Here are a few pre-game notes prior to Game 6 (8:00 P.M. Eastern; NBC, CBC, RDS) of the Stanley Cup Final between Philadelphia and Chicago.
- Since the best-of-seven format debuted in 1939, 24 Game 6's have been hosted by teams who face elimination. Those teams have a 10-14 record in those Game 6's. Of the 10 teams who have won and forced a Game 7, just three of them went on to win the Stanley Cup. The Pittsburgh Penguins did it last season against the Red Wings. Flyers forward Ville Leino was on that Wings team.
The other two teams? Montreal in 1971 and Detroit in 1950.
- Peter Laviolette coached the Carolina Hurricanes in 2006. That year, in the Finals against Chris Pronger's Edmonton Oilers, the Hurricanes lost Game 6 as the Oilers forced a seventh game. "I went back to the hotel in Edmonton and almost threw up," Laviolette said of the experience. No worries: they won the Cup at home in Game 7.
- The Flyers have outscored opponents 37-20 in 10 home games in the playoffs this year. They're 9-1 in those games, and goaltender Michael Leighton is 6-0 with two shutouts at the Wachovia Center this spring. He's only allowed nine goals.
- Should the Flyers win tonight, the Final will be on pace for the home team to win every game of the series. That's only happened three times, in 1955, 1965 and 2003.
- Six teams have overcome losing Game 5 while tied at 2-2 to win a series: last year's Penguins, the 2004 Lightning, the 2001 Avalanche, 1971 Canadiens (against Chicago), 1964 Maple Leafs and the 1950 Red Wings.