Panthers vs. Rangers Game 5 – Pregame stats, facts and notes – Hockey Writers – NHL News

After tying their Eastern Conference Finals series with the New York Rangers 2-2, the Florida Panthers will try to steal a win on the road at Madison Square Garden in Game 5. Before the contest takes place, here are the stats, facts, and general postseason notes and this game in particular.

Related: Proposed Lineup for Rangers vs Panthers — Game 5

So far in these competitions, there have been 86 goals in 77 games. In the last 30 years, only the 2006 postseason (88) produced more with that number of games, and 2021 was the only other to match the total. In this series alone, there have been six figures covering the games.

Also, there were 38 comeback victories in these contests. The 1991 and 1999 postseasons alone have had 77 more championships, with 39 each. The last two games of the Panthers-Rangers series contributed to this number.

In the best-of-seven playoff series tied 2-2 in all-time, the winner of Game 5 has ended up winning the series 231 of 293 times (78.8 percent). In the pre-Stanley Cup Finals, the rate is the same, with 50 of 65 Game 5 winners taking the series (76.9 percent).

Coming to this series directly, another overtime game between these clubs at any time could tie the Conference Finals series record – four chasers. This has only happened three times in NHL history, the last time was in 1968 between the St. Louis Blues and Minnesota North Stars.

With 33 playoff points in 58 games played at Madison Square Garden, Chris Kreider needs just one more point to pass Hockey Hall of Famers Rod Gilbert and Mark Messier for the second-most in the said structure. Brian Leetch holds the record with 45 points, doing so in just 41 contests.

Related: 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs Conference Finals Hub

Looking at the Panthers, Matthew Tkachuk could become the seventh player born in the United States to record 20 points in consecutive postseasons if he can only score one point. Only Jake Guentzel, Phil Kessel, Patrick Kane, Mike Modano, Kevin Stevens, and Craig Janney have done so – that's a pretty good list.

Both Alexis Lafreniere of the Rangers and Sam Reinhart of the Panthers can reach the three-game scoring streak in Game 5. There have been those streaks in at least one Conference Finals series in every single season since 2004. to 2023, the last being done by Jonathan Marchessault of the Vegas Golden Knights. Brayden Point of the Tampa Bay Lightning had the longest streak, hitting six straight Eastern Conference Finals appearances in 2021. Both of the previously mentioned teams went on to win the Stanley Cup.

Stats and facts courtesy of NHL PR