Kukla's Korner Hockey

Kukla's Korner Hockey

NHL Short Notes

05/26/2016 at 4:23am EDT

SHARKS REACH STANLEY CUP FINAL FOR FIRST TIME IN FRANCHISE HISTORY
Logan Couture (1-2—3) and Joel Ward (2-0—2) combined for three of San Jose’s five goals to help the Sharks win Game 6 and advance to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time in franchise history.


* The Sharks are the first team to advance to the Stanley Cup Final after missing the playoffs the previous season since the 2011-12 New Jersey Devils. Both achieved the feat under a head coach in his first season with the club – Peter DeBoer.


* Couture registered his third three-point game of the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs, all of which have been earned in series-clinching wins (also Game 5 of FR at LAK: 0-3—3 and Game 7 of SR vs. NSH: 1-2—3). He paces all players with 16 assists and 24 points this postseason (8-16—24), extending his franchise records for a playoff year.

* Per Elias, Couture became the third player in NHL history to record three or more points in three series-clinching wins within a single postseason, joining Jari Kurri(1985) and Wayne Gretzky (1985, 1988 and 1993).

* Ward scored twice, including his fourth career game-winning goal in the postseason, to register consecutive multi-goal games for the first time in his NHL career (regular season and playoffs). Prior to Game 5 and 6 of the 2016 Western Conference Final, Ward had only recorded one other multi-goal game in his previous 69 career playoff contests (also Game 5 of 2011 CSF at VAN: 2-1—3 w/ NSH).

* Martin Jones (24 SV) improved to 12-6 in the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs (2.12 GAA, .919 SV%, 3 SO), including a 7-2 record at SAP Center (1.75 GAA, .936 SV%, 2 SO).

* The Sharks will face the winner of the Eastern Conference Final between the Penguins and Lightning (series tied 3-3). Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final will be Monday; San Jose would begin the Final on the road if it plays Pittsburgh or at home if it plays Tampa Bay.

MILESTONES & BENCHMARKS
* San Jose forward Joe Thornton (0-1—1) collected his 100th career playoff point as a member of the Sharks (21-79—100). He also extended his assist/point streak to four games (0-7—7).

LOOSE PUCKS
A California-based club advanced to the Stanley Cup Final for the third time in the past five years (also Los Angeles in 2012 and 2014) and fourth time in the past 10 seasons (also Anaheim in 2007) . . . Sharks forward Joe Pavelski (1-0—1) led the Western Conference Final in scoring with 4-5—9 and paces all players with 13 goals in the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs, extending his single-postseason franchise record. He also extended his point streak to seven games (5-5—10) . . . Blues forward Vladimir Tarasenko (2-0—2) has scored 19 goals in 33 career playoff games (19-7—26) . . . The Panthers traded defenseman Erik Gudbranson and a fifth-round pick in the 2016 NHL Draft to the Canucks for forward Jared McCann and two draft picks . . . ICYMI: The NHL announced the schedule of dates for the 2016 Stanley Cup Final, which will begin on Monday, May 30 . . . Actor Richard Dean Anderson and Metallica front man James Hetfield were in attendance at SAP Center.

SNEAK PEEK AT THURSDAY’S ACTION
All Times Eastern
Tampa Bay @ Pittsburgh, 8:00 p.m., series tied 3-3, CBC, TVAS, NBCSN
NBC Sports Channel Finder
Sportsnet Channel Finder
NHL Network Channel Finder

PENGUINS, LIGHTNING VIE FOR STANLEY CUP FINAL BERTH IN GAME 7
Thursday’s contest at CONSOL Energy Center in Pittsburgh will be the fifth Game 7 of the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs. This marks the second straight year that the Eastern Conference Final will require a seventh and deciding game – the Lightning defeated the Rangers 2-0 to reach the Stanley Cup Final in 2015. The Penguins and Lightning will contest a Game 7 for the second time in as many playoff meetings. In the seventh game of the 2011 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals, Dwayne Roloson made 36 saves and Sean Bergenheim scored the lone goal in Tampa Bay’s 1-0 victory at PIT.

Thanks to the NHL PR department for the information above.

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Paul Kukla founded Kukla’s Korner in 2005 and the site has since become the must-read site on the ‘net for all the latest happenings around the NHL.

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