Game On!

A look Inside the Numbers as the Rangers and Capitals prepare for a decisive Game 7:

• The Rangers will play their first Game 7 since the 1994 Stanley Cup Finals against Vancouver. In franchise history, the Rangers have played seven Game 7s, with the home team winning every game:
  
  
  1. 1939 at Boston – L, 1-2 (OT)
  2. 1950 at Detroit – L, 3-4 (2 OT) (Stanley Cup Finals)
  3. 1971 at Chicago – L, 2-4
  4. 1974 at Philadelphia – L, 3-4
  5. 1992 vs. New Jersey – W, 8-4
  6. 1994 vs. New Jersey – W, 2-1 (2 OT)
  7. 1994 vs. Vancouver – W, 3-2 (Stanley Cup Finals)
  Overtime goal scorers: Mel Hill (1939), Pete Babando (1950), Stephane Matteau (1994)

• The Capitals will play their seventh Game 7 in franchise history. Five of the previous six have been played on home ice:
  
  
  1. 1987 vs. NY Islanders – L, 2-3 (4 OT)
  2. 1988 vs. Philadelphia – W, 5-4 (OT)
  3. 1988 vs. New Jersey – L, 2-3
  4. 1992 vs. Pittsburgh – L, 1-3
  5. 1995 at Pittsburgh – L, 0-3
  6. 2008 vs. Philadelphia – L, 2-3 (OT)
  Overtime goal scorers: Pat LaFontaine (1987), Dale Hunter (1988), Joffrey Lupul (2008).
  
  Jim Schoenfeld has been the head coach for two of the Capitals' previous six Game 7s: 1988 (with New Jersey) and 1995 (with Washington).

• John Tortorella is 2-0 in Game 7s, both in 2004 with the Tampa Bay Lightning:May 22, 2004 vs. Philadelphia – W, 2-1; June 7, 2004 vs. Calgary – W, 2-1 (Stanley Cup Finals).

• The Rangers have led 12 previous best-of-seven series 3-games-to-1. They won all 12 series. The only prior series which was extended to seven games: 1994 vs. Vancouver.

• The Capitals have trailed seven previous best-of-seven series 3-games-to-1. They came back to win one of the seven series: 1988 vs. Philadelphia (4-3) on a Dale Hunter overtime goal in Game 7.

• There have been no lead changes in this series since Game 1.

• The Capitals have outscored the Rangers at even strength (10-6) and on special teams (7-4).

• Henrik Lundqvist has started the last 28 postseason games for the Rangers after sitting out Game 2 in New Jersey in 2006. Lundqvist is 14-15 in 29 career playoff games. Lundqvist has started the last 13 games this season (seven regular season, six playoff), with a record of 7-6-0.

• The Capitals have attempted 387 shots over the first four games, the Rangers 298. Capitals – 192 shots on goal, 94 missed shots and 101 blocked by the Rangers;Rangers – 151 shots on goal, 71 missed shots and 76 blocked by the Capitals.

• The Rangers have led for 111:31 in the series, the Caps for 156:22; the series has been tied for 92:07.

• The Rangers are 4-30 in 48:47 of power play time (31 PP shots).

• The Caps are 6-31 in 51:33 of power play time (51 PP shots). Alexander Ovechkin has drawn five penalties in the series. The Caps have scored two PPGs (both in Game 1) on penalties drawn by Ovechkin. Ovechkin was whistled for his first penalty of the series in Game 6.

• Ovechkin in the series: 139:14 of ice time, including 43:09 on the PP. Ovechkin has taken 44 shots on goal, has had 24 shots blocked, as well as 21 missed shots. Ovechkin has accounted for 23% of the shot attempts (89 of 387) by Washington.

• Ovechkin has three goals on 44 shots in the series. During the regular season, Ovechkin scored one goal per every 9.4 shots (56 goals on 528 shots).

• The Capitals are 1-2 at home in the playoffs after losing only nine home games in regulation (29-9-3) during the regular season.

• The Rangers have led 20 prior playoff series 2-0, and won 19 of the 20 series. Eleven of the 20 series were best-of-seven. The only series lost: 1968 vs. Chicago (won the first two games at home, lost the next four).

• Sixteen NHL teams have lost the first two games of a series at home, then came back to win the series, including the 1996 Rangers (vs. Montreal). The last to pull it off: The 2006 Stanley Cup Champion Carolina Hurricanes.

• Prior to Game 5, the Rangers had won their last five potential series-clinching games. The last potential clincher the Blueshirts lost was Game 5 at Quebec in 1995 (the Rangers won Game 6 at MSG, the last game in Quebec Nordiques history before their move to Denver).

• The Rangers have won seven of their last eight first-round series.

• The Rangers have lost their last three playoff overtime games. The Capitals have dropped their last five, including two overtime defeats against John Tortorella's Tampa Bay Lightning in 2003.

• Colton Orr was a healthy scratch in Game 6 after playing in all 82 regular season games, and the first five playoff contests.

• Ken Gernander and J.J. Daigneault assisted Jim Schoenfeld behind the Rangers' bench in Game 6. Gernander played more playoff games (15) than regular season games (12) during his Rangers/NHL career, while Daigneault is tied for second in league history, having played for 10 teams (trailing only Mike Sillinger, who has dressed for 12 clubs).

• Chris Drury and Scott Gomez played against each other in Game 7 of the 2001 Stanley Cup Finals.

ACCORDING TO www.NHLMedia.com:

• Since the NHL introduced the best-of-seven format in 1939, a total of 122 playoff series have gone to seven games. The home team has won 77 (63%).

• Of the 122 series in NHL history that have gone to seven games, 30 have been decided in overtime. Home teams have posted a 15-5 record in the 30 games, although road clubs are 11-4 since 1990.

MORE:

• Do or Die Time for Blueshirts
• Watch Game 6 Postgame Reactions
• Complete Rangers Playoff Coverage