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Stunning Numbers: Stanley Cup Final edition

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A long awaited juggernaut meets a never-say-die underdog as the Tampa Bay Lightning and Dallas Stars battle for the Stanley Cup.

During the 2019-20 NHL season we will take an occasional look at some stunning numbers from around the league. Here is what has stood out to us so far as we start the 2020 Stanley Cup Final on Saturday night (7:30 p.m. ET, NBC, Livestream).

0 -- This number represents the number of penalty minutes that Dallas Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen has taken in the playoffs (excluding the Round-Robin Phase) in 470 minutes of hockey.

Without any other additional context that number is impressive enough.

In that many minutes, over that many games, at that position, playing that role, you would have to think that at some point his stick would get in the wrong place, or he would get caught holding, or ... just ... anything. But he hasn’t.

What makes the number truly stunning is that he has spent most of that time playing against some of the league’s best players.

An absolutely sensational postseason.

61 percent -- The percentage of Tampa Bay’s goals this postseason that one of Nikita Kucherov and/or Brayden Point has been on the ice for.

To break it down even further:


  • When both are on the ice the Lightning are averaging 5.37 goals per 60 minutes (all situations) and 4.51 goals during 5-on-5 play.
  • If only one is on the ice: it 3.75 goals per 60 minutes (all situations) and 3.45 goals during 5-on-5 play.
  • When neither is on the ice: 1.66 goals per 60 minutes (all situations) and 1.66 during 5-on-5 play.

[NBC 2020 STANLEY CUP PLAYOFF HUB]

.950 -- The save percentage for Stars goalie Anton Khudobin during the Western Conference Final. He allowed only eight goals in five games on 161 shots on goal.

9 -- The number of goals scored by Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman this postseason. That is tied for the third-most ever in a single postseason for a defenseman, trailing only Paul Coffey (12 in 1984-85) and Brian Leetch (11 in 1993-94). Coffey reached his mark in 18 games while Leetch did so in 23 games. As of Saturday Hedman has played in 19 games this postseason.

9 (again) -- The number of goals for Stars forward Denis Gurianov, tied for the team lead. He was also the Stars’ leading goal-scorer during the regular season. This number is stunning because he still only plays 14 minutes per game (after playing only 12 minutes per game during the regular season). If you break it down to a per-60 minutes basis, Gurianov’s 1.83 goals per 60 minutes during 5-on-5 play is the third highest total in the playoffs among the 297 players that have played at least 100 minutes. His 1.91 goals per 60 minutes in all situations is sixth highest. He has been one of the most efficient goal-scorers in the entire league.

185:17 -- the number of overtime minutes the Lightning have played this postseason, the most ever for a single team in a single postseason. The previous record was 175:10 by the 1993-94 New Jersey Devils. The Lightning have played six overtime games this postseason with a 5-1 record. All three of their series were clinched with an overtime win in the deciding games (goals by Point, Hedman, and Anthony Cirelli). This stat via NHL PR.

4 -- The number of game-winning goals for Stars forward Alexander Radulov in the playoffs. In 37 career playoff games before this season he had only two game-winning goals.

Adam Gretz is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @AGretz.