2022 Stanley Cup playoffs

2022 Stanley Cup playoffs
Tournament details
DatesMay 2 – June 26, 2022
Teams16
Defending championsTampa Bay Lightning
Final positions
ChampionsColorado Avalanche
Runner-upTampa Bay Lightning
Tournament statistics
Scoring leader(s)Connor McDavid (Oilers) (33 points)
MVPCale Makar (Avalanche)
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The 2022 Stanley Cup playoffs was the playoff tournament of the National Hockey League (NHL) for the 2021–22 season. The playoffs began on May 2, 2022, one day after the regular season ended, and concluded on June 26, 2022, with the Colorado Avalanche winning their third Stanley Cup in franchise history, defeating the Tampa Bay Lightning four games to two in the Stanley Cup Finals.[1]

With the Government of Canada allowing cross-border travel for fully vaccinated players and team personnel between Canada and the United States, the league was able to return to its usual two conference, four division alignment. As a result, the standard 16-team playoff format that was used before the COVID-19 pandemic from 2014–2019 was reinstated.[2]

The Florida Panthers made the playoffs as the Presidents' Trophy winners with the most points (i.e. best record) during the regular season. This was the final season of the Pittsburgh Penguins' 16-season playoff streak, the longest active streak in the four major North American professional sports leagues at the time.[3] Three of the semifinalists from the previous season (the Montreal Canadiens, New York Islanders and Vegas Golden Knights) failed to qualify for the playoffs. The Los Angeles Kings ended a two-year run in which no teams from California qualified for the playoffs. All eight playoff teams from the Eastern Conference finished the season with at least 100 points, marking the first playoffs in NHL history in which all eight teams in a single conference qualified with at least 100 points.[4]

Florida's opening round series victory over the Washington Capitals was their first series win since the 1996 Eastern Conference finals.[5] This postseason marked the third time that the league played 50 or more games in the opening round of the playoffs since this round was changed to a best-of-seven format in 1987.[6] The first round featured five game sevens, the most in a single playoff round since 1992, when there were six game sevens in the division semifinals.[7] On May 15, for the first time since 1997, and the second time in League history, both game sevens went into overtime.[8] With their conference final series victory, the Tampa Bay Lightning became the third team in league history to win at least eleven consecutive playoff series; joining the Montreal Canadiens (1976–1980) and New York Islanders (1980–1984) in accomplishing this feat.[9]

  1. ^ "NHL announces critical dates for 2021-22 season". NHL.com. September 29, 2021. Retrieved April 3, 2022.
  2. ^ O'Brien, James (July 22, 2021). "2021-22 NHL schedule: Kraken debut, return to 82 games, and more". NBC Sports. NBC Universal. Retrieved April 15, 2022.
  3. ^ Crosby, Wes (April 14, 2022). "Guentzel helps Penguins defeat Islanders, clinch playoff berth". NHL.com. NHL Enterprises, L. P. Retrieved April 15, 2022.
  4. ^ "Eight Eastern Conference teams get 100 points, make NHL history". NHL.com. NHL Enterprises, L. P. April 24, 2022. Retrieved November 10, 2022.
  5. ^ Gretz, Adam (May 13, 2022). "Panthers advance in playoffs for first time in 26 years thanks to Carter Verhaeghe". NBC Sports. Retrieved May 14, 2022.
  6. ^ "First Round Recap by #NHLStats – 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs". NHL.com. NHL Enterprises, L. P. May 1, 2023. Retrieved May 2, 2023.
  7. ^ Taranto, Steven (May 14, 2022). "Record number of Game 7s to be played between NBA, NHL this weekend". CBSSports.com. CBS Interactive Inc. Retrieved November 19, 2023.
  8. ^ "Multiple Game 7s go to overtime on same day for second time in NHL history". TSN.ca. Bell Media. May 15, 2022. Retrieved May 16, 2022.
  9. ^ Cite error: The named reference NYRTBLG6 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).