, Washington received a crucial Sport 7 simply final season, defeating Tampa Bay within the Japanese Convention last. The defending champions can have an opportunity to win consecutive Sport 7s for the primary time in franchise historical past Wednesday.
Winnipeg Jets – 1GP – 1W, 0LAlong with the Wild, the Jets are the one staff with an ideal Sport 7 file. In fact, it helps once you’ve solely performed the one series-deciding recreation. Winnipeg beat up on Nashville final season in Sport 7 of the second spherical, defeating the Predators 5-1 within the lone Sport 7 in Jets 2.Zero historical past.
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Tags: listsConnect: Concerning the AuthorJared ClintonJared Clinton is a author and internet editor with The Hockey Information. He is been with the staff since 2014. He was born, raised and resides in Winnipeg, the place he will be discovered lacking the web on out of doors rinks throughout city.