Game 7’s are as exciting as it gets in hockey. For Sharks fans, they will be experiencing the passion of a Game 7 in HP Pavilion for the first time Tuesday night.
San Jose has played in five Game 7’s and has gone 3-2. The three victories, all in the first round, have come against St. Louis in 2000, Calgary in 1995 and Detroit in 1994, with the two losses, both in the second round, coming against Colorado in 2002 and Toronto in 1994.
For Team Teal, 10 players currently on the roster have skated in a Game 7.
Jeremy Roenick has played in five such contests and leads all Sharks players with three Game 7 wins in five attempts. He has scored an amazing four goals in those five games, including one game-winning tally.
Sandis Ozolinsh leads the Sharks with seven Game 7’s and has come out on top twice, the same amount of wins as
Mike Grier in his three Game 7’s. Other Sharks skaters to play in a Game 7 include
Curtis Brown,
Brian Campbell,
Patrick Marleau,
Craig Rivet and
Joe Thornton.
Rivet and Thornton actually played against each other with Rivet’s Canadiens topping Thornton’s Bruins when the Sharks current leading scorer was limited physically due to a rib injury.
San Jose’s netminders have each played in a Game 7, with
Evgeni Nabokov’s sole appearance being in a 1-0 loss where he played brilliantly against the Colorado Avalanche.
Calgary actually has 19 players who have gone the distance in a series with Stephane Yelle, who played a bulk of games with Ozolinsh in Colorado, leading the pack.
Miikka Kiprusoff has played in three Game 7’s (1-2) and Calgary’s backup netminder Curtis Joseph has played in eight, going 4-3.
For the Sharks, there is genuine excitement about a winner take all contest that they dreamed about as kids.
“It’s a special feeling,” said
Mike Grier, who is 2-1 in Game 7’s. “It’s a little more intense and a different feeling. It’s a situation that as a kid growing up, you dream about a Game 7 where you help your team advance.”
“I think it’s exciting to come to the rink for a Game 7,” said
Craig Rivet.
Sharks Head Coach Ron Wilson is 1-0 in his only Game 7 behind the bench.
“We have to relish the Game 7 atmosphere,” said Wilson. “It’s the first in our building. We expect it to be loud and everyone to be fully supportive of what we’re trying to do. ”
Grier says his best Game 7 NHL memory came while with the Edmonton Oilers.
“My first year, we went into Dallas as the eighth seed and ended up winning in double overtime,” said Grier.
The feelings surrounding the game are what make it grander than some of the on-ice scenarios.
“There is definitely more hype,” said Grier.
Grier likes the Sharks chances as there is no turning back.
“For us, we seem to play better when our backs are against the wall,” said Grier. “We’ve stepped up when we need to.”
“It’s winner take all,” said Wilson. “I won one with Anaheim. “You just have to relax and do your job.”
The Sharks know their best effort will need to be on display.
“We have to play desperate hockey,” said Rivet. “It’s a do or die mentality. We need to play hockey like we did all year and not sit back and watch.
Blueliner
Matt Carle played in the single elimination format of the NCAA tournament that he twice won with the University of Denver.
“It will be fun,” said Carle. “This is what you play for, these games and these situations.”
J.R.
Sharks winger
Jeremy Roenick missed Game 6, but should be ready for the series decider.
“J.R. will play in Game 7,” said Wilson. “J.R.’s played in big Game 7’s. It’s nice to have a guy like that in your room and on the ice.
HOME ICE
The Sharks feel the boisterous HP Pavilion crowd will help them in the deciding contest.
“That’s why we play 82 games, to get home ice,” said Rivet.
“We played 82 games to get home ice advantage,” said
Joe Thornton. “I expect it to be crazy. We have to take the energy and have a great game.”
Still home ice won’t matter if Team Teal is not at their best.
“They were more desperate,” said Wilson of Calgary in Game 6. “We need to generate more offense and get our forecheck going. We have to have a better start to the game.”
MORE GAME 7 FACTS
Since the NHL introduced the best-of-seven format in 1939, a total of 120 playoff series have gone to seven games and the home team has won 76 (63%).
Of the 120 series in League playoff history that have gone to seven games, 29 have been decided in overtime. In the last such contest, the Flames defeated the Vancouver Canucks 3-2 on a goal by Martin Gelinas at 1:25 to claim the Western Conference Quarterfinal on April 19, 2004. Home teams have posted a 15-14 record in the 29 games, although road clubs are 10-4 since 1990.
COMPETITION
The National Hockey League Players’ Association (NHLPA) today announced that
Brian Campbell of the San Jose Sharks, Jeff Halpern of the Tampa Bay Lightning, Ryan Miller of the Buffalo Sabres, Mathieu Schneider of the Anaheim Ducks and Jason Spezza of the Ottawa Senators have been selected by the Executive Board as the NHLPA’s new representatives on the Competition Committee.
The NHL’s current Competition Committee representatives include General Managers Bob Gainey of the Montreal Canadiens, Kevin Lowe of the Edmonton Oilers, David Poile of the Nashville Predators, Don Waddell of the Atlanta Thrashers and Owner Ed Snider of the Philadelphia Flyers.
Colin Campbell on behalf of the NHL, and Eric Lindros on behalf of the NHLPA, participate in the Competition Committee meetings but do not have voting rights.
The role and purpose of the Competition Committee, which consists of up to 10 voting members, is to evaluate and make recommendations on matters relating to the game and the way the game is played to the NHLPA’s Executive Board and the NHL Board of Governors.
PREMIER JERSEY
Now through April 30 at HP Pavilion, at the Valley Fair kiosk or at sharksstore.com, the Sharks White Premier Jersey will be on sale for just $95.
NEXT GAME
Game 7 will be at 7 p.m. on Tuesday and will be on CSN Bay Area, 98.5 KFOX and www.sjsharks.com.
