SECOND ROUND BOUND - The Rangers won their first playoff series since the First Round in 2017 against Montreal and notched their 54th all-time series win. New York improved to 3-5 against Pittsburgh all-time in playoff series. Before this series, three of the last four played between the teams has seen the winner go on to play in the Stanley Cup Final (2016, 2014, 2008).
SEVENTH HEAVEN - New York improved to 10-6 (.625) all-time in Game 7s and 8-1 (.888) at home in Game 7s. Among teams that have played four or more Game 7s at home, the Blueshirts have the highest win percentage in NHL history. New York has now won seven of its last eight Game 7s. The Rangers improved to 2-0 all-time in Game 7s against Pittsburgh (2014). Rangers head coach Gerard Gallant earned his first career Game 7 victory as head coach in the NHL (0-1 previously).
NO QUIT IN NY - The Rangers became the first team in Stanley Cup Playoff history to record three consecutive comeback wins in elimination games within the same series. New York won a series after trailing 3-1 for the third time in team history (2015 R2 vs. WSH, 2014 R2 vs. PIT) after coming into these playoffs with a 2-18 series record when trailing 3-1. The Rangers won three of four games in comeback fashion.
WORTH THE WAIT - The Rangers improved to 3-2 in overtime Game 7s, with all three wins coming at home.
FAST START, BIG FINISH - New York improved to 11-5 all-time when scoring first in a winner-take-all game, including a 9-3 mark in Game 7s.
Blueshirt Breakdown: NYR 4 vs. PIT 3 - Game 7
- Adam Foxbecame the fourth defenseman in NHL history with at least one point in all seven games of a series, joining Miro Heiskanen (DAL - 2020 - R2), Larry Murphy (PIT - 1995 - CQF), and Paul Reinhart (CGY - 1984 - Div. Finals). Fox is the first skater (defenseman or forward) in Rangers history to accomplish the feat.
- Igor Shesterkin became the fourth goaltender in Rangers history to win a Game 7, joining Henrik Lundqvist (6x), Mike Richter (2x) and John Vanbiesbrouck (1x). Shesterkin recorded 255 saves in seven games, the most in a single series by a Rangers goaltender (since 1955-56 when the League began officially tracking shots on goal). It is the fifth most saves in a single round (since 1955-56 when shots on goal began being tracked), trailing Curtis Joseph (277 in 1993 DF w/ STL), Jonas Hiller (274 in 2009 CSF w/ ANA), Ken Dryden (260 in 1971 QF w/ MTL) and Ed Belfour (258 in 2003 CQF w/ TOR).Shesterkin is the third Rangers goaltender (Richter, Vanbiesbrouck) to post a win in his first career Game 7 and is now the youngest Rangers goaltender to win his first career Game 7 (26 years, 136 days).
- Artemi Panarin scored his second career playoff overtime goal (Apr. 12, 2018 with CBJ), giving him points in five of the last six games of the series (3G-4A). Panarin joins Derek Stepan (2015 R2) and Stephan Matteau (1994 ECF) as the only Game 7 overtime goal scorers in team history. He is the 13th player in franchise history to net a series-clinching goal in overtime.
- Chris Kreideropened the scoring with his fifth goal of these playoffs and first career Game 7 goal, giving him points in five of seven games. Kreider scored his 29th career playoff goal to surpass Adam Graves, Ron Duguay and Brian Leetch and pull into a tie with Mark Messier for second place in franchise history behind Rod Gilbert (34).
- Mika Zibanejadrecorded three points (1G-2A), including an assist on the overtime winner, giving him seven points (3G-4A) in his last two games. Zibanejad scored the tying goal with 5:45 remaining in regulation, marking the first time in franchise history a Rangers player has tied a Game 7 in the final 10 minutes of the third period.
- Braden Schneider (20 years, 237 days) became the youngest player in Rangers history to record a point (A) in a Game 7, besting Alex Kovalev (21 years, 110 days) in the 1994 Stanley Cup Final.
- K'Andre Miller(22 years, 114 days) scored his first career playoff goal and became the second-youngest defenseman in Rangers history to score in a Game 7, behind only Michael Del Zotto who scored in the 2012 Conference Semifinals (21 years, 323 days).
- Andrew Copp recorded two assists, his second and third of the playoffs. Copp finished the series with four goals and three assists for seven points in seven games. In a combined 23 games (regular season and playoffs) with New York since being acquired at the trade deadline, Copp tallied 25 points (12G-13A).
- Ryan Strome tallied his fifth assist of the playoffs to give him points in six of seven games this series.
