* The 11 combined goals matched the third-most ever in a Game 7, with only five others reaching the 10-goal plateau. The Bruins became the seventh team in NHL history to score at least seven goals in a Game 7 and first since the Red Wings in the 2002 Conference Finals vs. COL (7-0 W).

* Wednesday’s contest was also the second Game 7 in NHL history in which four tying goals were scored (BOS: 3, TOR: 1). The other such instance came in the 2014 First Round when the Wild tied the game four times in a 5-4 overtime victory against the Avalanche.

* The Bruins will face the Lightning in the Second Round, with Game 1 slated for Saturday at 3 p.m. ET in Tampa (NBC, SN, TVAS). This marks the second playoff series between Tampa Bay and Boston following a seven-game showdown in the 2011 Eastern Conference Final. The teams combined for an average of six goals per game in that series, but a pair of shutouts by eventual Conn Smythe Trophy winner Tim Thomas helped the Bruins advance – highlighted by a 24-save performance in their 1-0 series-clinching win – en route to their sixth Stanley Cup.

BERGERON INCHES CLOSER TO BECOMING “MR. GAME 7”
Bruins forward Patrice Bergeron collected 1-2—3 to boost his career Game 7 totals to 5-4—9 (all w/ BOS), becoming the highest-scoring Bruinsplayer ever in Game 7s (for both goals and points). In fact, Bergeron became the 11th player in NHL history to compile at least nine career points in Game 7s.

* Bergeron is one of six active players to appear in at least 10 career Game 7s, with teammate Zdeno Chara topping that list at 12 – one shy of tying Patrick Roy and ScottStevens (both w/ 13) for the most in NHL history.

DeBRUSK, PASTRNAK REACH SCORE SHEET TO CLOSE IMPRESSIVE ROUND
* Bruins rookie Jake DeBruskscored twice, including the series-clinching goal at 5:25 of the third period. He became the 15th rookie in NHL history – and third in the past four years – to score a series-clinching goal in a Game 7. One other rookie has achieved that feat with Boston: Fred Knipscheer in the 1994 Conference Quarterfinals vs. MTL. DeBrusk finished his first playoff series with 5-2—7, sharing the team lead in goals.

* David Pastrnak (1-1—2) scored to give the Bruins a two-goal lead midway through the third period and conclude the First Round with 5-8—13, matching Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby (6-7—13) and Jake Guentzel (6-7—13) for the most points in the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

* This marks the third time in NHL history that at least three players from any team recorded 13+ points apiece in the same round. The first such instance came in the 1983 Division Finals when Edmonton's Wayne Gretzky (6-8—14) and Boston teammates Rick Middleton (5-14—19) and Barry Pederson (7-9—16) combined for the feat. Gretzky (4-14—18) and three of his Oilers teammates – Jari Kurri (12-3—15), Glenn Anderson(6-8—14) and Paul Coffey (3-11—14) – then combined to do so in the 1985 Conference Finals.

OTHER GAME 7 NOTABLES
* The Bruins recorded their 14th all-time victory in a Game 7 to tie the Canadiens and Red Wings for the most in NHL history. Boston's 26 all-time appearances in Game 7s are also the most ever, one more than Detroit (25).

* The Bruins won a Game 7 after surrendering a 3-1 series lead for the fourth time in franchise history, including twice against the Maple Leafs. The other instances came in the 1939 Semifinals vs. NYR (2-1 3OT W), 1992 Division Semifinals vs. BUF (3-2 W) and 2013 Conference Quarterfinals vs. TOR (5-4 OT W).

* Maple Leafs forward Kasperi Kapanen became the second player in franchise history to score a shorthanded goal in a Game 7, joining Dave Keon in the 1964 Semifinals at MTL. Kapanen (21 years, 276 days) also became the youngest player in NHL history to score a shorthanded goal in a Game 7, eclipsing the mark set by Kris Draper (22 years, 341 days) in the 1994 Conference Quarterfinals vs. SJS (w/ DET).

* Maple Leafs forward Patrick Marleau (38 years, 222 days) became the second-oldest player in NHL history to score twice in a Game 7, behind only Nicklas Lidstrom (39 years, 364 days) in the 2010 Conference Quarterfinals at PHX (w/ DET).

* The team that allows the first goal improved to 44-126 (.259) in the 170 all-time Game 7s in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Home teams improved to 100-70 (.588).

BRACKET SET, SECOND ROUND SCHEDULE ANNOUNCED
Boston’s win finalized the Second Round of the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs, along with dates for all potential games. Click the bracket below for a full schedule.

QUICK CLICKS

· Jared Bednar, Bruce Cassidy, Gerard Gallant voted Jack Adams Award finalists

· 2018 NHL Draft Lottery Information Guide now available

· Sidney Crosby vs. Alex Ovechkin one of many storylines in second round of playoffs (via Dan Rosen)

· Golden Knights, Vegas police continue special bond in playoffs (via Nick Cotsonika)

· Episode 3 of Hockey 101 with Snoop Dogg: Penalties

SNEAK PEEK AT SECOND ROUND
The Second Round begins tonight with two of four series getting underway: the Capitals host the Penguins in Washington (7 p.m. ET) and the Golden Knights welcome the Sharks to Vegas (10 p.m. ET).

NBC Sports Channel Finder | Sportsnet Channel Finder | NHL Network Channel Finder

SPOTLIGHT ON OVECHKIN, CROSBY AS CAPS, PENS MEET AGAIN
Captains Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby headline the conversation ahead of the 11th all-time playoff meeting between the Capitals and Penguins, the third consecutive year that the clubs will meet in the postseason (all in the Second Round). They are the first NHL clubs to meet in three consecutive postseasons, all after the opening round, since 1988-92, when the Bruins faced the Canadiens in the Division Finals for five straight years.

* The Penguins own a 9-1 advantage in their 10 prior playoff series with the Capitals, including victories en route to all five of their Stanley Cups (in 1991, 1992, 2009, 2016 and 2017). Their .900 head-to-head winning percentage is the second-best in NHL postseason history among teams that have met in at least five series.

* Game 1 will mark the 20th head-to-head playoff matchup for Crosby and Ovechkin, who recorded 6-7—13 and 5-3—8, respectively, in the First Round. Ovechkin has posted 12-14—26 in the 19 previous meetings compared to 10-12—22 for Crosby, with the Penguins owning an 11-8 games advantage and 3-0 series edge in those meetings. Crosby also has collected 20-43—63 in the 45 regular-season games in which the two players have faced off (Ovechkin: 28-20—48); the Penguins are 27-16-2 in those contests (WSH: 18-21-6).

GOALTENDING DUEL AT FOREFRONT OF VEGAS-SAN JOSE SHOWDOWN

Backed by the only remaining Western Conference goaltenders with their names on the Stanley Cup, the Golden Knights (Marc-Andre Fleury: 3x) and Sharks (Martin Jones: 1x) will meet in the Second Round after allowing a combined seven goals against en route to both sweeping their First Round matchups (VGK: 3 GA, SJS: 4 GA).

* Golden Knights forward William Karlsson led all skaters with four goals in four head-to-head matchups during the regular season (VGK: 3-0-1, SJS: 1-2-1), including a stunning between-the-legs goal while shorthanded that clinched the Pacific Division title for Vegas on March 31.

* Sharks captain Joe Pavelski (2-3—5 in FR) leads a group of 24 San Jose players who are pursuing their first Stanley Cup. That list includes forward Evander Kane, acquired on Feb. 26, who made his postseason debut in Game 1 against Anaheim (after 574 career regular-season games) and shared the team lead with three goals in the First Round.

Thanks to the NHL PR department for the information above.