Kukla's Korner Hockey

Kukla's Korner Hockey

Two Game 7's Will Decide The Western Conference Finals

05/10/2016 at 6:49pm EDT

NEW YORK (May 10, 2016) – Four Western Conference rivals will vie for the two berths in the Conference Finals in a pair of Game 7s this week. The Dallas Stars will play host to the St. Louis Blues on Wednesday, May 11 (8 p.m., ET/7 p.m., CT, NBCSN, SN, TVAS), followed by the San Jose Sharks taking on the Nashville Predators on Thursday, May 12 (start time and broadcast coverage TBA).

Wednesday’s contest between the Stars and Blues marks the fourth Game 7 in 13 playoff series between the franchises. The others – which all required overtime – came when the Stars were based in Minnesota: the Blues won in the 1968 Semifinals and 1972 Quarterfinals, while the North Stars were victorious in the 1984 Norris Division Final.

While the Stars will be contesting their first Game 7 since 2007, the Blues will play their second such game this postseason, having eliminated the defending Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks in the First Round. The Blues will play consecutive Game 7s in the same playoff year for the first time since 1986 and for just the third time in franchise history.

Blues forward Troy Brouwer, who tallied the game-winning goal in Game 7 of the First Round, is set to play in a Game 7 for an eighth consecutive playoff series, dating to the 2011 Conference Quarterfinals -- the longest such streak in League history.

The Sharks will be contesting the 10th Game 7 in franchise history (5-4) and the fourth such game at SAP Center at San Jose since 2008. The Predators, who reached the Second Round by defeating the Anaheim Ducks in the first Game 7 in franchise history, are the first team since the 2004 Tampa Bay Lightning to have their first two such contests occur in consecutive playoff series.

The two Western Conference Second Round series have followed different paths in reaching Game 7. The road team has won four of six games in the Dallas-St. Louis series, including each of the past three, while the home team has been victorious in all six games of the San Jose-Nashville matchup.

Game 7 Trends

* Home teams are 95-68 (.583) all-time in Game 7s in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, including a 1-1 mark in 2016.

* The team that scores first is 121-42 all-time (.742), including a 2-0 mark in 2016.

* Forty Game 7s have required overtime (40-of-163, 24.5%). Home and road teams each have 20 wins.


Individual Game 7 Statistics


Dallas GP W-L G A Pts.
Jason Demers 2 1-1 0 0 0
Patrick Eaves 6 4-2 0 0 0
Vernon Fiddler 1 0-1 1 0 1
Alex Goligoski 1 0-1 0 1 1
Ales Hemsky 1 0-1 0 0 0
Travis Moen 3 2-1 1 0 1
Johnny Oduya 4 2-2 0 1 1
Tyler Seguin 4 3-1 1 1 2
Patrick Sharp 4 2-2 3 0 3
Jason Spezza 2 0-2 0 0 0

GP Mins W-L GAA SO Sv%
Antti Niemi 3 177 1-2 2.38 0 .919
Kari Lehtonen - - - - - -

Antti Niemi

Date Score Dec. Shots
4/30/14 LAK 5 at SJS 1 Loss 28
5/28/13 SJS 1 at LAK 2 Loss 18
5/12/11 DET 2 at SJS 3 Win 40

Dallas Head Coach

Lindy Ruff (0-3)

Date Score Dec.
4/26/11 BUF 2 at PHI 5 Loss
6/1/06 BUF 2 at CAR 4 Loss
5/10/01 PIT 3 at BUF 2 (OT) Loss


St. Louis GP W-L G A Pts.
David Backes 1 1-0 0 0 0
Patrik Berglund 1 1-0 0 1 1
Robert Bortuzzo 1 0-1 0 0 0
Jay Bouwmeester 1 1-0 0 1 1
Kyle Brodziak 2 2-0 0 3 3
Troy Brouwer 7 3-4 1 0 1
Chris Butler 1 0-1 0 0 0
Joel Edmundson 1 1-0 0 0 0
Robby Fabbri 1 1-0 0 1 1
Carl Gunnarsson 2 1-1 0 0 0
Jori Lehtera 1 1-0 1 0 1
Steve Ott 2 1-1 0 0 0
Colton Parayko 1 1-0 1 0 1
Alex Pietrangelo 1 1-0 0 0 0
Jaden Schwartz 1 1-0 0 1 1
Kevin Shattenkirk 1 1-0 0 0 0
Paul Stastny 2 1-1 1 1 2
Alex Steen 1 1-0 0 1 1
Vladimir Tarasenko 1 1-0 0 0 0
Scottie Upshall 3 2-1 1 0 1

GP Mins W-L GAA SO Sv%
Brian Elliott 1 60 1-0 2.00 0 .939
Jake Allen - - - - - -

Brian Elliott

Date Score Dec. Shots
4/25/16 CHI 2 at STL 3 Win 33

St. Louis Head Coach

Ken Hitchcock (4-2)

Date Score Dec.
4/25/16 CHI 2 at STL 3 Win
5/22/04 PHI 1 at TBL 2 Loss
4/22/03 TOR 1 at PHI 6 Win
5/27/00 COL 2 at DAL 3 Win
6/4/99 COL 1 at DAL 4 Win
4/29/97 EDM 4 at DAL 3 (OT) Loss


San Jose GP W-L G A Pts.
Justin Braun 2 0-2 0 0 0
Brent Burns 2 0-2 0 0 0
Logan Couture 3 1-2 1 0 1
Tomas Hertl 1 0-1 0 1 1
Patrick Marleau 5 2-3 1 0 1
Paul Martin 3 0-3 0 0 0
Matt Nieto 1 0-1 0 0 0
Joe Pavelski 4 2-2 1 1 2
Joe Thornton 5 2-3 1 1 2
Marc-Edouard Vlasic 3 2-1 0 0 0
Joel Ward 5 2-3 2 0 2
Tommy Wingels 2 0-2 0 0 0
Dainius Zubrus 2 1-1 0 0 0

GP Mins W-L GAA SO Sv%
James Reimer 1 66 0-1 4.54 0 .857
Martin Jones - - - - - -

James Reimer

Date Score Dec. Shots
5/13/13 TOR 4 at BOS 5 (OT) Loss 35

San Jose Head Coach

Peter DeBoer (1-0)

Date Score Dec.
4/26/12 NJD 3 at FLA 2 (2OT) Win


Nashville GP W-L G A Pts.
Viktor Arvidsson 1 1-0 0 1 1
Anthony Bitetto 1 1-0 0 0 0
Mattias Ekholm 1 1-0 0 0 0
Ryan Ellis 1 1-0 0 0 0
Mike Fisher 3 1-2 0 0 0
Filip Forsberg 1 1-0 0 0 0
Paul Gaustad 3 1-2 1 0 1
Barret Jackman 2 1-1 0 0 0
Calle Jarnkrok 1 1-0 0 0 0
Ryan Johansen 1 1-0 0 0 0
Roman Josi 1 1-0 0 0 0
James Neal 3 1-2 0 0 0
Eric Nystrom 1 0-1 0 0 0
Mike Ribeiro 4 2-2 0 0 0
Miikka Salomaki 1 1-0 0 0 0
Colton Sissons 1 1-0 0 0 0
Craig Smith 1 1-0 0 0 0
Shea Weber 1 1-0 0 1 1
Colin Wilson 1 1-0 1 0 1

GP Mins W-L GAA SO Sv%
Pekka Rinne 1 59 1-0 1.02 0 .973
Carter Hutton - - - - - -

Pekka Rinne

Date Score Dec. Shots
4/27/16 NSH 2 at ANA 1 Win 37

Nashville Head Coach

Peter Laviolette (5-1)

Date Score Dec.
4/27/16 NSH 2 at ANA 1 Win
4/26/11 BUF 2 at PHI 5 Win
5/14/10 PHI 4 at BOS 3 Win
6/19/06 EDM 1 at CAR 3 Win
6/1/06 BUF 2 at CAR 4 Win
4/30/02 NYI 2 at TOR 4 Loss


Team Game 7 Results


Dallas Stars (5-6)

4/23/2007, Western Conference QF vs. Vancouver (DAL 1 at VAN 4)
5/27/2000, Western Conference Final vs. Colorado (COL 2 at DAL 3)
6/4/1999, Western Conference Final vs. Colorado (COL 1 at DAL 4)
4/29/1997, Western Conference QF vs. Edmonton (EDM 4 at DAL 3, OT)
4/30/1992, Norris Division SF vs. Detroit (MIN 2 at DET 5)
4/16/1990, Norris Division SF vs. Chicago (MIN 2 at CHI 5)
4/22/1984, Norris Division Final vs. St. Louis (STL 3 at MIN 4, OT)
4/27/1980, Quarterfinal vs. Montreal (MIN 3 at MTL 2)
4/16/1972, Quarterfinal vs. St. Louis (STL 2 at MIN 1, OT)
5/3/1968, Semifinal vs. St. Louis (MIN 1 at STL 2, 2OT)
4/18/1968, Quarterfinal vs. Los Angeles (MIN 9 at LAK 4)

* includes Minnesota North Stars (1968-1993)

St. Louis Blues (7-8)

4/25/2016, Western Conference First Round vs. Chicago (CHI 2 at STL 3)
4/22/2003, Western Conference QF vs. Vancouver (STL 1 at VAN 4)
4/25/2000, Western Conference QF vs. San Jose (SJS 3 at STL 1)
5/4/1999, Western Conference QF vs. Phoenix (STL 1 at PHX 0, OT)
5/16/1996, Western Conference SF vs. Detroit (STL 0 at DET 1, 2OT)
5/19/1995, Western Conference QF vs. Vancouver (VAN 5 at STL 3)
5/15/1993, Norris Division Final vs. Toronto (STL 0 at TOR 6)
4/16/1991, Norris Division SF vs. Detroit (DET 2 at STL 3)
4/30/1990, Norris Division Final vs. Chicago (STL 2 at CHI 8)
5/14/1986, Western Conference Final vs. Calgary (STL 1 at CGY 2)
4/30/1986, Norris Division Final vs. Toronto (TOR 1 at STL 2)
4/22/1984, Norris Division Final vs. Minnesota (STL 3 at MIN 4, OT)
4/16/1972, Quarterfinal vs. Minnesota (STL 2 at MIN 1, OT)
5/3/1968, Semifinal vs. Minnesota (MIN 1 at STL 2, 2OT)
4/18/1968, Quarterfinal vs. Philadelphia (STL 3 at PHI 1)

San Jose Sharks (5-4)

4/30/14, Western Conference First Round vs. Los Angeles (LAK 5 at SJS 1)
5/28/13, Western Conference SF vs. Los Angeles (SJS 1 at LAK 2)
5/12/11, Western Conference SF vs. Detroit (DET 2 at SJS 3)
4/22/08, Western Conference QF vs. Calgary (CGY 3 at SJS 5)
5/15/02, Western Conference SF vs. Colorado (SJS 0 at COL 1)
4/25/00, Western Conference QF vs. St. Louis (SJS 3 at STL 1)
5/19/95, Western Conference QF vs. Calgary (SJS 5 at CGY 4, 2OT)
5/14/94, Western Conference SF vs. Toronto (SJS 2 at TOR 4)
4/30/94, Western Conference QF vs. Detroit (SJS 3 at DET 2)

Nashville Predators (1-0)

4/27/16, Western Conference First Round vs. Anaheim (NSH 2 at ANA 1)

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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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