Goal-scoring heroes Joe Pavelski (Wisconsin) and Bryan Rust (Notre Dame) headline significant contributions from NCAA alumni on the Stanley Cup finalists as San Jose and Pittsburgh prepare to meet for hockey's biggest prize.
See: All PIT & SJ Alums | Alums Who Won the Stanley Cup
Eighteen former NCAA players have appeared in the playoffs for the two finalists: five on San Jose and 13 on Pittsburgh. Six schools have multiple alumni in the final, including five - Boston University, Massachusetts, Miami, Minnesota and Wisconsin - who are assured of a Cup winner regardless of the outcome.
Pavelski leads the playoffs with 13 goals, the most by an NCAA alum in 10 years (Fernando Pisani had 14 in 2006). He scored four times in the last three games of the Western Conference Final as San Jose beat St. Louis in six games.
Pavelski, the Sharks captain, could become the second NCAA alum to accept the Stanley Cup in as many years; former North Dakota star Jonathan Toews captained Chicago to the Cup in three of the past six seasons, including last year.
Archives: Developing Story: Brian Rust
Rust, who scored four goals in the regular season, has five in the playoffs, including three in Games 6 and 7 of the Eastern Conference Final. He scored both goals in Game 7, a 2-1 Pittsburgh victory.
More than half of all of Pittsburgh's playoff games played (55.4%) have been by former NCAA players; in the regular season that number was 52.9%, second most all-time behind only last year's New York Rangers. A Pittsburgh win would put at least 13 NCAA alums' names on the Stanley Cup as players (based upon Game 7 lineup), which would tie the 1995 New Jersey Devils for the most all time.
A #TBT to the HBK Line's days on campus: pic.twitter.com/sgyZ3aNdVB
— College Hockey Inc. (@collegehockey) May 19, 2016
As that stat suggests, the contributions of former NCAA players on both sides aren't limited to Pavelski and Rust. Others of significance:
The San Jose-Pittsburgh matchup also features some compelling storylines rooted in NCAA days: