Caps winning cup, defeat Sharks
The EA SPORTS NHL16 Stanley Cup Playoff Simulation predicts that the Washington Capitals will defeat the San Jose Sharks in seven games in the 2016 Stanley Cup Final, bringing home the franchise’s first ever Stanley Cup Championship since the team was founded in 1974. Home-ice advantage helps lift Washington to a close 4-2 victory in game seven, with Justin Williams scoring a go-ahead goal in the third period before Alex Ovechkin seals the deal into an empty net in the game’s dying seconds. Capitals goaltender Braden Holtby caps a historic regular season to take home the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP.
For full details, including how you can compete against the EA SPORTS NHL 16 Playoff Sim with the Stanley Cup Playoffs Bracket Challenge presented by Samsung, visit the NHL 16 Stanley Cup Playoffs Simulation blog.
Other major storylines from the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs include:
Washington Capitals goalie Braden Holtby’s Conn Smythe Trophy win is supported by an astounding postseason performance with 16 wins, a 2.10 GAA, .933 SV% and three Shutouts. Captain Alex Ovechkin helped lead the team to the Stanley Cup, scoring 25 points in 25 games, including 15 goals and 10 assists.
Despite falling short of their first Stanley Cup Championship, the San Jose Sharks had a memorable playoff run as they knocked off two Pacific Division rivals, the Los Angeles Kings and the Anaheim Ducks, before defeating defending Stanley Cup Champions, the Chicago Blackhawks, in the Western Conference Final.
The Florida Panthers surprised many by defeating the New York Islanders and state rival Tampa Bay Lightning en route to the Eastern Conference Final. Hockey legend Jaromir Jagr continues to show everyone that age is just a number as he led the Panthers in playoff scoring with six goals and 11 assists for 17 points in 20 games.
The EA SPORTS Stanley Cup Playoff Simulation is conducted in-game using EA SPORTS NHL 16 and real-life data from NHL players and teams. Results are simulated and determined using NHL 16 game simulations that factor in series matchups, player ratings, line combinations, and include variances such as injuries and hot streaks to give a realistic outcome of each series.
