NBC DRAWS RECORD RATINGS FOR WESTERN CONFERENCE FINAL
Game 7 of the Western Conference Final between the Blackhawks and Ducks delivered overnight milestones for NBC and record local ratings for both the Chicago and Los Angeles markets.

* The game produced a 3.27 metered market rating, making it NBC’s highest overnight rating for an NHL game, excluding the Stanley Cup Final, according to The Nielsen Company.

* Locally, the Chicago market delivered a 26.6 household rating, its highest ever for a non-Stanley Cup Final Blackhawks game on NBC and its third-highest overall.

* The Los Angeles market produced a 3.9 household rating, its highest ever for a non-Stanley Cup Final Ducks game on NBC and its second-highest overall, trailing only the Stanley Cup-clinching Game 5 of the 2007 Final (vs. OTT: 6.0).

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Click here for an all-access look at Game 7 of the Western Conference Final between the Blackhawks and Ducks.

HOW WE GOT HERE
Sixteen teams entered the 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs on April 15. Seven weeks later, only two remain. A quick look at how we got here:

First Round
Montreal defeated Ottawa, 4-2
Tampa Bay defeated Detroit, 4-3
NY Rangers defeated Pittsburgh, 4-1
Washington defeated NY Islanders, 4-3
Minnesota defeated St. Louis, 4-2
Chicago defeated Nashville, 4-2
Anaheim defeated Winnipeg, 4-0
Calgary defeated Vancouver, 4-2

Second Round
Tampa Bay defeated Montreal, 4-2
NY Rangers defeated Washington, 4-3
Chicago defeated Minnesota, 4-0
Anaheim defeated Calgary, 4-1

Conference Finals
Tampa Bay defeated NY Rangers, 4-3
Chicago defeated Anaheim, 4-3

BRACKET CHALLENGE REFLECTS UNPREDICTABLE NATURE OF PLAYOFFS
Of the more than 800,000 entries for the 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs Bracket Challenge powered by Samsung, only 609 (0.07%) correctly selected the winner of all 14 series that have been completed thus far in the 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

THRILLING CONFERENCE FINALS PUNCTUATE OPENING THREE ROUNDS
For just the third time in Stanley Cup Playoffs history – and second time during the NHL’s expansion era (since 1967-68) – both series in the Conference Finals (or Semifinals) required a Game 7.

A snapshot of both series:

EASTERN CONFERENCE FINAL (TBL vs. NYR)
Games Played: 7
Overtime Games: 1 (TBL 1-0, NYR: 0-1)
Total Goals: 42 (TBL: 21, NYR: 21)
Goals Per Game: 6.00
Total Playing Time: 423:33
Total Time Tied: 179:36 (42.4%)
Total Time TBL Led: 109:44 (25.9%)
Total Time NYR Led: 134:13 (31.7%)
Total Time Tied OR Within One Goal: 326:56 (77.2%)

WESTERN CONFERENCE FINAL (CHI vs. ANA)
Games Played: 7
Overtime Games: 3 (CHI: 2-1, ANA: 1-2)
Total Goals: 46 (CHI: 24, ANA: 22)
Goals Per Game: 6.57
Total Playing Time: 502:34
Total Time Tied: 216:49 (43.2%)
Total Time CHI Led: 149:58 (29.8%)
Total Time ANA Led: 135:47 (27.0%)
Total Time Tied OR Within One Goal: 375:26 (74.7%)

* Overall, neither Stanley Cup Finalist has led for more than one-third of its total playing time this postseason (CHI: 31.1%, TBL: 29.8%).

* In fact, the Lightning have trailed for more time than they have led in reaching the Stanley Cup Final (33.8%).

GAME 7s CONTINUE TO DOMINATE STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS
There have been five Game 7s contested thus far in the 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs (in 14 total series, 35.7%) – both Stanley Cup Finalists have participated in at least one such game:

First Round
DET 0 at TBL 2
NYI 1 at WSH 2

Second Round
WSH 1 at NYR 2 (OT)

Conference Finals
TBL 2 at NYR 0
CHI 5 at ANA 3

* There have been 17 Game 7s since the start of the 2013 Stanley Cup Playoffs (44 total series, 38.6%) – that is the most frequently occurring series length in that span (7 Games: 17, 6 Games: 13, 5 Games: 9, 4 Games: 5).

WORKING OVERTIME
There have been 19 overtime games thus far in the 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs (in 83 GP, 22.9%) – including five that have required multiple extra periods.

* The Stanley Cup Finalists are a combined 7-1 in overtime games (TBL: 3-0, CHI: 4-1).

* Home teams own a slight advantage overall, with an 11-8 combined record in overtime games (TBL: 1-0, CHI: 2-0).

* Each of the first four overtime games the Blackhawks played this postseason required multiple extra periods (4-0). They became the second team in NHL history to contest four such games in one playoff year and the first to win four such games in one postseason.

* The Blackhawks and Ducks played the longest overtime thus far in the 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs, with Marcus Kruger scoring at 16:12 of the third extra frame to give Chicago a 3-2 victory in Game 2 of the Western Conference Final. At 116:12, the Blackhawks contested the longest game in franchise history, eclipsing the previous mark of 113:50 set on April 9, 1931 at MTL (3-2 W in Game 3 of F).

* The Islanders and Capitals played the shortest overtime thus far in the 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs, with John Tavares scoring just 15 seconds into the extra frame to give New York a 2-1 victory in Game 3 of the First Round. It stood as the sixth-fastest overtime goal in NHL postseason history – former Canadiens forward Brian Skrudlandowns the record, scoring nine seconds into overtime in Game 2 of the 1986 Stanley Cup Final at CGY.

* Three overtime games included a series-clinching win: by the Rangers in Game 5 of the First Round vs. PIT (Carl Hagelin), by the Ducks in Game 5 of the Second Round vs. CGY (Corey Perry) and by the Rangers in Game 7 of the Second Round vs. WSH (Derek Stepan).

* Overall, 11 of the 14 total series this postseason have featured at least one overtime game.

DOWN TO THE WIRE
Exciting finishes continue to highlight the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Among the notable statistics this year (through 83 GP):

* More than half of the games (50 of 83, 60.2%) have been tied or within one goal entering the final five minutes of regulation.

* More than one-third of the games (29 of 83, 34.9%) have featured a comeback win, including six by multiple goals. Thirteen of those comeback victories were staged in the third period.

* Eight go-ahead goals have been scored in the final five minutes of regulation, including four in the last 60 seconds.

* In the Second Round, two game-winning goals were scored in the final two seconds of regulation – by Capitals forward Joel Ward in Game 1 at NYR (19:58) and Lightning forward Tyler Johnson in Game 3 vs. MTL (19:58). Prior to this year, there only were two such goals in Stanley Cup Playoffs history.

* Seven game-tying goals have been scored in the final five minutes of regulation, including two in the last 60 seconds.

THIS AND THAT
More notes from an unpredictable 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs:

* There will be a different Stanley Cup champion for the 16th consecutive season. The last team to repeat: the Red Wings in 1996-97 and 1997-98.

* Five series winners advanced after facing a deficit at any point in their series. In the Second Round vs. WSH, the Rangers became the first team in Stanley Cup Playoffs history to successfully overcome a 3-1 series deficit in consecutive years (also in 2014 SR vs. PIT).

* A California-based team advanced to the Western Conference Final for the 10th time in the past 12 seasons, including the sixth consecutive year.

* Five (completed) series featured teams facing off in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time. The 2015 Stanley Cup Final also boasts the first postseason meeting between the Lightning and Blackhawks.

* The Rangers played 13 consecutive one-goal games to open the playoffs, the longest such streak in NHL history. They also contested 15 straight one-goal postseason games dating to last year (Game 4 of the F vs. LAK), another NHL record.

* The Ducks became the first team in NHL history to win three consecutive games in one playoff series when trailing entering the third period, doing so in Games 1-3 of the First Round vs. CGY. Only one other team has won three such games in one series in the Stanley Cup Playoffs: the Bruins in the 1943 Semifinals vs. MTL.

* The Jets qualified for the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since the NHL returned to Winnipeg in 2011-12. The city hosted its first postseason game in 19 years when the Jets faced the Ducks at MTS Centre in Game 3 of the First Round.

* Entering the final day of the regular season, none of the eight matchups for the First Round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs had been completely settled (opponents and home-ice advantage); only five of the 16 postseason bracket slots had been locked; and two playoff spots and two titles – for the top team in the Atlantic Division and Western Conference – remained to be settled.

* Seven teams made the Stanley Cup Playoffs after not qualifying in 2013-14 (CGY, NSH, NYI, OTT, VAN, WSH and WPG). The seven-team turnover marked the largest year-to-year change in NHL history, surpassing the mark of six achieved three times (most recently in 2009-10). Overall, there has been a playoff turnover of at least five clubs in eight of the past 10 seasons.

* Just 16 points separated the 16 teams that qualified for the Stanley Cup Playoffs –that’s the narrowest gap in the 16-team postseason era. The last time there was a smaller gap (in any playoff format) was in 1964-65, when just four teams qualified for the postseason.

PLAYOFF LEADERS
The top individual performers thus far in the 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs:

GOALS
1. Tyler Johnson (TBL): 12
t-2. Patrick Kane (CHI): 10
t-2. Corey Perry (ANA): 10
t-4. Nikita Kucherov (TBL): 9
t-4. Jonathan Toews (CHI): 9
t-4. Derick Brassard (NYR): 9

ASSISTS
1. Ryan Getzlaf (ANA): 18
2. Duncan Keith (CHI): 16
3. Jakob Silfverberg (ANA): 14
t-4. Patrick Kane (CHI): 10
t-4. Nikita Kucherov (TBL): 10
t-4. Steven Stamkos (TBL): 10

POINTS
1. Tyler Johnson (TBL): 12-9—21
t-2. Patrick Kane (CHI): 10-10—20
t-2. Ryan Getzlaf (ANA): 2-18—20
4. Nikita Kucherov (TBL): 9-10—19
t-5. Four tied w/ 18

POWER-PLAY POINTS
t-1. Nikita Kucherov (TBL): 3-5—8
t-1. Steven Stamkos (TBL): 2-6—8
t-3. Tyler Johnson (TBL): 2-5—7
t-3. Patrick Kane (CHI): 2-5—7
t-5. Ondrej Palat (TBL): 4-2—6
t-5. Dan Boyle (NYR): 1-5—6

SHORTHANDED POINTS
t-1. Jonathan Toews (CHI): 1-1—2
t-1. Marian Hossa (CHI): 1-1—2
t-3. Sixteen tied w/ 1

GAME-WINNING GOALS
1. Tyler Johnson (TBL): 4
t-2. Patrick Kane (CHI): 3
t-2. Nikita Kucherov (TBL): 3
t-2. Matt Beleskey (ANA): 3
t-5. Seven tied w/ 2

PLUS/MINUS
1. Duncan Keith (CHI): +13
2. Victor Hedman (TBL): +11
t-3. Derick Brassard (NYR): +9
t-3. Andrew Cogliano (ANA): +9
5. Rick Nash (NYR): +8

WINS
1. Ben Bishop (TBL): 12
t-2. Henrik Lundqvist (NYR): 11
t-2. Frederik Andersen (ANA): 11
4. Corey Crawford (CHI): 9
t-5. Two tied w/ 6

GOALS-AGAINST AVERAGE
1. Craig Anderson (OTT): 0.97
2. Braden Holtby (WSH): 1.71
3. Henrik Lundqvist (NYR): 2.11
4. Petr Mrazek (DET): 2.11
5. Marc-Andre Fleury (PIT): 2.12

SAVE PERCENTAGE
1. Craig Anderson (OTT): .972
2. Braden Holtby (WSH): .944
3. Scott Darling (CHI): .936
4. Henrik Lundqvist (NYR): .928
5. Marc-Andre Fleury (PIT): .927

SHUTOUTS
1. Ben Bishop (TBL): 3
2. Petr Mrazek (DET): 2
t-3. Six tied w/ 1

SHOT ATTEMPTS – 5 ON 5 (SAT)
1. Duncan Keith (CHI): 89
2. Joel Ward (WSH): 73
t-3. Alex Pietrangelo (STL): 69
t-3. Henrik Sedin (VAN): 69
5. Brendan Gallagher (MTL): 63

UNBLOCKED SHOT ATTEMPTS – 5 ON 5 (USAT)
1. Francois Beauchemin (ANA): 78
2. Hampus Lindholm (ANA): 68
3. Corey Perry (ANA): 60
4. Brendan Gallagher (MTL): 57
5. Andrew Cogliano (ANA): 56

the above information was provided by the NHL PR department