NHL releases impressive stats from first round of 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs

Now that the first round of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs is in the books, the NHL took a deep dive at some of the stats that resulted from the eight series that went down.

As you can see below, players competing in the opening round of the playoffs were, much like in the past regular season, very offensive-minded.

Here's an inside the numbers look at some of the most impressive stats from the first round recap:

328 – Number of goals scored in the First Round of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Only four opening rounds in NHL history have featured more: 1988 Division Semifinals (370), 1992 Division Semifinals (358), 1991 Division Semifinals (335) and 1995 Conference Quarterfinals (333).

51 – Games in the 2022 First Round, tied with the 1991 Division Semifinals (51) for the second most in a round trailing only the 1992 Division Semifinals (54).

28 – Number of goaltenders to make an appearance in the 2022 First Round, tied for the second-highest total in the opening round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs and highest since the 1996 Conference Quarterfinals. The 1995 Conference Quarterfinals (29) is the only opening round with more.

14 – NHL-leading point total by Oilers captain Connor McDavid, equaling the highest total in an opening round over the past 29 years. Only two players in Stanley Cup Playoffs history have recorded more in an opening round: Mario Lemieux (17 in 1992) and Wayne Gretzky (15 in 1987). Ten of McDavid's 14 points were assists, joining Vancouver's Henrik Sedin (11 A in 5 GP, 2011 CF vs. SJS) as the second player in the past 26 years to record at least 10 assists in a playoff series.

10 – Number of goaltenders to make their first career playoff start in the 2022 First Round – the most in a single playoff round in NHL history. The previous high of nine was accomplished on two occasions: the 2015 First Round and 2006 Conference Quarterfinals.

7 – Number of series that required at least six games. The 2022 First Round became the fourth opening round in NHL history where seven series required at least six games, following the 1991 and 1992 Division Semifinals (8) as well as the 2010 Conference Quarterfinals (7).

8 – Players in the First Round to reach a double-digit point total (Connor McDavid: 14, Carter Verhaeghe: 12, Brad Marchand: 11, Mika Zibanejad: 11, Jake Guentzel: 10, Cale Makar: 10, Adam Fox: 10 & Sidney Crosby: 10). Only two other opening rounds in NHL history have featured more players with 10-plus points in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs: 1988 Division Semifinals (11) and 1992 Division Semifinals (9).

6.4 – Goals per game in the opening round. After the 2021-22 regular season concluded with an average of 6.3 goals-per-game – the highest-scoring season in 26 years – the 2022 First Round marked the highest-scoring opening round the Stanley Cup Playoffs since the 1995 Conference Quarterfinals (6.80 G/GP).

5 – Number of Game 7s contested in the 2022 First Round. Only one opening round in NHL history featured more: 1992 Division Semifinals (6).

4 – Four of five Game 7s played were decided by a one-goal margin – the most ever in a single round and one shy of the highest total in a single playoff year (1994, 2009 & 2011 all had five Game 7s with a one-goal margin of victory).

4 – Number of division champions from the regular season that advanced – just the second time that has happened since the NHL reduced to four divisions in 2013-14 (also 2017-18).