History Tells Us: Better Win Game 1

If you want to win the Stanley Cup, your chances are greatly increased by winning game on of the Stanley Cup finals:

Since the NHL implemented the best-of-seven Stanley Cup Championship format in 1939, the following winning trends have been noted:

• Teams winning Game One have won the Cup 54 of 69 times (78.3%).

• Teams winning both Games One and Two have won the Cup
41 of 44 times (93.2%).

• Teams winning Games One, Two and Three have won the Cup
24 of 25 times (96%).

• Teams winning Game Three after splitting the first two games have
won the Cup 21 of 25 times (84%).

• Teams holding a 2-1 series lead have won the Cup 38 of 44 times
(86.4%).

• Teams winning Game Five after splitting the first four games have
won the Cup 14 of 19 times (73.7%).

• Teams holding a 3-2 series lead have won the Cup 26 of 32 times
(81.3%).