June 15, 2022

* Game 1 of the 2022 Stanley Cup Final will be played tonight when the Avalanche host the Lightning at 8 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. MT on ABC, ESPN+, SN, CBC and TVAS.

* Stanley Cup Final Media Day included the launch of the Stanley Cup augmented reality experience.

* Today’s #NHLStats take a closer look at Colorado’s long-awaited return to the Stanley Cup Final and offer a look back at previous openers in the championship series.

* As Tampa Bay tries to complete its three-peat, they will have to do something only one other NHL club has accomplished: eliminate the No. 1-ranked team in each conference.

AVALANCHE, LIGHTNING DESCEND ON DENVER FOR STANLEY CUP FINAL MEDIA DAY

The Avalanche and Lightning met with the media at Ball Arena ahead of Game 1.

* Cale Makar, with five points in his last outing and set to play his 50th career playoff contest in Game 1, was clear about Colorado’s focus ahead of the club’s first Stanley Cup Final in 21 years. Only two defensemen in NHL history have collected more points through their first 50 career playoff contests than Makar (12-41—53 in 49 GP) enters with: Bobby Orr (66) and Brian Leetch (65).

* The “dynasty” discussion was making the rounds throughout media day as the two-time defending champion Lightning spoke about what it’s like to pursue a third straight championship. Pat Maroon, who is in pursuit of his fourth consecutive title after also winning in 2019 with St. Louis, can become the fourth player in NHL history to win the Stanley Cup in four straight seasons while claiming titles with multiple clubs.

NHL LAUNCHES DIGITAL REPLICA & AUGMENTED REALITY EXPERIENCES OF STANLEY CUP

Fans around the world now can celebrate and explore the Stanley Cup like never before via three new initiatives launched by the NHL on Tuesday – shown in this sizzle reel, detailed on NHL.com and summarized below.

* Available via QR Code and at NHL.com/StanleyCupAR is a digital replica of the Stanley Cup. The mobile, tablet, and desktop experience gives fans the opportunity to explore the trophy in detail.

* As part of the experience, fans also can place the Stanley Cup in their environment by clicking the blue cube to launch augmented reality (A/R) and get up close to the trophy via mobile device or tablet.

* The Stanley Cup also now is available as a filter on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok. This A/R filter is a first for the NHL and gives fans the only opportunity to hoist the greatest trophy in sports above their heads. The filters are native to the three platforms and can be accessed directly from Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok. To find the filters, visit @NHL on social.

* As an extension of the digital replica experience, fans can dive deeper into the history of the Stanley Cup on Records.NHL.com, which has added hundreds of new pages about the trophy itself as well as championship teams and results.

COLORADO READIES FOR GAME 1 OF STANLEY CUP FINAL

7,676 days after their last game in the Stanley Cup Final (June 9, 2001) and more than a week after their sweep in the 2022 Western Conference Final (June 6, 2022), the Avalanche will return to the ice Wednesday. Their eight-day stretch without games is tied for the fourth-longest break before the Stanley Cup Final in NHL history.

* The Avalanche, who had seven days off between the First and Second Round this year, will look to become the first team since the 1984 Oilers to win the Stanley Cup following a break of eight or more days leading into the Final. Edmonton’s victory came against a NY Islanders club vying for its fifth consecutive championship.

* Teams that had more than a week off before any series in the Stanley Cup Playoffs hold a slight edge in both Game 1 (21-16, .568) and in the series itself (19-17, .528; 1919 SCF had no decision). In the Stanley Cup Final, they are 4-5 in Game 1 and an even 4-4 in completed series.

ANOTHER NO. 1 SEED STANDS IN THE WAY OF A LIGHTNING THREE-PEAT

To join the Islanders on the list of clubs to win at least three consecutive Stanley Cups, the Lightning will have to eliminate the No. 1 seed in each conference – something only New York has done in the 47 years since conferences were introduced. Tampa Bay swept Florida, the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference, in the Second Round and now will face Colorado, the top-ranked team in the Western Conference.

* The opener of Tampa Bay’s third consecutive championship series will be played exactly one year after the club won Game 2 of the 2021 Stanley Cup Semifinals to tie even their matchup with the Islanders at 1-1.

* Wednesday will be the sixth time an NHL game is played on June 15, with the Lightning participating in three of those contests. The other instances came in 1999 (BUF def. DAL), 2011 (BOS def. VAN to win Cup), 2013 (BOS def. CHI), 2015 (CHI def. TBL to win Cup) and 2021 (TBL def. NYI).

#NHLSTATS: GAME 1 IN THE STANLEY CUP FINAL

Tampa Bay is 1-3 in Game 1s during the Stanley Cup Final, while Colorado is 2-0. The winner of Game 1 in completed best-of-seven Stanley Cup Final series goes on to hoist the Cup 76% of the time (62-20). When teams win Game 1 in a best-of-seven Final at home, they win 83% of the series (49-10). When the victory comes on the road, the series win percentage is 57% (13-10).

Colorado in Game 1s of the Stanley Cup Final

* It has been more than 26 years since Colorado has surrendered a goal in the opening game of a Stanley Cup Final. Florida’s Tom Fitzgerald accounts for the only Game 1 goal against Colorado in the Final as he scored at 16:51 of the first period in the 1996 opener. The Avalanche responded with three goals in less than four minutes – with Adam Foote, the father of Lightning defenseman Cal Foote, on the ice for the first of those tallies – and used a 25-save effort by Patrick Roy to rally for a victory. Five years later, Roy made 25 saves yet again as Colorado started the 2001 Final with a 5-0 victory against the Devils at Pepsi Center (now Ball Arena).

Tampa Bay in Game 1s of the Stanley Cup Final

* The 2021 Final was the only time in four appearances that Tampa Bay scored more than one goal in the opening game of the championship series. The Lightning entered the third period of that contest with a 2-1 advantage and Nikita Kucherov contributed 2-1—3 in the third period as the club skated to their first 1-0 series lead in the Final. Brayden Point notched 0-3—3 that night, the most assists in a Stanley Cup Final game by a Lightning player.

“WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME …”

For all those wondering when the last time _______ happened in the Stanley Cup Final, look no further than here (with a sampling included below):

… a player scored within the first minute in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final?

1976 – Reggie Leach (0:21; w/ PHI at MTL)

… a player scored a hat trick in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final?

1982 – Mike Bossy (3-0—3; w/ NYI vs. VAN)

… a defenseman scored the first goal of a Stanley Cup Final series?

2021 – Erik Cernak (6:19 of 1st in Game 1; w/ TBL vs. MTL)

… a player scored on a penalty shot in any game during the Stanley Cup Final?

2006 – Chris Pronger (10:36 of 2nd in Game 1 vs. Cam Ward; w/ EDM at CAR)

… a goaltender posted a shutout in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final?

2011 – Roberto Luongo (36 saves; w/ VAN vs. BOS)

… a team scored 7+ goals in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final?

2000 – Devils (7-3 W vs. DAL)

… Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final required overtime?

2014 – Kings 3 vs. Rangers 2 (4:36 of OT: Justin Williams from Brad Richards)

QUICK CLICKS

* Series Scenarios for Wednesday, June 15

* CHEL Intel — June 14

*Bruce Cassidy hired as Golden Knights coach

* LeBron James meets, touches Stanley Cup

* Eastern Conference Final on ESPN garnered momentous viewership
* Audiences continued to climb during the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs Conference Finals

COURTESY NHLmedia.com