Lost in the San Jose Sharks' defeat in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final was another multi-point game from Brent Burns, his eighth of the playoffs.
Burns and his beard assisted on both Sharks goals Monday, and he now has 22 points (six goals, 16 assists) this spring, which puts him in elite company. Only four defensemen have put up more points in a single postseason dating back to 1986 - and they were great ones.
| D-Man | Postseason | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Brian Leetch | 1994 | 34 |
| Al MacInnis | 1989 | 31 |
| Ray Bourque | 1991 | 25 |
| Larry Murphy | 1991 | 23 |
| Burns | 2016 | 22 |
There's a good chance Burns ends up third on that list, behind only Leetch and MacInnis, by the time the Cup is awarded.
Considering how much the game has changed since the late 1980s and early 1990s, and how much better goaltenders are today, Burns' playoffs are that much more impressive.
