The Wraparound is your daily look at the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs. We’ll break down each day’s matchups with the all-important television and live streaming information included.
Round 1 is reaching its conclusion as we get to enjoy three Game 7s over the next two days. The fun begins tonight as the Toronto Maple Leafs visit the Boston Bruins (7 p.m. ET; NBCSN; live stream) and then the Vegas Golden Knights visit the San Jose Sharks (10 p.m. ET; NBCSN; Live stream). We finish this dizzying opening round on Wednesday when the defending Stanley Cup champion Washington Capitals try to defend home ice against the Carolina Hurricanes (7:30 p.m. ET; NBCSN).
The Maple Leafs and Bruins meet yet again in a Game 7 in Round 1. The Bruins prevailed last season as well as that memorable final game in 2013. They currently own a five-game playoff series winning streak over Toronto, who have not won a round since 2004.
Per the NHL, the Bruins and Maple Leafs are the seventh set of franchises in league history to require a Game 7 in consecutive years, joining the Canadiens-Red Wings (1954 SCF, 1955 SCF), Blackhawks-Red Wings (1964 SF, 1965 SF), Avalanche-Stars (1999 CF, 2000 CF), Avalanche-Kings (2001 CSF, 2002 CQF), Capitals-Rangers (2012 CSF, 2013 CQF) and Kings-Sharks (2013 CSF, 2014 R1).
[NBC 2019 STANLEY CUP PLAYOFF HUB]
Another fun stat: When Zdeno Chara hits the ice, he’ll play in his 13th career Game 7, tying Patrick Roy and Scott Stevens for most all-time.
When the puck drops at SAP Center, the Golden Knights will be playing in their first ever Game 7. The Sharks, meanwhile, are veterans in this do-or-die scenarios, entering Tuesday with a 6-4 record in such playoff games.
Martin Jones, whose 58-save performance in Game 6 is a big reason why we’re here, is one of six different San Jose goaltenders to have won a Game 7. A victory tonight would make him the first netminder in franchise history with multiple wins in a Game 7. His opponent at the other end, Marc-Andre Fleury, has three career Game 7 wins, all coming on the road.
Henrik Lundqvist, Patrick Roy and Martin Brodeur hold the NHL record with six Game 7 victories.
Here are three trends via the NHL to keep an eye on over the next two days:
Of the 172 all-time Game 7s in the Stanley Cup Playoffs...
• The team that scores first is 128-44 (.744)
• Home teams own a 100-72 record (.581)
• Forty-one have required overtime (23.8%). Home teams have a 21-20 edge.
PHT’s 2019 Stanley Cup playoff previews
Capitals vs Hurricanes
Bruins vs. Maple Leafs
Sharks vs. Golden Knights
• Power Rankings: Why your team won’t win the Stanley Cup
• NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs: Round 1 schedule, TV info
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Sean Leahy is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @Sean_Leahy.